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AEXCO Petroleum, Inc. Fined for Violating the Clean Water Act

Release Date: 01/14/2010
Contact Information: Dave Bary at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas, Texas – January 14, 2009) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined AEXCO Petroleum, Inc. of Edmond, Oklahoma, $800 for violating federal Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasure (SPCC) regulations outlined under the Clean Water Act. A federal inspection of an oil production facility located at Country Road Hollow E 0080, Turpin, Beaver County, Oklahoma, on October 20, 2009, revealed the facility’s SPCC plan was not certified by a professional engineer and the plan had inadequate or no prediction of equipment failure which could result in discharges. The inspection also found the SPCC plan did not discuss and the facility did not implement appropriate containment and diversionary structures. As part of an Expedited Settlement Agreement with EPA, the facility has provided certification that all identified deficiencies have been corrected.

SPCC regulations require onshore oil production or bulk storage facilities to provide oil spill prevention, preparedness and responses to prevent oil discharges. The SPCC program helps protect our nation’s water quality. A spill of only one gallon of oil can contaminate one million gallons of water.

Additional information on SPCC regulations is available at https://www.epa.gov/oilspill

More about activities in EPA Region 6: https://www.epa.gov/region6

EPA audio file is available at https://www.epa.gov/region6/6xa/podcast/jan2010.html