XTO finishes cleanup at Nikiski

The Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation said Jan. 18 that XTO Energy has “adequately addressed the release” which took place Jan. 9 from tank No. 3 at the company’s Nikiski onshore facility “and that no further cleanup action is needed until spring.”

DEC said that in the spring, the secondary containment liner can be cleaned and any residual product within the containment can be recovered.

The spill, an estimated 6,300 gallons, was caused by a faulty gasket on an access plate on the side of the tank. The faulty gasket has been replaced.

XTO personnel and contractors responded on the night of Jan. 9 to recover free liquids from the secondary containment area, a bermed area lined with a 60-mil liner. XTO completed delineation of the impacted area Jan. 10 and began removal of contaminated snow and ice.

DEC said that over the next several days, responders melted snow and ice in the affected area down to the secondary containment liner and recovered fluids from the liner; the fluids were re-introduced into the XTO facility.

XTO notified DEC on Jan. 17 that cleanup was complete and equipment was being demobilized.

DEC said no resources were affected by the release as all spilled fluids were captured within the secondary containment area.

—Petroleum News