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Site Report: Hilcorp NS Surfcote Pad (BPX)

Site Name: Hilcorp NS Surfcote Pad (BPX)
Address: 2.5 Miles SE of East Dock, 4 Mi. NE of Prudhoe Arprt, Prudhoe Bay, AK 99734
File Number: 300.38.031
Hazard ID: 1167
Status: Active
Staff: Andrea Carlson, 9074515174 andrea.carlson@alaska.gov
Latitude: 70.281111
Longitude: -148.251944
Horizontal Datum:NAD83

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

Site is a former fuel tank storage area. Contamination is the result of faulty containment. Pilot studies were conducted to determine the feasability of bioremedaition as a remedy for contamination at this site. According to the 1989 Harding Lawson (HLA) report, several spills were reported by ARCO at this site, including one of about 60,000 gallons, primarily at the west end of the former tanks. A preliminary investigation was conducted in 1987 by Harding Lawson Associates after decommissioning of these aboveground tanks used for diesel fuel storage.

Action Information

Action Date Action Description DEC Staff
3/13/1990 Update or Other Action Annual Report (1989) for pad remediation received from Harding Lawson Associates, with letter from ARCO dated March 13, 1990. Brad Fristoe
7/16/1990 Update or Other Action Work plan received from ARCO, prepared by Woodward-Clyde Consultants for Pilot Land Treatment, dated July 16, 1990. Brad Fristoe
8/24/1990 Update or Other Action Request for progress report information received from Trustees for Alaska. Brad Fristoe
10/3/1990 Update or Other Action Public Records Request received from Trustees for Alaska for all correspondence, memoranda and other documentation. Brad Fristoe
10/12/1990 Update or Other Action Letter dated 10/12/1990 from Brad Fristoe to Mr. Robert Weiner, Trustees for Alaska, RE: Cleanup Progress Report. Brad Fristoe
10/26/1990 Update or Other Action Letter from Deb Jones, Paralegal with ADEC, to Trustees for Alaska, responding to request for information. Brad Fristoe
1/18/1991 Update or Other Action Letter to Bob Elder, ARCO, from Mehrdad Nadem dated January 18, 1991 stating that 'additional action for PCB is not warranted." Mehrdad Nadem
2/22/1992 Update or Other Action Letter to Bob (Robert) Cannone ADEC, from Bryan Collver ARCO, RE: Surfcote Bioremediation Pilot Project report conducted by Woodward-Clyde Consultants, letter dated 2/22/1992. Bob Cannone
2/11/1993 Update or Other Action Letter to ADEC from Brad Gerken, P.E. ARCO, RE: Surfcote Bioremediation Project conducted by Woodward-Clyde Consultants during the summer of 1992, with report attached. Bob Cannone
2/16/1994 Update or Other Action Letter from Brad Collver ARCO, dated 02-16-1994, with final report enclosed stating the 'final sample analyses at the end of the 1993 treatment indicate the site has been remediated to an average diesel range organic (DRO) concentration of 262 mg/kg...and the sum of average BTEX concentrations has never been more than 15 mg/kg throughout the 1992 and 1993 treatment seasons." And that "the land treatment project on the Surfcote Pad indicate that the site has met the clean-up level." Scott Rose
5/7/1994 Update or Other Action Letter from ADEC to Bryan Collver ARCO, stating that "the Department will determine if any additional remedial actions are necessary at this site upon review of the 1994 sampling report." Scott Rose
6/11/1996 Update or Other Action Letter to ADEC from Laura Barlow/David Hansen ARCO, RE: 1995 Surfcote Bioslurping Report - summarizing the results of the first season's operation. Rich Sundet
1/27/1998 Update or Other Action Remediation Investigation received from Harding Lawson Associates, report dated: January 27, 1989. Brad Fristoe
4/14/2004 Site Added to Database DRO contamination. Eric Henry
7/28/2005 Update or Other Action File number was incorrect. Changed from 300.38.0174 to the correct number 300.38.031 Sarah Cunningham
10/25/2007 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking Initial ranking Pam Clemens
4/16/2009 Update or Other Action Conducted file review and contacted BP about site status. During meeting held in 2006, BP indicated additional work would be conducted at the site to characterize current contaminant levels. Last info in ADEC's file is the 1996 bioslurping report. It is assumed the bioslurping system as well as the landfarm remain on site. Bill O'Connell
10/15/2010 Update or Other Action Deliverable provided by Oasis of figures showing the various features of Surfcote Pad including reported areas of buried debris and a Summary of the Old Landfill Waste Accumulation Sites, provided to EPA as part of the Current Conditions Report submitted under the RCRA AOC. Bill O'Connell
4/17/2013 Update or Other Action Email from O'Connell to ERM requesting additional delineation and a tundra inspection conducted to see if there’s been any migration from the pad. This email referenced figures from previous investigations at Surfcote Pad which showed soil sample results from 1994 and 1995. The area of the 1994-95 samples is shown in the yellow box on Figure 3 of the 2013 Sand Dunes RFI WP addendum. It was this area that additional delineation was requested. The figures attached to this email are printed and in the file. Keather McLoone
9/25/2013 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed Site Assessment Workplan Surfcote Pad dated June 2013. Activities planned include using a GeoProbe to advance and sample six new soil borings, install MW in each, and collect pad porewater samples. Previously existing wells that can not be used for future investigations will be decommissioned. Visual monitoring of adjacent off-pad areas will also be conducted. Soil and water samples will be analyzed for GRO, DRO, BTEX, and PAHs. Keather McLoone
8/11/2014 Update or Other Action Email from ERM regarding implementation of O'Connell's requests made in his April 17, 2013 email: "We believe that the plan we submitted addresses Bill’s request. Our plan initially included advancing four boreholes, each converted to monitoring wells, surrounding the bio-slurping area. We added two more boreholes/wells (southwestern area of site) to better define soil and pad porewater impacts near the pad edge. Based on site and area topography, we expect pad porewater flow to be toward the south or southeast and pad edge. Our soil boreholes will help characterize the levels and extent of soil impact, but the focus of our investigation is characterization of pad porewater flow and quality to estimate potential off-pad impacts. Our rationale for borehole/well placement: • Results from two 1995 boreholes indicate soil was not impacted along this western margin; we have one borehole/well in that area. Property ownership precludes any step outs further to the west. • The pad edge defines the southern extent of boreholes/wells. • “Clean” HLA boreholes S2, S6, S15, S24 and S34 (see Figure 5 of the work plan, or Plate 10 from HLA November 1988 report) generally define the northern and eastern extent of impact. One proposed borehole/well (SB/MW-1) is positioned east of the gridded area to characterize current soil and pad porewater petroleum hydrocarbon levels there. Two recent boreholes characterize the levels of impact in the bio-slurping area. These two boreholes/wells were associated with the SDL project (MW-84, MW-85; see Figure 4 in work plan) and were advanced during May 2013. DRO/GRO soil results were less than 500/100 mg/kg at these locations. ERM conducted an off-pad inspection 8 September 2013 as requested in Bill’s email. No petrogenic sheen was observed, and our interpretations were confirmed by ACS personnel. As part of this September 2014 work, we will re-inspect and document in field notes and the report the results of the off-pad inspection." Keather McLoone
8/15/2014 Site Characterization Workplan Approved Date of letter sent regarding June 2013 workplan. Keather McLoone
9/3/2014 Site Visit Keather McLoone
5/28/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of cover letter accompanying 2014 Site Assessment Report. Activities included advancement of boreholes and soil sampling, monitoring well installation and development, porewater sampling, and decommissioning of piezometers, wells and bioslurping equipment. The focus of the 2014 effort was to evaluate lateral and vertical extents of contamination remaining at the site. Six boreholes were advanced, sampled, and completed as monitoring wells. Analytical suite was GRO/DRO, BTEX, and PAHs. Five of these were sampled but MW-02 was dry. Also reported here are 2 wells also associated with the Sand Dunes Landfill effort - MW-84 and MW-85. MW-85 was also reportedly dry. Twenty-five well casings associated with past investigations and pilot study were decommissioned. • ADEC concurs that additional monitoring wells may be needed to evaluate the extent of contamination to the south. Keather McLoone
7/13/2015 Exposure Tracking Model Ranking A new updated ranking with ETM has been completed for source area 72146 ASTs and piping. Keather McLoone
8/24/2015 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Date of receipt via email of an addendum to the Contaminated Sites Water Quality Monitoring Work Plan dated July 29. Surfcote planning was not included in that document due to an oversight. 2015 activities to be conducted at Surfcote include collecting water samples from each of the eight wells (2 of which where installed for the Sand Dunes landfill monitoring effort - these wells will be sampled again in September during that sampling event). Samples will be analyzed for DRO, GRO, BTEX and PAHs. Keather McLoone
12/9/2015 Update or Other Action Date of receipt via email of revised Figure 6 for 2014 report showing the correct units. Keather McLoone
7/12/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2015 Water Quality Monitoring Report, dated June 2016, for the BPX Surfcote Pad site. Samples were collected from six groundwater monitoring wells (MW-01, MW-03, MW-04, MW-05, MW-06, and MW-84) surrounding the footprint of a previous remedial bioslurping feasibility study area. Two wells (MW-02 and MW-85) were dry and samples could not be collected. Water samples collected from Monitoring Well MW-84, which is the most contaminated well, exhibited concentrations of gasoline range organics (GRO) at 2.79 mg/l, diesel range organics (DRO) at 11.10 mg/l, and benzene at 0.0216 mg/l. ADEC concurs that continued monitoring of the suprapermafrost groundwater is needed, and that additional monitoring wells may be necessary to evaluate the extent of contamination to the south. In a letter Dated July 2016, ADEC requested a revised report with CSM and work plan for 2017 field work by August 15, 2016. Joshua Barsis
8/9/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2016 Contaminated Sites Soil & Water Quality Monitoring Work Plan, dated August 2016. Proposed activities mainly consist of monitoring well sampling, surface water sampling, and surface soil sampling. Joshua Barsis
9/20/2016 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Received two revised reports: MCC Fuel Island 2015 Inspection Report and Surfcote Pad 2015 Water Quality Monitoring Report. Joshua Barsis
3/20/2017 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed of the 2016 Contaminated Sites Monitoring Report and 2017 Work Plan, dated February 2017 for the BPX Surfcote Pad site. Water samples were collected from six of eight monitoring wells (MW-01, MW-03, MW-04, MW-05, MW-06, and MW-84) in August 2016. Two wells, MW-02 and MW-85 were dry and could not be sampled. Additionally, the three planned monitoring well installations were not completed in 2016 because of permitting issues. Analytical results show diesel range organics (DRO) above Table C groundwater cleanup levels (GCLs) in MW-05, MW-06, and MW-084; gasoline range organics (GRO) above GCLs in MW-84; and benzene, ethylbenzene, and total xylenes above GCLs in MW-05 and MW-84. 2017 proposed activities include: installing three additional soil borings to be completed as monitoring wells, collecting soil and water samples from the new borings and wells as appropriate, and continued monitoring of the eight existing wells (MW-01, MW-02, MW-03, MW-04, MW-05, MW-06, MW-84, and MW-85) and another well associated with the Sand Dunes Landfill (P-40). Joshua Barsis
8/6/2018 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2017 Contaminated Sites Monitoring Report and 2018 Work Plan, dated July 2018 for the BPX Surfcote Pad site. Both the report and work plan are approved. Water samples were collected from seven of nine planned monitoring wells (MW-01, MW-03, MW-04, MW-05, MW-06, MW-84, and P-40) in August 2017. Two wells, MW-02 and MW-85 continue to be dry and to date, have never been sampled. Additionally, the three planned monitoring well installations were not completed in 2017 because of apparent “wet tundra conditions”. Analytical results are consistent with historical event. Well MW-84 continues to be the most contaminated well with levels of diesel range organics (DRO) up to 12,300 µg/l, gasoline range organics (GRO) up to 2,810 µg/l, benzene up to 9.4 µg/l, ethylbenzene up to 197 µg/l, xylenes up to 628 µg/l, naphthalene up to 81.8 µg/l, and 1-methylnaphthalene up to 49.5 µg/l; all of which exceed the Table C groundwater cleanup levels. One variance from historical normal is that the sample collected from Well MW-01 exceeded the Table C GCLs for naphthalene (at 4 µg/l). Naphthalene has not historically been present. 2018 proposed activities include: installing three additional soil borings to be completed as monitoring wells, collecting soil and water samples from the new borings and wells as appropriate, and continued monitoring of the eight existing onsite wells (MW-01, MW-02, MW-03, MW-04, MW-05, MW-06, MW-84, and MW-85) and another well associated with the Sand Dunes Landfill (P-40). Joshua Barsis
7/25/2019 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2018 Contaminated Sites Monitoring Report and 2019 Work Plan, dated July 18, 2019, for the BPX Surfcote Pad site. Activities completed in 2018 included: installing three additional soil borings that were completed as monitoring wells (MW-97, MW-98, and MW-99), collecting soil and water samples from the new borings and wells as appropriate, and continued monitoring of the eight existing onsite wells (MW-01, MW-02, MW-03, MW-04, MW-05, MW-06, MW-84, and MW-85) and another well associated with the Sand Dunes Landfill (P-40). Although planned, Wells MW-02 and MW-85 were dry and could not be sampled. Monitoring Well MW-84 continues to be the most contaminated well with levels of diesel range organics (DRO) up to 12,800 µg/l, gasoline range organics (GRO) up to 2,680 µg/l, benzene up to 5.5 µg/l, ethylbenzene up to 212 µg/l, xylenes up to 806 µg/l, naphthalene up to 76.1 µg/l, 1-methylnaphthalene up to 33.8 µg/l, and 2-methylnaphthalene up to 38.9 µg/l; all of which exceed the Table C groundwater cleanup levels. Water samples collected from Wells MW-05, MW-98, and MW-99 also exceeded the Table C level for DRO, among other constituents. Concentrations of GRO were only present above Table C levels in two wells, Well MW-84 and Well MW-99. Although Well MW-84 is generally considered the most contaminated well, the sample collected from Well MW-99 exhibited a concentration of GRO at 10,700 µg/l, about 4 times the concentration seen in MW-84. Recommended actions in 2019 include continued monitoring of the onsite wells, decommissioning of Wells MW-02 and MW-85, shovel sheen testing and surface water sampling to the east. Joshua Barsis
6/9/2020 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other 2019 Contaminated Sites Monitoring Report and Work Plan Considerations Andrea Carlson
2/9/2022 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other 2021 Contaminated Sites Monitoring Report and Work Plan Considerations Andrea Carlson
11/16/2023 Document, Report, or Work plan Review - other Reviewed the 2022 Contaminated Site Monitoring Report and Proposed Work Plan dated February 2, 2023. Water quality monitoring activities were completed in July 2022 and included collecting samples from two surface water locations SW-41 and SW-42 within thermakarst troughs downgradient and southeast to the Surfcote Pad . The surface water samples were submitted to the laboratory for analysis of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and total xylene (BTEX) and poly-cyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and compared to the Water Quality Standards (AWQS) for total aromatic hydrocarbons (TAH) and total aqueous hydrocarbons (TAqH). The sample from SW-41 did not have detections of BTEX or PAHs and the calculated concentrations of TAH and TAqH for did not exceed the AWQS at the sampling location. The sample from SW-42 had concentrations of ethylbenzene, xylenes, and three PAHs, however the calculated concentrations of TAH and TAqH did not exceed the AWQS. The site work plan proposes sampling of the two surface water locations to monitor water quality on a three-year schedule, with the next sampling event in 2025. Monitoring efforts would also include making visual sheen observations at a third location to the south of the pad. Andrea Carlson

Contaminant Information

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