Problems/Comments

The National Petroleum Reserve Alaska (NPRA) is a 23 million acre area 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Oil exploration activities within the NPRA included the installation of 136 wells and boreholes between 1944 and 1981 by the U.S. Navy and the United States Geological Survey (USGS). Well sites identified as requiring cleanup are tracked individually under separate Hazard IDs. The Titaluk #1 well site is located about 60 miles west of Umiat, 102 miles southwest of Nuiqsut, and 100 miles southeast of Atqasuk. Surface water sampling identified one sample of toluene at low levels (23.1 µg/L), but sufficient to exceed total aromatic hydrocarbons (TAH). This sample result was thought to be anomalous, but resampling was recommended to determine if more extensive investigation is warranted (low priority). Soil sampling conducted during P&A activities detected lead slightly above the method Two cleanup level of 400 mg/kg in two samples. A sidewall sample collected at 1 foot below ground surface on the north side of the excavation contained lead at 426 mg/kg, and a sample of stockpiled soil from the 0-3 feet depth interval contained lead at 481 mg/kg. The source of the lead contamination is presumed to be drilling waste contained within the well cellar. No other analytes exceeded Method Two cleanup levels during the Phase 2 sampling of the well casing excavation or stockpiles. Lead impacted soil is considered to be of minimal extent and localized around former well casing. A recommendation for no further action was made by the consultant specific to the lead soil. API# 50119100110000

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No associated sites were found.