Anadarko to Pay $9 Million for Oil Spills in Wyoming

The companies Thursday agreed to pay a civil penalty of more than $1 million and develop facility response plans, as well as revise spill prevention and containment plans at a cost of more than $8 million.

The consent decree resolves violations of the Clean Water Act, the Justice Department and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced.

"As a result of today's settlement, Anadarko will pay a significant civil penalty and spend an even greater amount to come into compliance with the Clean Water Act," said John Cruden, acting assistant attorney general for the Justice Department's Environment and Natural Resources Division.

"The consent decree will clearly improve Anadarko's preparedness and prevention plans and will ultimately result in a cleaner environment for the people of Wyoming," he said.

The Anadarko Tower in Houston (Photo by Trey Perry)

The consent decree also requires the companies to implement a multi-phased integrity and mitigation plan that incorporates inspection, monitoring, testing, data collection and failure analysis activities.

"This multi-million dollar settlement will protect water resources and habitat in Wyoming and the West," said Carol Rushin, EPA's acting regional administrator in Denver.

"We are pleased that Anadarko and its partners will make significant investments in monitoring and control measures that will ensure compliance with the Clean Water Act and minimize the likelihood and severity of future spills," she said.

According to a complaint filed with the consent decree, Anadarko Petroleum and the two related companies allegedly discharged harmful quantities of oil from the Anadarko facilities in Wyoming on more than 35 occasions between January 26, 2003, and October 19, 2008.

The complaint alleges that more than 31,300 barrels of oily water and crude oil were released during the spills and resulted in an observable film, sheen or discoloration on the surface of the impacted water or shoreline.

The spills occurred on oil production fields in Park, Johnson and Natrona Counties and resulted in the pollutants being discharged into the tributaries or drainages of Silver Tip Creek and Salt Creek which, respectively, are tributaries to the Powder River and Clarks Forks River, which flows into the Yellowstone River.

The Clean Water Act prohibits discharges of oil into waterways and coastal areas in quantities that may be harmful to the environment or public health.

The EPA says oil spills threaten fresh water and marine environments, harming plant and animal life through physical damage and the toxicity of the oil itself, which may poison exposed organisms.

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