Well site air quality violations addressed
An environmental organization that uses an infrared camera to look for air quality violations at oil and natural gas well production sites announced Tuesday the operator of two Oklahoma wells where it found problems took corrective actions to address those issues after complaints were filed.
Earthworks said it filed complaints in September 2017 to Oklahoma’s Department of Environmental Quality on Newfield Exploration’s Channel and Lori production pads in the STACK play in Kingfisher County.
The organization said it filed those complaints after using the camera at both locations and observing emissions issues.
Earthworks’ complaints prompted DEQ to conduct inspections on Sept. 18, 2017, resulting in the regulator notifying Newfield that problems had been found.
According to memorandums from DEQ’s Air Quality Division obtained by Earthworks and provided to The Oklahoman, Newfield took corrective steps at both locations to address identified issues after the state inspections occurred.
At one location, Newfield reported an inoperable flare and a decision to shut in a vent line leading to the flare had caused a relief valve on a surface tank to activate when it became overpressured.
Newfield officials informed regulators they had repaired the flare and updated standard operating procedures to correct both the issue and the potential that it could arise at other locations.
At the other site, Newfield reported a vapor recovery unit had malfunctioned, causing the site’s tanks to overpressure and release vapor from their thief hatches.
The company reported it had ordered a part to repair the vapor recovery unit before DEQ’s visit. Post inspection, it reported it planned to increase record keeping requirements for vapor recovery units and that it planned to conduct additional training with its site operators to prevent future potential problems.
Earthworks officials said Tuesday they worry problems found at the Newfield locations are just examples of a much larger issue.
“Kingfisher is a hotbed of activity right now, but DEQ isn’t required to inspect every well unless someone files a complaint,” said Sharon Wilson, a certified thermographer with the environmental group. “What is concerning is the thousands of sites we haven’t inspected that DEQ never will.”
Brad Flaming, the environmental programs manager for the state agency’s air quality compliance and enforcement group, said Earthworks’ complaints against the Newfield locations are the first the agency received based upon evidence gathered using an infrared camera.
But Flaming said the agency regularly receives complaints — three to four a month — on well production locations, usually made by people who live nearby because of problems they have with a location’s noise levels or its smell.
In each case, he said inspectors evaluate a location’s operating engines to be sure they are properly permitted and meet emissions standards, plus the inspectors use an infrared camera to evaluate whether air quality violations are present.
Air quality issues can be caused by a variety of problems that range from malfunctioning equipment to older, ineffectively maintained tanks.
“Most odor complaints are tied to vapor leaks,” Flaming said. “We use our infrared camera to try to find out where the leak is coming from to get the operator to correct that problem.”
Newfield officials said Tuesday it routinely inspects all of its production pads using an infrared camera and trains its employees at least annually on how to identify, minimize and repair any leak issues they observe.
“Newfield Exploration is focused on managing our operations safely and in an environmentally responsible manner,” spokeswoman Cindy Hassler said. “Our efforts have been very successful, given there are only two leaks that have been found by DEQ inspections since the program began.”
Flaming, meanwhile, said DEQ’s ultimate goal is to make sure sites are operated safely and in an environmentally compliant way.
As for the Newfield cases, Flaming said he was pleased the complaints led to the discovery of issues that were appropriately addressed.
“We had a good outcome,” he said.