Facing lawsuit, California oil train terminal to shut down

From:  McClatchyDC

BY CURTIS TATE AND TONY BIZJAK - MCCLATCHY WASHINGTON BUREAU

OCTOBER 23, 2014

A legal victory in California this week over crude oil operations could have a spillover effect, emboldening critics of crude-by-rail shipments to press their concerns in other jurisdictions.

A tanker truck is filled from railway cars containing crude oil on railroad tracks in McClellan Park in North Highlands on Wednesday, March 19, 2014. (Randall Benton/Sacramento Bee/MCT) | MCT

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/economy/article24775159.html#storylink=cpy

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/economy/article24775159.html#storylink=cpy

A legal victory in California this week over crude oil operations could have a spillover effect, emboldening critics of crude-by-rail shipments to press their concerns in other jurisdictions. 

EarthJustice, a San Francisco-based environmental group, won its battle to halt crude oil train operations in the state as InterState Oil Co., a Sacramento fuel distributor, agreed to stop unloading train shipments of crude oil next month at the former McClellan Air Force Base.

Sacramento County’s top air quality official said his agency mistakenly skirted the state’s environmental rules by issuing a permit for the operation.  MORE

Read more here: http://www.mcclatchydc.com/news/nation-world/national/economy/article24775159.html#storylink=cpy

EPA cites Plains' California oil train terminal for violations

From:  Reuters 

Mon, May 04 20:22 PM EDT

By Rory Carroll

SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has cited Plains All American Pipeline LP's Bakersfield crude by rail terminal with a series of violations, according to a notice made public on Monday.

The federal agency said in the notice the facility's owner failed to obtain valid emissions permits, install best available control technologies or provide emissions offsets as required by the local air district, according to the notice.

The terminal has been operating since November 2014 and can currently receive one 100-car unit train a day carrying oil from the Bakken shale formation of North Dakota as well as heavier tar oil sands crude from Western Canada.  MORE

AER orders “expectations” to Nexen over massive pipeline spill south of Fort McMurray, Alberta. Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation calls the break a tarsands milestone: “It is now home to the largest spill in Canadian history”

From:  Ernst vs. EnCana 

by Admin 

Environmental protection order issued to Nexen over pipeline spill by Edmonton Journal, July 17, 2015, Calgary Herald

The Alberta Energy Regulator has issued an environmentalPROTECTION order to Nexen Energy after its pipeline spilled five million litres of bitumen and water south of Fort McMurray.

A worker discovered the leak Wednesday while walking along the pipeline. The technology designed to detect leaks failed to alert the company of the pipeline break, the company said Friday.  MORE

Nexen Energy pipeline spill prompts environmental protection order

From:  CBC News

Alberta oil pipeline  clean-up covers area of 2 CFL football fields

Jul 18, 2015 4:53 PM MT

Alberta's energy regulator has issued an environmental protection order after a massive pipeline spill in the northern part of the province earlier this week. 

The order directs Nexen Energy to contain the spill, which saw five million litres of bitumen, sand and water released at the company's Long Lake oilsands facility near Fort McMurray. 

It also instructs Nexen to alert affected parties and develop a clean-up plan. 

• Nexen apologizes for northern Alberta pipeline break
• Nexen pipeline leak in Alberta spills 5 million litres
• Plains Midstream fined $1.3M after guilty plea
• Alberta pipelines: 6 major oil spills in recent history

In a public apology issued Friday, the Calgary-based company said that the spill had already been contained and was in the process of being cleaned up. MORE

Barges Collide In Houston Ship Channel, Spill Fuel Into Waterway

From: HuffPost

by Jade Walker

Two barges collided early Monday morning off the coast of Galveston, Texas, sparking a fire on one vessel and spilling fuel into the waterway.

According to KTRK, the local ABC affiliate, both barges were being hauled by tug boats through the Houston Ship Channel around 1:20 a.m. when one of the tugs lost power. The barge it was towing then struck the other barge.

Although one of the barges caught fire after the collision, the flames were extinguished overnight, Click2Houston.com reported.

No injuries were reported.  MORE

Arlington officials report on fracking fluid blowout

From: WFAA ABC

Brett Shipp, WFAA 1:32 p.m. CDT June 17, 2015


ARLINGTON — Two months ago, 100 homes in Arlington had to be evacuated as fracking fluid spilled out of a drilling site onto the city streets.

Now we know officially what happened, why it happened, and why Arlington officials are blaming the drilling company for "unacceptable behavior."

A series of video recordings obtained by News 8 shows the scene behind the walls of a fracking site 600 feet from a cluster of homes in the state's seventh largest city. In the incident, 42,800 gallons of fracking fluid — boiling up from thousands of feet underground — spewed into the streets and into Arlington storm sewers and streams.  MORE

3 rail cars leaking crude after oil train derails in Montana

From:  PennEnergy 

July 17, 2015

Associated Press

CULBERTSON, Mont. (AP) — More than 20 cars on an oil train derailed in rural northeastern Montana, and at least three of them were leaking crude, leading some Homes to be evacuated, authorities said.

There were no immediate reports of injury or fire, but of the 21 cars that derailed Thursday evening, only two remained upright, Roosevelt County Sheriff Jason Frederick said.

Authorities had earlier reported just two cars were leaking, but Burlington Northern Santa Fe spokesman Matt Jones UPDATED the number to three in a statement Friday morning. The oil had been contained, and railroad employees were on the scene, Jones said.  MORE

ExxonMobil gave millions to climate-denying lawmakers despite pledge

From:  The Guardian 

Under pressure from shareholders, company promised eight years ago to stop funding climate denial – but financial and tax records tell a different story

ExxonMobil pledged in 2007 to stop funding climate denial. Photograph: Michelle Christenson/AP

ExxonMobil gave more than $2.3m to members of Congress and a corporate lobbying group that deny climate change and block efforts to fight climate change – eight years after pledging to stop its funding of climate denial, the Guardian has learned.

Climate denial – from Republicans in Congress and lobby groups operating at the state level – is seen as a major obstacle to US and global efforts to fight climate change, closing off the possibility of federal and state regulations cutting greenhouse gas emissions and the ability to plan for a future of sea-level rise and extreme weather.

Exxon channeled about $30m to researchers and activist groups promoting disinformation about global warming over the years, according to a tally kept by the campaign group Greenpeace. But the oil company pledged to stop such funding in 2007, in response to pressure from shareholder activists.  MORE

Fines for Exxon - One Month

One month August - September 2013

Getting all the facts is important.

Notices of Violation Issued August-September 2013

Nov #	Facility	Location	Source Of Violation	Violation Date	Rule
10121	The Okonite Company	Santa Maria	Installing equipment without a permit	09/25/2013	201
10243	South Cuyama Unit (SCU)	Cuyama	Lack of proper notice	08/19/2013	343
10244	ExxonMobil/ 1038 E. Main St.	Santa Maria	Failure to maintain inspection records	08/29/2013	316
10245	Jalama Beach Store	Lompoc	Unpermitted engine	09/05/2013	201
10246	ExxonMobil/ 1038 E. Main St.	Lompoc	Operating equipment without a permit	09/05/2013	201
10247	Tognazzini Lease	Santa Maria	Exceeded number of major gas leaks	09/10/2013	331
10293	Bell Lease (Cat Canyon)	Santa Maria	Exceeded number of major gas leaks	08/16/2013	331
10308	Fess Parker Doubletree	Santa Barbara	Failed to perform annual boiler tuning	9/30/2013	206
10326	Morganti Lease	Santa Maria	Open-ended line	08/09/2013	331
10327	Jim Hopkins Lease	Santa Maria	leaking tank hatches	08/29/2013	331
10373	Recruit Fee	Santa Maria	Operating equipment without a permit	09/11/2013	201
10374	The Home Depot - Santa Maria	Santa Maria	failure to maintain engine hour records	09/24/2013	206
10375	Federal Aviation Admin - Santa Barbara	Goleta	Operating engine in excess of permit limit	09/25/2013	206
10377	Petroleum Solids Control - Various Loc.	Santa Maria	Failure to submit Annual Report	9/27/2013	206

Penalty Settlement Payments Received August-September 2013

Nov #	Facility	Location	Source Of Violation	Violation Date	Rule	Date Paid	Total Penalty Rec'd
10299	Exquisite Auto Body and Painting	Santa Barabara	Failure to submit Annual Report	5/13/2013	206	8/5/2013	200
9435	Imerys Minerals California, Inc.	Lompoc	Various (see note below)	Various	206	8/23/2013	50,000
10302	Fast Lane Arco Gas-Mart/ 180 N. Fairview Ave	Santa Barbara	Failure to submit Annual Report	6/17/2013	206	8/28/2013	250
9829	ExxonMobil Las Flores Canyon	Goleta	Exceeded number of major leaks from pumps	7/13/2012	206	9/10/2013	250
9830	ExxonMobil Las Flores Canyon	Goleta	Exceeded NH3 and NOX limits for Cogen.Plant	7/13/2012	206	9/10/2013	2,500
9832	ExxonMobil Las Flores Canyon	Goleta	Exceded waste gas incinerator SOX limits	7/13/2012	206	9/10/2013	5,000
9833	ExxonMobil Las Flores Canyon	Goleta	Failure to control emissons of produced gas	7/13/2012	325	9/10/2013	1000
9834	ExxonMobil Las Flores Canyon	Goleta	Exceeded waste gas incinerator SOX limits	7/13/2012	206	9/10/2013	10,000
9835	ExxonMobil Las Flores Canyon	Goleta	Failure to measure H2S content of flared gas	7/13/2012	206	9/10/2013	1000
9836	ExxonMobil Las Flores Canyon	Goleta	Failure to operate VR compressor at all times	7/13/2012	206	9/10/2013	2,500
9837	ExxonMobil Las Flores Canyon	Goleta	Exceeded waste gas incinerator NOX limit	7/13/2012	206	9/10/2013	1000
9831	ExxonMobil Las Flores Canyon	Goleta	Leaking bleeder valve	7/13/2012	206	9/10/2013	1000
9838	ExxonMobil Las Flores Canyon	Goleta	Exceeded NOX emission limit for gas turbine	7/13/2012	206	9/10/2013	1000
9839	ExxonMobil Las Flores Canyon	Goleta	Exceeded waste gas incinerator SOX limit	7/13/2012	206	9/10/2013	1000
10301	Village Service Staion/ 1476 East Valley Road	Montecito	Failure to sumbit Annual Report	6/17/2013	206	9/13/2013	250
10272	Sunset Auto Center	Lompoc	Failure to submit required Notification	6/7/2013	206	9/24/2013	250
10349	Pepper Tree Chevron/ 1601 N. Broadway	Santa Maria	Failure to submit Annual Report and maintain records	6/28/2013	201	9/27/2013	500
							77,700

Note: Imerys Settement in the amount $50,000 represents a package settlement of 39 outstanding NOVs.