XTO settles Cook Inlet EPA violations

XTO Energy said Feb. 23 that it has agreed to settle its Cook Inlet National Pollutant Discharge Elimination System permit exceedances with the Environmental Protection Agency for $139,000.

The Fort Worth, Texas-based company has two platforms in Cook Inlet and an onshore facility.

XTO said it had 464 violations from January 2000 through June 2004 resulting from 24 incidents at the three facilities over the five-year period. Violation of a monthly average limit is counted as a separate violation for every day of the month, the company said.

Produced water from the two platforms is piped to the onshore facility where it is separated from the oil, cleaned up and discharged back into Cook Inlet. The onshore facility was assessed $6,000 for a single monthly exceedance of silver in the produced water discharge.

The rest of the violations were for small volume discharges of sanitary waste from the two platforms. XTO said the “violations had very little effect on water quality within a few feet of the discharge pipe.”

The company disclosed the violations to EPA and said it has taken steps to prevent further violations. XTO said it regrets that the violations occurred and has conducted additional training of employees to ensure no exceedances will occur in the future.

—Kristen Nelson