The cleanup for an oil spill off San Martinez Grande Canyon Road near Val Verde is taking longer than expected due to weather conditions, a Department of Fish and Wildlife official wrote Wednesday in an email.
The initial estimate for the November leak, which was attributed to corrosion in an inactive pipe that had oil inside, is believed to have been about 400 gallons, according to a statement from Eric Laughlin, a Department of Fish and Wildlife spokesman, sent via email in December. The CDFW oversees the Office of Spill Prevention and Response, which is the lead regulatory agency for a cleanup response of this nature.
On Dec. 5, he indicated cleanup of the Santa Clara River was was estimated to be 95% to 98% complete. However, the bulk of the spill occurred in a nearby “dry creek bed.” In a post on X, he wrote “recovery is now primarily focused on the dry creek bed. There have been no visibly oiled wildlife observed.”
Then, the region recorded about 12 inches of rain, based on the observable weather records.
Laughlin initially estimated the spill size at eight to 10 barrels of oil at approximately 42 gallons per barrel — however, he declined to confirm that estimate Tuesday, nearly two months into the cleanup.
The recent rains have been a factor, he said.
“The amount spilled is still under investigation and, along with the total costs of the response, can’t be accurately determined until the cleanup and quantification has been completed,” Laughlin wrote Tuesday in response to follow-up questions about the spill.
“According to our response team, the rain created unsafe work conditions at the spill site, resulting in a delay in operations, which are expected to continue through February,” he added.
The incident leaves several questions for West Energy Operating LLC, the party that was operating the oil field.
There’s been no response this week from the contact given by the CDFW for the cleanup, Josh Kendrick, who was described as a manager for the field for West Energy. It was not possible to leave a message on the number given.
It’s not clear how an active oil facility that produces about 350 gallons each month, based on an estimate given by Kendrick in December, could have leaked more than that amount from a pipeline described as inactive.
Available records on the California Environmental Protection Agency’s State Water Resources Control Board website indicate the field’s operator, West Energy, has been cited several times in the past for an incomplete stormwater pollution prevention plan.
There was no estimate on when the cleanup would be complete, with the effort expected to enter its third month next week.
