On November 7, there was an oil spill near Lake Texoma. Matt Skinner, a representative with the Oklahoma Corporation Committee, said they received the report from Godfrey Oil Properties.
“Yesterday, Godfrey Oil Properties reported to that it lost about 40 barrels (1,680 gallons) of produced water and about 100 barrels (4,200 gallons) of crude oil; both substances leaked off the site and into Elm Creek, a creek that is about a half mile from Lake Texoma,” Skinner said.
Skinner said the oil did reach the lake and mix with it.
Godfrey jumped into gear, and hired Dillon Environmental to clean up the spill, Skinner said. “As of 2:00 p.m., yesterday, the containment booms were completely in place and the contractor was working to clean up as much floating and freestanding oil as possible.”
Currently, the US Environmental Protection Agency is in charge and overseeing the cleanup in Lake Texoma, in Elm Creek and the other land that is owned by the US Army Corps of Engineers. The OCC is taking over the supervision of the cleanup of the private land around the well site.
“There are absorbent booms around the neck of the inlet where Elm Creek empties into the lake, and booms are also all around the places that oil was discovered on water,” Skinner continued.
According to Skinner, the cleanup will last for some time. “The cleanup contractor is vacuuming up puddles of oil today and tomorrow will bring in a vacuum barge to get more oil off the lake. Strong winds from yesterday blew leaves and debris into the oil spill, then blew the oily leaves up on the shore; the cleanup contractor must cleanup that oil-covered debris as well.” As the OCC understands, the EPA representative plans to stay onsite until the area is full remedied. Skinner said that even though the cause is still under investigation, it appears to have been from equipment failure.