A wildfire described as "absolutely apocalyptic" is still burning around tar sands mining operations near Ft. McMurray, Alberta. Daily satellite imagery from NASA's MODIS sensors reveals how much land has already been burned, and where the fires are still burning.
This imagery is grainy because this is relatively low resolution (250m), but it provides a timely look a major landscape changes around the world.
Monday, May 16, 2016
Tuesday, April 26, 2016
NPR – Gotcha: Satellites Help Strip Seafood Pirates Of Their Booty
Interview with John about
Global Fishing Watch and using AIS to track suspected illegal fishing activity in the waters of Palau.
Click here to read the full story.
Click here to read the full story.
Monday, June 23, 2014
Heavy Oil in the Water at Taylor Energy Site #23051 [Photos and Video]
Our partners at On Wings of Care and Florida State University have been out skytruthing and seatruthing heavy oil on the water around the downed Taylor Energy Platform #23051. We have been tracking this ongoing leak that has persisted in the Gulf of Mexico since 2004, but lately the oil has been particularly prominent.
You can see aerial photos and photos from sea level here:
and here:
You can also click here to download a recent Landsat satellite image that shows the oil slick.
NOTE: On the satellite image, the green streaks in the water are most likely a type of seaweed known as sargassum. But the bluish-grey smears SE of the Delta is oil.
We do not have the most recent NRC reports due to the shutdown of the public side of the NRC website. You can usually access the reports updated weekly from our temporary work-around here...
[[Location: 28.938022, -88.970963]]
You can see aerial photos and photos from sea level here:
and here:
You can also click here to download a recent Landsat satellite image that shows the oil slick.
NOTE: On the satellite image, the green streaks in the water are most likely a type of seaweed known as sargassum. But the bluish-grey smears SE of the Delta is oil.
We do not have the most recent NRC reports due to the shutdown of the public side of the NRC website. You can usually access the reports updated weekly from our temporary work-around here...
[[Location: 28.938022, -88.970963]]
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
Oil Spill in Delta National Wildlife Refuge - Controlled Burn Planned
From the National Response Center: (May 28, 2014)
**THIS IS AN UPDATE TO REPORT NUMBER 1084160, THE AMOUNT HAS CHANGED.** CALLER IS REPORTING A DISCHARGE OF APPROXIMATELY 15 BARRELS OF CRUDE OIL INTO A MARSH AREA INSIDE THE DELTA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE FROM A 4" SUBMERGED OUT OF SERVICE FLOW LINE. CAUSE IS UNDER INVESTIGATION.
http://www.nola.com/environment/index.ssf/2014/06/authorities_work_to_contain_50.html#incart_river_default
The agencies reported that a silver sheen of oil was spotted by an aerial overflight last Wednesday (May 28). An investigation determined the source of the crude oil discharge was a leaky bulk line buried under the surface of the marsh and that the Houston-based Texas Petroleum Investment Company was the responsible party.
Officials estimated the leak's volume as equivalent to about 50 barrels. They said an estimated 10 acres of fresh-water marsh in a remote section of the refuge was impacted, in an area located about 10 miles southeast of Venice in Plaquemines Parish. Access to the area was said to be difficult, with cleanup crews limited to flat-bottomed boats once inclement weather had passed.
Officials said a controlled burn would be ignited Tuesday to reduce the amount of oil in the marsh and accelerate cleanup operations. Refuge manager Neil Lalonde said airboats and scare cannons would be deployed to temporarily disperse wildlife, but that the controlled burn would be closely monitored and have minimal impact on avian, wildlife and marine species.
[[Location:29.245556, -89.199167]]
By Ken Daley, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
on June 02, 2014 at 8:37 PM, updated June 02, 2014 at 8:52 PM
Officials from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and U.S. Coast Guard announced Monday they were working to mitigate damage from a spill of crude oil within the Delta National Wildlife Refuge.
The agencies reported that a silver sheen of oil was spotted by an aerial overflight last Wednesday (May 28). An investigation determined the source of the crude oil discharge was a leaky bulk line buried under the surface of the marsh and that the Houston-based Texas Petroleum Investment Company was the responsible party.
Officials estimated the leak's volume as equivalent to about 50 barrels. They said an estimated 10 acres of fresh-water marsh in a remote section of the refuge was impacted, in an area located about 10 miles southeast of Venice in Plaquemines Parish. Access to the area was said to be difficult, with cleanup crews limited to flat-bottomed boats once inclement weather had passed.
Officials said a controlled burn would be ignited Tuesday to reduce the amount of oil in the marsh and accelerate cleanup operations. Refuge manager Neil Lalonde said airboats and scare cannons would be deployed to temporarily disperse wildlife, but that the controlled burn would be closely monitored and have minimal impact on avian, wildlife and marine species.
Lalonde said Octave Pass would be temporarily closed to mariners during the burn, but would be reopened after its conclusion.
[[Location:29.245556, -89.199167]]
Thursday, February 13, 2014
Train Carrying Canadian Crude Oil and Propane Derails in Vandergrift, Pa.
Via WPXI - http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/breaking-news-train-derailment-vandergrift/ndM5K/
VANDERGRIFT, Pa. — A train hauling crude oil and propane derailed in Vandergrift, Westmoreland County, Thursday morning.
More than 21 cars on a Norfolk Southern rail line between Vandergrift and East Vandergrift derailed around 8:30 a.m. One of the cars torpedoed into the MSI Corporation.
“The lights were shaking and everything was going out. All the lights were going out,” said MSI Corporation employee Greg Shotts.
People inside the MSI Corporation building were evacuated.
Engineers were sent to examine the structural integrity of the damaged building.
“MSI Company has been evacuated due to the one car going into their building. Until the structural integrity of the building is determined to be safe, we will refrain from putting anyone back into that building,” Stevens said. “There’s no evacuation planned as of right now. If an evacuation is to occur, we will let you know as soon as we have that information.”
Northfolk Southern estimated thousands of gallons of crude oil leaked from four tank cars.
It wasn’t immediately clear what was leaking.
“If it’s leaking, we’re kind of screwed because it’s sitting in the middle of town,” said Lorenda Banks.
Officials said it could take days to completely clear the area.
Norfolk Southern released a statement Thursday afternoon saying, ”A 120-car Norfolk Southern train derailed 21 rail cars at Vandergrift, Pa., about 20 miles NE of Pittsburgh at 8 a.m. today [Thursday].
"Nineteen of the derailed cars contained heavy crude oil and two cars contained LPG gas. Four cars were leaking crude oil, but the leaks from each of the cars have been stopped. Norfolk Southern has an environmental team on site with the clean-up of an estimated 3,000-4000 gallons of crude oil.
"During the derailment some of the rail cars struck a building which fabricates metal products, and at least one of the cars is in the building.
"The train was transporting a variety of products, including Canadian heavy crude oil, LPG, soda ash, and food products. The train originated in Chicago and its final destination was Paulsboro, N.J.”
Westmoreland County Emergency Management spokesman Dan Stevens said no injuries were reported.
[[location:40.603871,-79.555459]]
Tuesday, February 11, 2014
Appalachian Water Watch Alert - Patriot Coal Slurry Spill
From Appalachian Voices - http://appalachianwaterwatch.org/2014-patriot-slurry-spill-wv/
Patriot’s New West Hollow slurry impoundments (Photo: Bing maps)
For the entire article, click here.
The Appalachian Water Watch team is on its way to investigate the incident and will continue reporting what we find.
For the latest official reports and citizen reports, visit the Appalachian Water Watch system - a SkyTruth tool built for Appalachian Voices to track spills and empower citizens:
On early Tuesday morning a coal slurry leak into Fields Creek was reported from Patriot Coal’s Kanawha Eagle Operation, which is located in eastern Kanawha County.
Ken Ward Jr. from the Charleston Gazette reports, “Dale Petry, director of emergency services for Kanawha County, said that an eight-inch slurry line between the preparation plant and the company’s refuse impoundment ruptured, sending an underdetermined amount of coal waste into the creek before the flow was stopped.’I would probably characterize it as a significant spill, but I don’t have a figure yet,” said Aluise, the DEP spokesman.’”
Ken Ward Jr. from the Charleston Gazette reports, “Dale Petry, director of emergency services for Kanawha County, said that an eight-inch slurry line between the preparation plant and the company’s refuse impoundment ruptured, sending an underdetermined amount of coal waste into the creek before the flow was stopped.’I would probably characterize it as a significant spill, but I don’t have a figure yet,” said Aluise, the DEP spokesman.’”
Patriot’s New West Hollow slurry impoundments (Photo: Bing maps)
For the entire article, click here.
The Appalachian Water Watch team is on its way to investigate the incident and will continue reporting what we find.
For the latest official reports and citizen reports, visit the Appalachian Water Watch system - a SkyTruth tool built for Appalachian Voices to track spills and empower citizens:
Large Explosion in Western North Dakota
From Valley News Live - http://www.valleynewslive.com/story/24690824/large-explosion-in-western-north-dakota
State and local officials are investigating a large explosion and fire reported Monday night in western North Dakota.
Video of a large fire was posted on YouTube Tuesday morning.
The Williams County Sheriff's Department says, the incident happened south of Tioga at a well site near Highway 2 and County Road 21. It was reported about 8:30 Monday night.
The Tioga Fire Department responded to the scene.
So far there are no reports of injuries. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
SKYTRUTH NOTE: This alert is geotagged to what appears to be a compressor station which fits the above description. Additionally, two infrared detections were picked up within 750 meters from this facility by the VIIRS instrument aboard the Suomi NPP satellite. This is area that has not shown much flaring activity in recent months, so the detections could be associated with the fire and explosion.
State and local officials are investigating a large explosion and fire reported Monday night in western North Dakota.
Video of a large fire was posted on YouTube Tuesday morning.
The Williams County Sheriff's Department says, the incident happened south of Tioga at a well site near Highway 2 and County Road 21. It was reported about 8:30 Monday night.
The Tioga Fire Department responded to the scene.
So far there are no reports of injuries. The cause of the explosion is under investigation.
SKYTRUTH NOTE: This alert is geotagged to what appears to be a compressor station which fits the above description. Additionally, two infrared detections were picked up within 750 meters from this facility by the VIIRS instrument aboard the Suomi NPP satellite. This is area that has not shown much flaring activity in recent months, so the detections could be associated with the fire and explosion.
[[Location:48.331312,-102.914]]
1 injured, 1 missing at Greene County gas well fire: Chevron - Lanco 7H Well
From WTAE Pittsburg - UPDATED 12:51 PM EST Feb 11, 2014
DUNKARD TOWNSHIP, Pa. —One worker has been injured and another is missing after a natural gas well explosion and fire in southwestern Pennsylvania, within miles of the West Virginia border
Chevron spokesman Trip Oliver says the fire was reported at about 6:45 a.m. at the Lanco 7H well in Dunkard Township, near Bobtown.
Chevron spokesman Trip Oliver says the fire was reported at about 6:45 a.m. at the Lanco 7H well in Dunkard Township, near Bobtown. That's about 50 miles south of Pittsburgh. Oliver says one person is reported hospitalized and another is currently unaccounted for.
Oliver says Chevron personnel immediately responded to the fire and called in assistance from Wild Well Control.
Ambulance and emergency medical crews have been summoned to the scene, and state police have reportedly set up a half-mile perimeter.
Crews at the scene report that intense flames have kept them from getting too close to the well.
Stay with WTAE.com for updates. Watch the latest report during our live webcast of Channel 4 Action News at noon.
Read more: http://www.wtae.com/news/local/explosion-reported-at-gas-well-in-greene-county/24407710#ixzz2t2PeYb6K
[[Location:39.761897,-80.007689]]
Monday, February 3, 2014
Duke Energy Plant In Eden, NC Reports Coal-Ash Spill
From the Charlotte Observer - http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2014/02/03/4661193/duke-energy-plant-reports-coal.html#.UvAnhnmaap-
Duke Energy said Monday that an unknown amount of coal ash and water was released from a pond at its retired Dan River power plant in Eden into the Dan River.
Duke said a stormwater pipe beneath the unlined ash pond broke Sunday afternoon. Water and ash from the 27-acre pond, which holds 155 million gallons at full capacity, drained into the pipe.
Jamie Kritzer, spokesman for the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources said shortly before 6 p.m. Monday that Duke engineers had temporarily stopped the flow into the river as they work toward a permanent fix.
“Engineers are working to estimate the volume of water and ash that reached the river, and the company will provide that detail when it is confirmed,” Duke said in an afternoon release. Duke expects to release an estimate Monday night, spokeswoman Erin Culbert said.
The Dan River plant is about 130 miles northeast of Charlotte near the Virginia line.
The pond’s dam beside the river “remains secure,” Duke said. Some erosion has occurred on the side of a berm farthest from the river, it said, and engineers are working to stabilize it.
Independent engineers who inspected the pond’s dam in 2009 for the Environmental Protection Agency found it in good condition, but noted some seepage and recommended a stability study on the structure’s river side. Built in 1956, it was divided into two ponds in the 1970s.
The Dan River plant was retired in 2012, so the level of ash and water in the pond was a lower level than when the plant operated, Duke said. A security guard spotted an unusually low water level in the ash pond at about 2 p.m. Sunday, leading to the discovery of the pipe break.
Duke said it has dispatched a team to monitor the river’s water quality. Coal ash contains metals that can be toxic in high concentrations.
Ash was visible on the banks of the Dan River, and the water was tinted gray.
The city of Danville, Va., whose water intake is about six miles downstream of the pond, said Monday the ash has not posed problems.
Barry Dunkley, the city’s water director, said in a release that “all water leaving our treatment facility has met public health standards. We do not anticipate any problems going forward in treating the water we draw from the Dan River.”
The Dan River plant was retired in 2012, so the level of ash and water in the pond was a lower level, Duke said.
Staff from the Winston-Salem office of the N.C. environment department were taking water samples to monitor the river’s health.
“While it is early in the investigation and state officials do not yet know of any possible impacts to water quality, staff members have been notifying downstream communities with drinking water intakes,” the department said late Monday afternoon.
A massive spill of ash slurry at a Tennessee Valley Authority power plant in Tennessee in 2008 ignited national debate over coal ash.
Last week the EPA, which had been sued by two N.C. environmental groups among others, said it would issue the first federal rules on ash-handling by December.
Duke has closed seven of its 14 N.C. coal-fired power plants, including Dan River, and is evaluating ways to close the ash ponds at those sites. Groundwater contamination has been found around all 14 of its unlined ash ponds, although much of the contamination may occur naturally.
North Carolina environment officials, pressured by advocacy groups, sued Duke last year over ash handling at all its coal plants. Environmentalists say Duke should remove the ash from the retired ponds, as utilities in South Carolina have agreed to do.
[[Location:36.489834,-79.715102]]
Duke Energy said Monday that an unknown amount of coal ash and water was released from a pond at its retired Dan River power plant in Eden into the Dan River.
Duke said a stormwater pipe beneath the unlined ash pond broke Sunday afternoon. Water and ash from the 27-acre pond, which holds 155 million gallons at full capacity, drained into the pipe.
Jamie Kritzer, spokesman for the N.C. Department of Environment and Natural Resources said shortly before 6 p.m. Monday that Duke engineers had temporarily stopped the flow into the river as they work toward a permanent fix.
“Engineers are working to estimate the volume of water and ash that reached the river, and the company will provide that detail when it is confirmed,” Duke said in an afternoon release. Duke expects to release an estimate Monday night, spokeswoman Erin Culbert said.
The Dan River plant is about 130 miles northeast of Charlotte near the Virginia line.
The pond’s dam beside the river “remains secure,” Duke said. Some erosion has occurred on the side of a berm farthest from the river, it said, and engineers are working to stabilize it.
Independent engineers who inspected the pond’s dam in 2009 for the Environmental Protection Agency found it in good condition, but noted some seepage and recommended a stability study on the structure’s river side. Built in 1956, it was divided into two ponds in the 1970s.
The Dan River plant was retired in 2012, so the level of ash and water in the pond was a lower level than when the plant operated, Duke said. A security guard spotted an unusually low water level in the ash pond at about 2 p.m. Sunday, leading to the discovery of the pipe break.
Duke said it has dispatched a team to monitor the river’s water quality. Coal ash contains metals that can be toxic in high concentrations.
Ash was visible on the banks of the Dan River, and the water was tinted gray.
The city of Danville, Va., whose water intake is about six miles downstream of the pond, said Monday the ash has not posed problems.
Barry Dunkley, the city’s water director, said in a release that “all water leaving our treatment facility has met public health standards. We do not anticipate any problems going forward in treating the water we draw from the Dan River.”
The Dan River plant was retired in 2012, so the level of ash and water in the pond was a lower level, Duke said.
Staff from the Winston-Salem office of the N.C. environment department were taking water samples to monitor the river’s health.
“While it is early in the investigation and state officials do not yet know of any possible impacts to water quality, staff members have been notifying downstream communities with drinking water intakes,” the department said late Monday afternoon.
A massive spill of ash slurry at a Tennessee Valley Authority power plant in Tennessee in 2008 ignited national debate over coal ash.
Last week the EPA, which had been sued by two N.C. environmental groups among others, said it would issue the first federal rules on ash-handling by December.
Duke has closed seven of its 14 N.C. coal-fired power plants, including Dan River, and is evaluating ways to close the ash ponds at those sites. Groundwater contamination has been found around all 14 of its unlined ash ponds, although much of the contamination may occur naturally.
North Carolina environment officials, pressured by advocacy groups, sued Duke last year over ash handling at all its coal plants. Environmentalists say Duke should remove the ash from the retired ponds, as utilities in South Carolina have agreed to do.
[[Location:36.489834,-79.715102]]
Thursday, January 9, 2014
Chemical Spill in Elk River near Charleston, WV - Drinking Water Advisory in Kanawha, Boone, Clay, Jackson, Lincoln, Logan, Putnam and Roane Counties
West Virginia chemical spill prompts state of emergency, water ban in 8 counties
By Becky Bratu, Staff Writer, NBC News
West Virginia Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin declared a state of emergency Thursday in several counties because of a chemical spill into the Elk River.
The advisory was expanded at night from five to eight counties.
The state of emergency includes West Virginia American Water customers in Kanawha, Boone, Clay, Jackson, Lincoln, Logan, Putnam and Roane counties, according to NBC station WSAZ.
Residents were told not to drink the water, bathe in it or cook with the water and only use it for flushing and fire emergencies. Boiling it will not remove the chemicals.
The station said the chemical leaked from a tank at Freedom Industries in Charleston. The leaked product is 4-methylcyclohexane methanol, which is used in the froth flotation process of coal washing and preparation, according to WSAZ.
Freedom Industries did not immediately respond for comment.
Reposted from The Associated Press - http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/09/22245996-west-virginia-chemical-spill-prompts-state-of-emergency-water-ban-in-8-counties
More detail at - http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201401090044
[[Location:38.368730,-81.606668]]
NOTE: Due to a technical glitch, this input into the Alerts system did not automatically integrated into Alerts subscriber's feeds. The NRC report was also picked up late due to inadequate location data. See that report submitted by a third-party at:
http://alerts.skytruth.org/report/8d34bfc0-3b9a-3808-98fb-a795a611188e
http://alerts.skytruth.org/report/8d34bfc0-3b9a-3808-98fb-a795a611188e
Friday, January 3, 2014
Fire (?) in Campos Basin Off Coast of Brazil
MODIS/Aqua satellite imagery of the coast of Brazil taken on December 31 shows what appears to be a long plume of smoke in the Atlantic Ocean about 70 miles from shore in the Campos Basin. The plume appears to emanate from a point about 2.7 miles north-northeast of Petrobras Platform 51, a big semisubmersible rig in the Marlim Sul field. VIIRS data indicate the presence of a combustion source at the north end of the smoke plume, and estimate it's temperature is 1800 degrees Kelvin -- hot enough to soften steel. The plume visibly extends to the south for at least 146 miles.
It's possible this is just an unusually
vigorous gas-flaring event, but we don't see comparable plumes of smoke
from the many other flares detected in the area. We haven't heard
anything but are concerned there may be a fire at a platform or drill
rig working at this location. Please let us know if you have any information!
[READ MORE...]
[[Location:-22.600214, -40.068569]]
_sm.jpg){kind=link}
 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| MODIS/Aqua satellite image taken December 31, 2013, showing apparent smoke plume emanating from Campos Basin off Brazil. Red markers indicate sources of combustion detected by nighttime satellite imagery; orange dots are locations of oil platforms (2011 data). |
[READ MORE...]
[[Location:-22.600214, -40.068569]]
Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Oil Slicks off Mumbai, India
This morning we saw a brief news report
noting that Indian authorities reported a "small" oil spill from an
offshore pipeline off the coast of Mumbai. This pipe carries oil ashore
from one of India's largest producing oil fields, the Mumbai (Bombay) High field. It's not the first time this pipeline has had problems.
This MODIS/Terra satellite image taken on October 8, 2013 clearly shows oil slicks in the Arabian Sea scattered throughout a 66-mile-long northwest-trending belt ranging about 50 to 100 miles offshore. We don't know for sure if these slicks are related to the pipeline spill. We've seen smaller slicks in the area in the past, from other causes. But these slicks seem to be generally in the right area to correspond to this recent pipeline problem, and their alignment is compatible with the wind blowing from the northwest. If anyone can provide an accurate latitude/longitude coordinate for the exact location of the pipeline failure, that would be very helpful. [READ MORE...]
[[Location:19.214057,71.671054]]
This MODIS/Terra satellite image taken on October 8, 2013 clearly shows oil slicks in the Arabian Sea scattered throughout a 66-mile-long northwest-trending belt ranging about 50 to 100 miles offshore. We don't know for sure if these slicks are related to the pipeline spill. We've seen smaller slicks in the area in the past, from other causes. But these slicks seem to be generally in the right area to correspond to this recent pipeline problem, and their alignment is compatible with the wind blowing from the northwest. If anyone can provide an accurate latitude/longitude coordinate for the exact location of the pipeline failure, that would be very helpful. [READ MORE...]
 |
| MODIS/Terra satellite image taken October 8, 2013, showing apparent oil slicks in the Arabian Sea off the west coast of India near Mumbai. Image courtesy NASA/MODIS Rapid Response Team. Analysis by SkyTruth. |
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Suspected Bilge Dumping off Corsica
 |
| Landsat-8 image (inset) showing two parallel slicks off Corsica. Image taken September 2, 2013. |
[READ MORE...]
[[Location:42.668970,8.475454]]
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Gas Blowout at Hercules Drill Rig, Gulf of Mexico
Around midday today a
natural gas blowout occurred at a jackup drill rig, the Hercules 265,
operating in shallow water in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of
Louisiana (South Timbalier Block 220). All of the workers -- more than
40 -- were safely evacuated. The rig was enveloped in a cloud of gas,
so there is a high risk of fire or explosion until the well is killed. A small sheen was reported around the platform - this is probably a thin
slick of highly volatile natural-gas condensate. At this time we have
no reason to think there is potential for a significant oil spill from
this incident. But, coming hard on the heels of another blowout that happened in the Ship Shoal area last week, it's yet another reminder that drilling is an inherently risky activity.
[[Location:28.384130,-90.530968]]
 |
| Hercules drill rig enveloped by cloud of gas from well blowout, July 23, 2013. Photo by Bonny Schumaker / On Wings of Care flew. See many more on her blog. |
Friday, July 19, 2013
Slick in Eugene Island Area, Gulf of Mexico - July 18, 2013
A Landsat-8 image taken yesterday
shows a small, unreported slick in the Eugene Island area about 26
kilometers (15 miles) from the Louisiana coast. About 10 km (6 mi)
across, the slick covers about 33 km2. Using our rule of thumb that, to
be visible, a slick must be at least 1 micron thick on average, that
amounts to about 8,700 gallons of oil or some oily substance:
READ MORE....
[[Location:29.255927,-91.701613]]
 |
| Detail from a Landsat-8 satellite image (inset) taken on July 18, 2013, showing a small apparent oil slick (orange outline) in the Eugene Island area off the Louisiana coast. Oil and gas platforms shown as small red dots. |
[[Location:29.255927,-91.701613]]
Monday, June 24, 2013
UPDATED 6-26-13: Unknown Fluid Spill in Sugar Run, Doddridge County, WV
UPDATE - June 26, 2013: The National Response Center report has finally appeared in the system (OIL: CRUDE IN UNNAMED CREEK NEAR OXFORD, WV 2013-06-24). Clean-up crews have arrived, and eyewitnesses report ~5 tanker trucks of waste have been removed, but absorbent pads and booms still need to be removed and disposed of properly. Doddridge County Watershed Association (DCWA) reports that the leak is from an old tank associated with a conventional oil well drilled in the 1970's, but have not ruled out that nearby unconventional drilling activity could have contributed to the spill.
For photos of the incident and clean-up, visit DCWA's facebook photo album: Sugar Run Spill.
ORIGINAL ALERT: Our friends at the Doddridge County Watershed Association (DCWA) are investigating a spill of unknown material in Sugar Run. While the color is similar to acid mine drainage (AMD), there is a limited legacy of mining in this part of WV and this kind of orange gel has been spilled in the area before (Buckeye Creek - August 2009). DCWA report that the spill is at least 3-4 days old.
For photos of the incident and clean-up, visit DCWA's facebook photo album: Sugar Run Spill.
ORIGINAL ALERT: Our friends at the Doddridge County Watershed Association (DCWA) are investigating a spill of unknown material in Sugar Run. While the color is similar to acid mine drainage (AMD), there is a limited legacy of mining in this part of WV and this kind of orange gel has been spilled in the area before (Buckeye Creek - August 2009). DCWA report that the spill is at least 3-4 days old.
The spill has reportedly been called in to the National Response Center (NRC), but we do not have a SkyTruth Alert for it yet:
 |
| Contaminant in Sugar Run - from Doddridge County Watershed Association |
See more of their groundtruthing here: Sugar Run Spill
[[Location:39.192139, -80.857778]]
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Enbridge Pipeline Spill in Minnesota
[DeSmogBlog -April 24, 2013]
UPDATES COMING PENDING FURTHER INFORMATION. Enbridge's Line 2 **Line 67 tar sands** pipeline has leaked an estimated 600 gallons of crude oil at its pump station near Viking, Minnesota. Line 2 was built in 1956 and has a history of spills. Regulators ordered Enbridge to reduce its Line 2 operating pressure in October 2010 following the company's Kalamazoo River tar sands spill.
The Enbridge Viking pump station also receives oil from the Alberta Clipper (aka Line 67 pipeline) that carries heavy crude oil and tar sands bitumen from the Alberta tar sands region south from Hardisty to Superior, Wisconsin and refineries in the midwestern United States. According to a link provided by Enbridge subsequent to this story's original posting, Line 2 begins in Edmonton and carries petroleum products, including crude oil, from Edmonton to Superior. Both lines pass through the Viking pump station.
The U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center website reports the details of theincident, which happened last night:
"1044848","1044848","1044848","INCIDENT","23-APR-2013 17:09","THE CALLER REPORTED THAT A LEAK ON A PRESSURE TRANSMITTER RESULTED IN A RELEASE OF CRUDE OIL.","FIXED","EQUIPMENT FAILURE","23-APR-2013 15:45","18060 203TH ST NW","MN","VIKING","MARSHALL","ENBRIDGE ENERGY","SOIL","OIL: CRUDE"
DeSmog was alerted by the Indigenous Environmental Network, which is en route to the spill site to gather more information. Stay tuned for updates to this post below.
**This story originally reported that Enbridge Line 67 tar sands pipeline suffered the leak, but Enbridge subsequently confirmed the spill was on Line 2. DeSmog regrets the error.**
**This story originally reported that Enbridge Line 67 tar sands pipeline suffered the leak, but Enbridge subsequently confirmed the spill was on Line 2. DeSmog regrets the error.**
Enbridge was warned earlier this month by the National Energy Board that the company "is not abiding by federal safety standards at 117 pumping stations along its extensive crude oil network in Canada, putting the safety of the public at risk."
The Line 2 leak has stopped and Enbridge is working on cleanup operations now. The spill does not appear to have reached water. For more details, visit http://enbridgeus.com/Viking/.
Similar to the controversial Keystone XL pipeline battle, Enbridge is currently seeking a Presidential Permit from President Barack Obama to expand the capacity of the Alberta Clipper Line 67 where it crosses the international border. The Alberta Clipper pipeline currently transports approximately 450,000 bpd of crude oil from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin to the midwestern U.S.
Similar to the controversial Keystone XL pipeline battle, Enbridge is currently seeking a Presidential Permit from President Barack Obama to expand the capacity of the Alberta Clipper Line 67 where it crosses the international border. The Alberta Clipper pipeline currently transports approximately 450,000 bpd of crude oil from the Western Canadian Sedimentary Basin to the midwestern U.S.
The Calgary Herald reported in June 2011 about Line 2 (emphasis added):
"Enbridge's Line 6 pipeline, linking Griffith, Ind. to Sarnia, Ont., was shut down temporarily by American regulators last July following a rupture and spillage of more than 3 million litres of crude oil into the Kalamazoo River near Marshall, Mich. Three months later, the National Energy Board, which was monitoring the U.S. investigation,quietly ordered a 20 per cent pressure reduction on Enbridge's Line 2 Canadian pipeline, which links Edmonton to Superior, Wis., along sections that contained pre-1970s flash-welded pipe."
DeSmog has confirmed at least two previous spills on Line 2, one in Minnesota in2004 that spilled over 1,000 barrels and another in North Dakota in 2010 that spilled over 3,000 barrels.
Reuters reported in 2011 (emphasis added):
Reuters reported in 2011 (emphasis added):
"Canadian regulators ordered Enbridge Inc (ENB.TO) to cut pressure on its 440,000 barrel per day Line 2 last October after raising concerns that the company might not be able to detect cracks in the oil pipeline. The National Energy Board's order remains in effect. It restricts the pipeline, which runs from Edmonton, Alberta, to Superior, Wisconsin, to operating at 80 percent of normal pressure, according to documents provided by the regulator. The board said it was concerned that Enbridge might not be able to consistently identify cracks in pipes laid before the 1970s using flash-welding techniques."
See Official NRC Reports here:
http://alerts.skytruth.org/report/3ab6b2da-44a0-3bbc-906b-d7ed4648
Fuel Barges Explode in Mobile, AL
[AP: April 25, 2013 - Mobile, Ala.]
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/25/fuel-barges-explode-catch-fire-on-mobile-river-in-alabama/?fb_action_ids=10151633501507853&fb_action_types=og.likes
Firefighters on Thursday extinguished a huge blaze that erupted hours earlier when two fuel barges exploded in Mobile, Ala., leaving three people with critical burns and forcing the evacuation of crew from a nearby cruise ship.
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/04/25/fuel-barges-explode-catch-fire-on-mobile-river-in-alabama/?fb_action_ids=10151633501507853&fb_action_types=og.likes
Firefighters on Thursday extinguished a huge blaze that erupted hours earlier when two fuel barges exploded in Mobile, Ala., leaving three people with critical burns and forcing the evacuation of crew from a nearby cruise ship.
The cause of the fire, which started Wednesday night, remained under investigation, but it was believed to be accidental, Mobile Fire-Rescue spokesman Steve Huffman said in a statement.
The blaze was extinguished early Thursday, U.S. Coast Guard spokesman Carlos Vega.
Firefighters from Mobile and Coast Guard officials responded after 8:30 p.m. CDT Wednesday to a pair of explosions involving the gas barges in the Mobile River east of downtown. Additional explosions followed over the next few hours.
Authorities say three people were brought to University of South Alabama Medical Center for burn-related injuries. The three were in critical condition early Thursday, according to hospital nursing administrator Danny Whatley.
Across the river, the Carnival Triumph, the cruise ship that became disabled in the Gulf of Mexico last February before it was towed to Mobile's port, was evacuated, said Alan Waugh, who lives at the Fort Conde Inn in downtown Mobile, across the river from the scene of the explosions. Waugh saw the blasts and said throngs of Carnival employees and others were clustered on streets leading toward the river as authorities evacuated the shipyard.
"It literally sounded like bombs going off around. The sky just lit up in orange and red," he said, "We could smell something in the air, we didn't know if it was gas or smoke." Waugh said he could feel the heat from the explosion and when he came back inside, his partner noticed he had what appeared to be black soot on his face.
Carnival didn't immediately respond to an emailed request for comment late Wednesday.
Video from WALA-TV (http://bit.ly/15NEYJl) showed flames engulfing a large section of the barge, and a video that a bystander sent to AL.com (http://bit.ly/13vWz4G) showed the fiery explosions and billowing smoke over the river.
The initial blast took place in a ship channel near the George C. Wallace Tunnel -- which carries traffic from Interstate 10 under the Mobile River, Vega said. The river runs south past Mobile and into Mobile Bay, which in turn flows into the Gulf of Mexico.
The tunnels were still open and operating, Mobile fire officials said in a statement.
As daybreak approached, the Mobile Fire-Rescue Department's fireboat Phoenix was moving toward the barges, checking to make sure their mooring lines were secured, the fire department said in a statement.
The cause of the explosion was not immediately clear, Huffman and Vega said.
"Once (the fire) is out and safe, a full investigation will take place," Huffman wrote.
Mobile Fire Chief Steve Dean told AL.com he was confident the fire wouldn't spread to nearby industrial properties, including the shipyard where the Carnival cruise ship is docked.
Huffman said the ship is directly across the river from the incident -- about two football fields in length.
The barges are owned by Houston-based Kirby Inland Marine, company spokesman Greg Beuerman said. He said the barges were empty and being cleaned at the Oil Recovery Co. facility when the incident began. He said the barges had been carrying a liquid called natural gasoline -- which he said is neither liquefied natural gas or natural gas. He said the company has dispatched a team to work with investigators to determine what caused the fire.
The explosion comes two months after the 900-foot-long Carnival Triumph was towed to Mobile after becoming disabled on the Gulf during a cruise by an engine room fire, leaving thousands of passengers to endure cold food, unsanitary conditions and power outages for several days. The ship is still undergoing repairs there, with many workers living on board.
Earlier this month, the cruise ship was dislodged from its mooring by a windstorm that also caused, in a separate incident, two shipyard workers to fall into Mobile Bay. While one worker was rescued, the other's body was pulled from the water more than a week later.
View the Official NRC Reports here:
-and-
[[Location:30.691032, -88.035250]]
Friday, April 5, 2013
Where are the other 650 Barrels of Oil? Shell Reports Pipeline Leak of 700 bbl of crude oil...
On April 4th, Shell reported to the U.S. Coast Guard's National Response Center (NRC) that 700 bbl of crude oil (29,400 gallons) had spilled from a pipeline. However, official Shell statements say that only 50-60 barrels had spilled into Bayou Vince. Where did the other 650 barrels go? Please share and let us know if you have further information on this incident.
[From Fox Business News] An estimated 50 barrels of oil spilled from a pipeline operated by a subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell PLC (RSDA.LN, RDSA) into a waterway outside Houston, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
Shell clean-up crews were working to clear the crude out of Vince Bayou, a waterway that connects to the Houston Ship Channel, which leads into the Gulf of Mexico, said Coast Guard Petty Officer Steven Lehman. The spill was contained but the total amount of oil was still being verified, Officer Lehman said.
"That's a very early estimate--things can change," Officer Lehman said.
On April 3, about 700 barrels were found to have leaked from the West Colombia pipeline because of an unknown cause, with up to 60 of those barrels emerging in the bayou, Shell spokeswoman Kim Windon said. The pipeline had been shut down and isolated on March 29 after alarms alerted the company that oil may have leaked from the line.
Write to Ben Lefebvre at ben.lefebvre@dowjones.com
Copyright © 2013 Dow Jones Newswires
http://www.foxbusiness.com/news/2013/04/04/shell-pipeline-spills-oil-into-houston-area-bayou-coast-guard929745/
[[Location:29.1180555555556, -95.3675]]
Monday, April 1, 2013
Approx. 10,000 barrels of Heavy Crude Spilled in Mayflower, AR
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/31/us-exxon-pipeline-spill-idUSBRE92U00220130331
Exxon Mobil on Sunday continued cleanup of a pipeline spill that spewed thousands of barrels of heavy Canadian crude in Arkansas as opponents of oil sands development latched on to the incident to attack plans to build the Keystone XL line.
Exxon spokesman Alan Jeffers said on Sunday that crews had yet to excavate the area around the pipeline breach, a needed step before the company can estimate how long repairs will take and when the line might restart.
"I can't speculate on when it will happen," Jeffers said. "Excavation is necessary as part of an investigation to determine the cause of the incident."
Exxon's Pegasus pipeline, which can carry more than 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude from Patoka, Illinois to Nederland, Texas, was shut after the leak was discovered late Friday afternoon in a subdivision near the town of Mayflower. The leak forced the evacuation of 22 homes.
Exxon also had no specific estimate of how much crude oil had spilled, but the company said 12,000 barrels of oil and water had been recovered - up from 4,500 barrels on Saturday. The company did not say how much of the total was oil and how much was water.
Three NRC reports have been recorded in the Alerts System:
http://alerts.skytruth.org/report/375e75f8-146f-398e-b6cd-d1d83987
http://alerts.skytruth.org/report/5e0b1893-b0d9-3c30-9329-6aa98ef2
http://alerts.skytruth.org/report/97940b9e-982c-3ed7-8130-fa04eba3
[[Location:34.964146, -92.428461]]
March 31, 2013 - [Reuters]:
Exxon Mobil on Sunday continued cleanup of a pipeline spill that spewed thousands of barrels of heavy Canadian crude in Arkansas as opponents of oil sands development latched on to the incident to attack plans to build the Keystone XL line.
Exxon spokesman Alan Jeffers said on Sunday that crews had yet to excavate the area around the pipeline breach, a needed step before the company can estimate how long repairs will take and when the line might restart.
"I can't speculate on when it will happen," Jeffers said. "Excavation is necessary as part of an investigation to determine the cause of the incident."
Exxon's Pegasus pipeline, which can carry more than 90,000 barrels per day (bpd) of crude from Patoka, Illinois to Nederland, Texas, was shut after the leak was discovered late Friday afternoon in a subdivision near the town of Mayflower. The leak forced the evacuation of 22 homes.
Exxon also had no specific estimate of how much crude oil had spilled, but the company said 12,000 barrels of oil and water had been recovered - up from 4,500 barrels on Saturday. The company did not say how much of the total was oil and how much was water.
Three NRC reports have been recorded in the Alerts System:
http://alerts.skytruth.org/report/375e75f8-146f-398e-b6cd-d1d83987
http://alerts.skytruth.org/report/5e0b1893-b0d9-3c30-9329-6aa98ef2
http://alerts.skytruth.org/report/97940b9e-982c-3ed7-8130-fa04eba3
[[Location:34.964146, -92.428461]]
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