History Detail

Incident Name: Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge

Subject: Report - Final

Incident Date: 3/13/1995

Incident Location: Grand Chenier, Louisiana

Author: Ilene Byron

Latitude: 29°32’ N

Longitude: 92°5’ W

USCG District: 8

Product: natural gas and condensate

Type: 1

Volume: 40 barrels

Source:pipeline

RAR: Fish: redfish, garfish Birds: waterfowl, shorebirds Reptiles: alligators Terrestrial Mammals: deer, raccoon, muskrat Management Areas: Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge

Dispersants: No

Bioremediation: No

In-Situ Burning: Yes

Special Interest Topic(s): brackish marsh

Shoreline Type(s) Impacted: in-situ burning operations, air monitoring, ecological and chemical monitoring studies being conducted

Summary: At 1830 on March 13, 1995, the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, six miles east-southeast of Grand Chenier, Louisiana, was notified of a possible leak at the Price Lake Unit. Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries and Mobil pipeline personnel surveyed the area and identified the leak on March 14. The pipeline was shut down at that time and the pipeline finished bleeding down on March 17. Approximately 40 barrels of residual condensate oil contaminated approximately 55 acres of difficult-access marsh lands. An in-situ marsh burn was initiated on March 17 to remove the condensate on the marsh and facilitate repair of the pipeline.

Behavior: Because of dikes and water-level control structures, a break in the pipeline allowed the oil spread to over 55 acres of normally nontidal marsh,

Countermeasures/Mitigation: Because of the sensitive marsh habitat, the spilled oil could not be mechanically removed. On March 17 an in-situ burn was initiate, using lines of hay laid across the site as a wicking material. The oiled marsh readily ignited and burned the heavily oiled area only.

Other Special Interest(s): Although no air monitoring was required by state law or the RRT, limited air monitoring was conducted prior to and during the burn by the USCG GST. Also, LSU, in cooperation with the Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge, the Louisiana Oil Spill Coordinator, and NOAA began ecological and chemical monitoring studies to assess the recovery of the unburned and burned marsh.

NOAA Activities: NOAA was notified of this incident on March 16, 1995, and was asked to come on-scene to help evaluate the feasibility of a marsh burn. NOAA helped develop a burn plan. The SSC also coordinated air monitoring with the GST on-scene and ecological and chemical monitoring with LSU.

References: Hess, T. Rockefeller Refuge Preliminary Spill Assessment, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Unpublished report. Louisiand State University. 1995. Rockefeller Refuge In-Situ Burn: Preliminary Report. Seattle: Hazardous Materials Response and Assessment Division, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.