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Industrial Petroleum
111 West Bay Drive NW

SITE DESCRIPTION

The site was first developed in the early 1950s as a bulk fuel storage facility for the Richfield Oil Corporation. The facility consisted of eight above ground storage tanks that ranged in capacity from 20,000 to 150,000 gallons. In 1977, ARCO (who purchased Richfield Oil Corporation) sold the property to Industrial Petroleum Distributors. The site was then used to store waste oil. This practice continued through the 1980s and early 1990s. At about this time, an Ecology hazardous waste inspector observed and documented improper storage of hazardous materials and petroleum contaminated soil at the facility. As a result, Ecology conducted an initial investigation of the site and confirmed the soil was contaminated. Ground water, surface water, and sediments had suspected contamination. Although not documented, it was reported that a spill occurring in “about” 1974 may have contributed to the site’s contamination.

In 1998, the Thurston County Health Department conducted a Site Hazard Assessment of the property, ranked the site a “1,”and Ecology placed the site on its Hazardous Sites List (A score of “1” represents the highest level of concern relative to other sites). The Site Hazard Assessment revealed the poor condition of the above ground tanks, including active leakage.  As a result, the Estate of John J. O’Connell (sole owner of Industrial Petroleum Distributors at this time) was asked to remove the waste stored on the site.  Ecology entered into an Agreed Order with the John J. Connell Trust and ARCO Products Company to begin cleanup of the site in 2000.  The portion on the west side of West Bay Drive was entered into the Voluntary Cleanup Program (VCP) in March 2002. This portion of the site was cleanup up in 2003.

Evidence of petroleum contamination was found on a waterfront parcel (owned by the Port of Olympia) adjacent from the upland tank farm.  Pipelines used to transfer petroleum product once extended from a pier through the waterfront parcel and up to the upland tank farm (as part of plant operations).  Investigations revealed petroleum products above state cleanup levels in soil and arsenic and lead were found above cleanup levels in groundwater.  Ecology determined that further investigation was necessary to fully determine the nature, extent and possible source of contamination and on this parcel. The site now includes the waterfront parcel and an investigation will be implemented as part of the 2000 Agreed Order.

SITE DOCUMENTS

• Fact Sheet -- February 2002
• Fact Sheet -- September 2000
• Agreed Order

Related Information

• Watershed Information for WRIA 13

Additional Resources

• Acronyms used by the Toxic Cleanup Program
• Cleanup Process: Major Steps & Definitions
• Data Submittal Requirements for All Cleanup Sites
• Facility/Site Atlas
• Toxics Cleanup publications