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Demco Oil and Gas Company Fined for Violating the Clean Water Act

Release Date: 01/15/2010
Contact Information: Dave Bary at 214-665-2200 or r6press@epa.gov

(Dallas, Texas – January 15, 2010) The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has fined the Demco Oil and Gas Company of Blackwell, Oklahoma, $900 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 3000 North 3260 Road, Newkirk, Kay County, Oklahoma, on October 21, 2009, revealed the facility’s SPCC plan did not discuss and the facility did not implement appropriate containment and diversionary structures, and inspections and tests required by federal regulations were not in accordance with written procedures developed for the site. Personnel working at the site had no training on the operation and maintenance of equipment to prevent discharges, discharge procedure protocols, and applicable pollution control laws, rules and regulations. The inspection also found site personnel had no training on general facility operations, no training on the contents of the SPCC plans and spill prevention briefings were not scheduled and conducted periodically. Visual inspections of containers, foundation and supports were not conducted periodically for deterioration and maintenance needs. 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