EPA cites two producers for violating Clean Water Act

April 16, 2009
The US Environmental Protection Agency cited two independent oil and gas producers in separate orders on Apr. 16 for violating federal clean water regulations in Oklahoma.

The US Environmental Protection Agency cited two independent oil and gas producers in separate orders on Apr. 16 for violating federal clean water regulations in Oklahoma.

Skull Creek Oil and Gas Co. of Bartlesville, Okla., and Petco Petroleum Corp. of Hinsdale, Ill., were named in the orders, EPA's Dallas office said.

It said that it found an unauthorized discharge of oilfield brine from Skull Creek's production facility in Osage County into Hulah Lake during a Mar. 24 inspection, which also found water near the discharge point contaminated from brine discharges and salts.

Petco Petroleum was cited following a Mar. 26 inspection of its production facility in Creek County, Okla., found that oilfield brine had been discharged into a Cimarron River tributary, EPA said. Water near this discharge point also was contaminated from brine discharges and salts, it said.

It ordered the two companies to stop discharging all pollutants from their facilities, remove all brine and contaminated soils from the flow paths, and certify in writing to EPA within 30 days that the cleanups had been completed.

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