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Site Report: Tesoro KPL Facility - 1999

Site Name: Tesoro KPL Facility - 1999
Address: Mi. 22 N. Kenai Spur Hwy., Nikiski, AK 99635
File Number: 2323.38.014
Hazard ID: 3190
Status: Active
Staff: Peter Campbell, 9072623412 peter.campbell@alaska.gov
Latitude: 60.685806
Longitude: -151.381333
Horizontal Datum:

We make every effort to ensure the data presented here is accurate based on the best available information currently on file with DEC. It is therefore subject to change as new information becomes available. We recommend contacting the assigned project staff prior to making decisions based on this information.

Problems/Comments

During construction activities in support of a fire suppression system, Tesoro encountered petroleum (including crude oil) contaminated soils at an area of the KPL facility where contamination had not been known to previously exist. This site is being worked in conjunction with the Kenai Pipeline Company, File Number 2323.38.014, Reckey: 1992-23-01-002-01.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
9/30/1999 Cleanup Plan Approved Contamination first identified to the department in a letter requesting transport of 150 cubic yards of crude oil contaminated soils to OIT in Fairbanks. Assessment report requested. Don Fritz
12/17/1999 Site Added to Database Crude Oil. Don Fritz
1/5/2000 Site Ranked Using the AHRM Initial ranking. Don Fritz
5/19/2006 Update or Other Action Issued file number 2323.38.014 in conjunction with the Kenai Pipeline Company, file number 2323.38.014, Reckey:1992-23-01-002-01. Alyce Hughey
3/19/2008 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking with ETM completed. Don Fritz
11/3/2011 Update or Other Action Groundwater monitoring is being conducted at this site. The last groundwater monitoring report received in our office was for a 2010 Groundwater Monitoring Report, dated February 12, 2011, from Kent & Sullivan, Inc. Alyce Hughey
11/16/2011 Update or Other Action Site transferred from Don Fritz to Peter Campbell per Paul Horwath. Alyce Hughey
11/30/2011 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2010 Groundwater Monitoring Report, Kenai Pipeline Company, dated February 12, 2011, from Kent & Sullivan. The 2010 field activities included assessing the groundwater quality in water supply wells twice a year, annual groundwater monitoring and the installation of five Air Sparge Wells in the Bernice Creek Plume Area. The two drinking water wells were sample on January 25, 2010 and July 13, 2010 with Benzene being detected in RT-5 at a concentration of 0.00077 mg/L in the July sample results. A confirmation sample is planned to be taken in January of 2011 from RT-5 to evaluate these results. The groundwater monitoring wells and beach seep sample were taken July 8th through 13th of 2010. The Pipeline Manifold Plume Area concentrations are remaining consistent, with the beach seep sample taken not detecting any of the analytes. The Bernice Creek Plume Area has shown some increases in concentrations within the Bernice Creek Plume at concentrations of 0.0956 to 48.5 mg/L Benzene, 0.526 to 38.1 mg/L Toluene, 2.62 to 5.17 mg/L Ethylbenzene, 17.99 to 23.06 mg/L Xylenes and 54.0 to 201.0 mg/L GRO. The Pond 2 Area concentrations are remaining consistent with some increases and decreases. The Beach/Dock Plume Area is remaining consistent with previous samplings with the newly installed down-gradient monitoring well not detecting any of the analytes. The Bernice Creek Air Sparge System, South Lobe Air Sparge System was operating continuously during 2010 as scheduled. The five new Air Sparge Wells (ASP-30 to ASP-34) were installed on June 17, 2010, and are scheduled to start operation in early 2011. Alyce Hughey
5/15/2012 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2011 Groundwater Monitoring Report, Kenai Pipeline Company, dated April 16, 2012, from Kent & Sullivan. The 2011 field activities included assessing the groundwater quality in water supply wells twice a year, annual groundwater monitoring to assess the groundwater plumes and the startup of the five new Air Sparge Wells in the Bernice Creek Plume Area. The two drinking water wells were sample on January 18, 2011 and July 1, 2011 with none of the analytes being detected. The groundwater monitoring wells were sampled July 1st through 8th of 2011. The startup of the five new Air Sparge Wells was conducted on March 28, 2011 in the Bernice Creek Plume Area. The monitoring wells were gauged on June 30, 2011, and no light non-aqueous phase liquid was detected in the wells. For the Pipeline Manifold Plume Area, MW-27 concentrations above the groundwater cleanup levels have returned after an anomalous low concentration in 2009. MW-88 has been non-detect for two consecutive years, MW-5, MW-59, MW-60 and MW-72 are showing decreasing trends. For the Bernice Creek Plume the Source Area Wells are showing somewhat erratic concentration trends, except for MW-24 and TMW-2 that is showing an increase since 2009, indicating that the AS system may not be operating properly in this area. Tesoro plans to assess and make any improvements in 2012. The Central Plume Wells are showing a declining trend other than TMW-14 which showed increases in 2010 and 2011. The West Lobe Wells are showing a declining trend. The South Lobe down-gradient wells are showing a declining trend other than MW-6 which has shown increases. The lower South Lobe AS system was shut off in 2011 for a rebound test. MW-79 was sampled and will be sampled to evaluate the potential contaminant migration in the South Lobe Plume Area. Drinking water wells RT-4 continues to show no impact and well RT-5 has returned to non-detect after benzene was detected in July of 2010. For the Pod 2 Area shallow wells are showing signs of much improvement, with MW-19-S returning to historical high concentration levels. For the Beach/Dock Plume Area MW-20 concentrations are above historical levels and it is thought to be from construction activities that took place near the well in 2011, and mobilized the hydrocarbon contaminants to the water table. DRO was detected in MW-97 for the first time, and additional sampling events are needed to determine the significance of these results. Alyce Hughey
4/25/2013 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2012 Groundwater Monitoring Report, dated April 8, 2013, from Kent & Sullivan. The 2012 groundwater monitoring events were performed on January 10 with samples collected from two water supply wells, on July 18th through 19th consisting of a comprehensive site groundwater monitoring to assess the groundwater plumes and on August 14th from one water supply well (RT-5) that had detections during the July sampling. The monitoring wells were gauged on July 17th with no light non-aqueous phase liquid being detected in the wells. The depth to groundwater ranged from 4.25 to 82.95 feet. The groundwater level across the Kenai Pipeline facility was higher in July than at any other time since 1996. The Pipeline Manifold Plume area well MW-27 contained Xylenes and GRO concentrations slightly above historical concentrations. Well MW-88 had high Benzene and GRO results, and wells MW-5, MW-59, MW-60, and MW-72 are showing decreasing trends. The Bernice Creek Plume area wells MW-24 and TMW-2 have been showing an increase in Benzene concentrations over the past 10 to 12 years. It is thought that these wells may be rebounding after operation of the soil vapor extraction system in the 1990’s. Concentrations in the central area of the plume continue to decrease. TMW-12 has been non-detect for the past three years and TMW-13 and TMW-14 were at historic lows, probably as a result of the expanded sparge system in 2011. Wells MW-54 and MW-55 in the west plume lobe showed increased benzene for unknown reasons, where MW-63 down-gradient of these wells was at a historic low. MW-79 and MW-94 remains non-detect. Drinking water well RT-5 contained Benzene, Toluene and Xylenes in the July sample. This well was re-sampled in August, and analytes were not detected. It is thought that the detections in July could have been from painting within the building during the time of sampling. The Pod 2 area concentrations remain stable with a slight increase seen. The Beach/Dock Plume area wells MW-9 and MW-21-S are remaining stable. The high levels in 2011 in MW-20 returned to normal in 2012 and the high DRO levels in MW-97 in 2011 returned to non-detect. The Bernice Creek air sparge system was operating as scheduled other than during periods of routine maintenance. In June several air lines that were broken were repaired. The south lobe air sparge system remained shut down in 2012. Alyce Hughey
5/27/2014 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2013 Groundwater Monitoring Report, dated May 5, 2014, prepared by Kent & Sullivan. The first groundwater monitoring event was performed on January 15, 2013 from two drinking water wells RT-4 and RT-5. The second groundwater monitoring event was conducted on July 16th through the 17th that included sampling and analyzing 30 groundwater wells. Groundwater was flowing with a southwesterly flow direction, which is consistent with previous events. The monitoring wells were gauged on July 12, 2013, and no light non-aqueous phase liquid was detected in the wells. The depth to groundwater ranged from 4.41 to 77.12 feet. The groundwater level across the Kenai Pipeline facility was higher in July than at any other time since 1996. The groundwater levels increased as much as 14 feet between July 2012 and July 2013. The increase in groundwater levels are due to an above-average snow pack in 2012 and major rain storms in the fall of 212 and spring of 2013. The Pipeline Manifold Plume Area groundwater levels rose 5.5 to 10 feet from 2012 to 2013. With the increase in groundwater levels some of the well screens may have been submerged. Wells MW-27, MW-88, MW-5, and MW-60 were non-detect, with some of these wells historically containing detectable concentrations. Tesoro plans to continue to monitor these wells to assess the Pipeline Manifold Plume Area. The Bernice Creek Plume Area monitoring well TMW-2, located near the up-gradient plume continues to increase in benzene concentrations with 0.5 mg/L. It is thought that the increase is due to high groundwater levels and high flow rate of the Bernice Creek impacting the up-gradient plume extent. The monitoring wells down-gradient of the air sparge system (TMW-12, TMW-13, and TMW-14) did not detect benzene in 2013. In addition the two drinking water wells (RT-4 and RT-5) had no detections. The groundwater rose as much as 14 feet in the Bernice Creek Plume Area. The Pond 2 Area shallow well concentrations remain stable with a slight decrease seen. The Beach/Dock Plume Area monitoring wells MW-9, MW-29 and MW-21S remained stable. Monitoring well MW-97 detected benzene for the first time at 0.00198 mg/L. Tesoro plans to continue to monitoring MW-97 during future monitoring events to see if the plume has/is migrating. The Bernice Creek air sparge system was operating continuously other than at times of routine maintenance. Several broken or disconnected air lines were repaired in June resulting in improved airflow. The south lobe of the air sparge system remained off in 2013. Alyce Hughey
10/12/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2014 an 2015 Groundwater Monitoring Report, dated April 22, 2015 and August 17, 2016, prepared by Kent & Sullivan and Trihydro. Groundwater is flowing in a southwesterly flow direction, which is consistent with previous events. The south lobe of the air sparge system remained off in 2015. The Beach Dock Plume has shown evidence of discharging to Cook Inlet. We are requesting that Tesoro submit a work plan to demonstrate through additional groundwater sampling that applicable water quality standards are not exceeded below the mean higher high water elevation. If they are, further response measures will be required to prevent contaminated groundwater from discharging to areas below the mean higher high tide elevation along the Cook Inlet beach. Higher groundwater elevations may be influencing higher benzene concentrations in the Pipeline Manifold Plume down gradient well MW-72. The Bernice Creek Plume appears to be attenuating down gradient of the source area air sparge system. Free product is again present in MW-24 at 0.04 feet. This well had been free of product since 2002 with the exception of 2014 when 0.64 feet of product was present. Drinking water wells RT-4 and RT-5 show no detectable impacts from the Bernice Creek Plume. Peter Campbell
12/19/2016 Site Visit Responded to a oily water spill at tank T2400. A line split, possibly from heat trace failure, releasing a mixture of crude oil and water to the frozen ground. An estimated 165 gallons were spilled, some to containment. It did not appear that surface water or groundwater would be impacted from the release. Monitoring well MW-80 is the closest well to the release. Peter Campbell
12/22/2016 Update or Other Action Tesoro Responded to our request for work plan in a letter dated November 28, 2016 Response to ADEC Comments on 2014 and 2015 Groundwater Monitoring Reports. ADEC followed up with a letter reiterating our requirement for a work plan to assess the Beach Dock Plume by January 31, 2016. In addition, ADEC requested additional information on no-purge sampling at the site. Peter Campbell
3/28/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Review Beach Dock Area Groundwater Assessment, dated March 28, 2017. Three new monitoring wells were installed on the beach, MW-98, MW-99 and MW-100. The wells were installed to intercept potential contamination from the Beach Dock Plume. Initial sampling indicates that contamination detected at MW-97 in 2016 is non-detect this year and attenuating before it reaches the mean high tide line. Three monitoring wells were installed during the assessment of the Tank 2400 release. Wells MW-101S, MW-102S and MW-103S indicate that significant impacts occurred to the shallow aquifer which may be impacting surface water, wetlands and sediments. Peter Campbell
11/28/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Review of the 2016 Annual Monitoring report, letter to Tesoro with comments. Request that MW-80 and MW-10 be added to the next five monitoring events to help delineate potential impacts from the Tank 2400 pipeline release. Peter Campbell
8/8/2018 Update or Other Action Letter from Tesoro requesting that investigation work in the shallow aquitard near MW-104S be delayed until 2019 due to fiscal year budget issues. Delay acknowledged and accepted by ADEC. Peter Campbell
11/27/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2017 Annual Monitoring Report (April 2, 2018). Required a work plan for 2018 sampling to include indicator wells that will be sampled for PAH and semi-volatiles from each source area. Asked that MW-71 be included in the next monitoring event as a down gradient well or as a check on contamination entering from the Chevron property. Requested that KPL coordinate with Chevron to present site maps that are at the same scale and with common data points so that data may be compared. Peter Campbell
12/4/2018 Update or Other Action Letter from Marathon, the new owner of the property, agreeing to changes requested in the 2017 Annual Report review. Peter Campbell
7/18/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Work plan approved for the installation of five monitoring wells. Peter Campbell
7/26/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Approve the 2018 Groundwater Monitoring Report and 2019 Groundwater sampling work plan. Peter Campbell
9/30/2020 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Review the 2019 Groundwater Monitoring Report and request information form Marathon about the source of contamination in monitoring well MW-71. Groundwater appears to be moving from the KPL property onto Chevrons property to the north, comingling with impacts at CMW-61. Request a work plan for the abandonment of two monitoring wells, MW-99 and MW-100 at the beach dock plume. Peter Campbell
5/12/2021 Update or Other Action Marathon has submitted a request to decommission MW-33 as part of an infrastructure improvement project. Decommissioning is approved pending the submission and approval of a work plan. Peter Campbell
5/17/2021 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Review the May 12, 2021 work plan for the removal of monitoring well MW-33. Work plan approved. Peter Campbell
5/24/2021 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Review the 2020 Groundwater Monitoring Report. Natural attenuation monitoring well sampling discontinued due to remediation success. CMW-115, installed in 2020 to evaluate the MW-71 impacts. Peter Campbell
4/1/2022 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Review the 2021 Groundwater Monitoring Report. It appears that the installation of CMW-115 on the Chevron Refinery property alleviates concerns that benzene contamination may be moving undetected from the pipeline manifold plume to the beach area. The report is approved. Peter Campbell
2/29/2024 Long Term Monitoring Workplan or Report Review Review 2022 Groundwater Monitoring Report. Groundwater levels sitewide increased in elevation from 2021. Absorbent socks were deployed in MW-09, MW-17-S, and MW-24 during 2021. No LNAPL and/or oil smear was noted during the 2022 gauging. Absorbent socks will be deployed in the same wells in 2023. Overall, analytical results in 2022 were consistent with historical sampling results. Groundwater conditions across the northern portion of the site are generally consistent with historical sampling results, and concentration trends within the Pipeline Manifold Plume and the Bernice Creek Plumes continue to decrease over time. Repairs to the Bernice Creek AS system completed in 2017 and 2020 were effective and decreasing benzene concentration trends were still visible in 2022. MW-71 benzene concentrations are above ADEC cleanup criteria, but below historical concentrations. The Beach/Dock contaminant concentrations displayed similar concentrations to 2021 and the plume size and concentration appears stable. Bi-annual sampling of RT-3 and RT-5 will take place in 2023. Supply well RT-4 remains offline but if operations resume, sampling efforts will recommence. Tesoro plans to perform annual groundwater monitoring in 2023. Peter Campbell
3/1/2024 Long Term Monitoring Workplan or Report Review Review and approve 2022 Groundater Monitoring Report. Peter Campbell
3/1/2024 Workplan Requested Request a work plan to measure surface water quality from Bernice Creek at four points, before the facility, at the source area downstream of the pipeline, within the facility, and at the outfall of the creek. ADEC is requesting a work plan from Tesoro to follow up on the Tank 2400 pipeline release and the implications to impacts to surface water and the perched aquifer. There appears to be a data gap in the monitoring well network between Tank 2400 and Pond-2. Groundwater concentrations are trending slightly upward in MW-17-S, and MW-19-S. An additional shallow monitoring well west of MW-104 would be appropriate. In addition, resume sampling Pond-2 and Pond-3 for TAH and TAqH, at least in the short term. We also recommend incorporating surface water elevations from the three ponds into the groundwater map, for at least one event to establish flow characteristics. Peter Campbell

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