The Monday morning construction accident that sent a geyser of nearly 2,000 barrels of oil into the air near an Oklahoma City residential neighborhood is not only being investigated by the Oklahoma Corporation Commissoin but by the Federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.
Commission spokesman Trey Davis gave an update to commissioners at their Tuesday afternoon meeting, explaining that since the 16-inch crude oil pipeline that carries oil from Cushing to Midland, Texas is owned by Energy Transfer and falls under the interstate pipeline system, it is governed by the federal agency.
“Cleanup is underway,” added Davis, who said Energy Transfer is using contractors to remove what oil sprayed or leaked into a nearby storm drainage ditch. The break occurred when a contractor was digging and struck by pipeline.
“A berm was quickly constructed to prevent it from going further into that system. Current estimate is that 2,100 barrels of oil were spilled.”
He said the initial cleanup involves what he called a “dig and haul” where the contaminated soil will be taken to a waste management site that handles this type of waste.
Corporation Commissioner Kim David raised concern about the immediacy of the notification to the Commission and making sure “all the right people” were notified.
She wondered about the Commission’s role in the investigation and whether there should be fines or followup action by the state.
