EPA Fines Hunt Oil, Chaparral Energy for CWA Issues
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has fined the Hunt Oil Company of Dallas, Texas, $7,150 for violating federal Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations outlined under the Clean Water Act.
A federal inspection of an oil production facility, Central Tank Battery No. 18, located in Henderson County, Texas, on March 31, 2009, revealed the company failed to provide secondary containment for separation equipment in accordance with written procedures developed for the facility, and had failed to provide documentation of approval of their SPCC plan.
SPCC regulations require onshore oil production or bulk storage facilities to provide oil spill prevention, preparedness and responses to prevent oil discharges. The SPCC program helps protect the nation’s water quality. A spill of only one gallon of oil can contaminate one million gallons of water.
The agency fined Chaparral Energy, LLC, of Oklahoma City, Okla., $10,900 for violating the federal Clean Water Act. This announcement settles a Clean Water Act violation for a 6,500-gallon oil spill into Hay Creek, a tributary to the Arkansas River, and adjoining shorelines, in Osage County, Okla., on March 29, 2009.