Saturday, July 25, 2015

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

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

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

Monday, July 20, 2015

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. 
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 

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

Wednesday, July 15, 2015

ExxonMobil gave millions to climate-denying lawmakers despite pledge


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.