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Pelham Pipeline Spill

 
Site Contact:
Chuck Berry
Federal On-Scene Coordinator

(berry.chuck@epa.gov)

Site Location:
Pelham, AL 35124
 epaosc.org/pelhamgasolinespill
NRC#: 1158584

On September 9, 2016, at 1449 hours, Colonial Pipeline reported to the National Response Center that there was a gasoline spill from a 36” below-ground pipeline. Gasoline traveled overland for approximately 500 feet to a pond that feeds into the Peel Creek which is a tributary of the Cahaba River. Colonial has estimated the amount of gasoline released to be at least 6,000 barrels, or 252,000 gallons. On-Scene Coordinators, Superfund Technical Assessment and Response Team Contractors and the United States Coast Guard Gulf Strike Team were deployed to the incident.


Diver preparing to install bentonite plug in culvert Shoreline ops Shoreline ops Shoreline ops Shoreline sheen. This area is slated for excavation. Shoreline ops By-pass pipe construction Boom at Pond 2 Underflow dam construction on Peel Creek Pond 2 By-pass pipe Product flowing from rock out crop near leak site Stream with product flowing from leak site to Pond 2 Boom set at the southeast corner of Pond 2 09/18/2016 overflight. Picture of EPA, START and Colonial crews exiting the river after a water sampling event and river assessment. 09/18/2016 overflight. No sheen observed on the Cahaba River. The confluence of the Cahaba and Peel creek is just above center of the picture. 09/18/2016 overflight. Pond 3 is on the left and Pond 2 is on the right. Pelham Fire Department dispersing F 500 over excavation area with CTEH performing air monitoring during the leak site excavation. Excavation activities at leak site. The Pelham Fire Department can be seen dispersing F 500 over the excavation area. OSCs and USCG GST observations at Pond 2a pump site. Discussion of excavation preparation activities at leak site and Pond 1 with OSCs, USCG GST, local fire department, and CTEH. Placement of scrubber at Stopple #2 with grounding. Placement of new scrubber at Stopple #2. Discussion of operations at Stopple #1 with USCG GST. Culvert being put in at permanent road location that passes creek and leads to the river. Path connecting Pond 2a operations to Pond 2b operations. Pond 2 Pond 3 Pond 2a Pond 1. Photo taken during visit to stopple #1 Stopple #1 Visible product on pond 2. Panorama of Incident Command Post. Frac tanks Pipeline stopple placement operations Pipeline stopple placement Pond 2 Pond 2 (left) showing gasoline compared to Pond 3 (right) which is unaffected.
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