Five produced water, crude oil spills reported in McKenzie, Mountrail and Bottineau counties

Jan. 16—"RENVILLE, N.D. — The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality has been notified of two produced water and crude oil spills that occurred this week in Bottineau County, and the North Dakota Oil and Gas Division has been notified of two other spills late last week in McKenzie County and one in Mountrail County."

One of the Bottineau County spills occurred Sunday, Jan. 14, about 30 miles northeast of Minot. It was reported by Citation Oil and Gas Corporation. An estimated 335 barrels (14,070 gallons) of produced water, a by-product of oil and gas development, and 15 barrels (630 gallons) of crude oil were released from the tanks, a press release said. There is an unknown amount of spillage impacting nearby agricultural land.

The other Bottineau County spill occurred on Monday, Jan. 15, about two miles southeast of Renville. The notification of the spill was sent by Scout Energy Management, LLC, which estimated that approximately 160 barrels (6,720 gallons) of produced water and 40 barrels (1,680 gallons) of crude oil were released from the tanks. Sixty barrels (2,520 gallons) left the location and impacted surrounding rangeland, a release said.

Personnel from the Department of Environmental Quality are inspecting the site and are monitoring the investigation and remediation of the situation. According to the press release, it is required by federal and state laws for operators to report "the spillage of materials that may pollute water, air or soil."

In Mountrail County, a water injection line leak occurred Thursday, Jan. 11, at a well near Stanley, N.D., a release said. Hess Water Services, LLC, reported the leak, which released 468 barrels of produced water due to equipment failure. All of the produced water spilled has "stayed on pad and within the berm," and there has been no off-site impact. About 100 barrels have been recovered so far, the release said.

"In McKenzie County, two spills occurred on Saturday, Jan. 13: one at a federal well near Four Bears Village, N.D, and the other in Watford City. The federal well spill was reported by White Butte Oil Operations, LLC. Equipment, which said failure from freezing weather reportedly released 1,026 barrels of produced water and 54 barrels of crude oil. Of those amounts, all of the produced water and crude oil have been recovered, and the spill had remained within the tank batter containment berm. Goodnight Midstream reported the Watford City incident and said 426 barrels of produced water were released, though 150 barrels have been recovered."

A North Dakota Oil and Gas inspector will continue to monitor clean-up and remediation at each of the spill sites.