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ARCO - Alegria
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Winter storm erosion
(January 2005)
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Final Site Restoration (September 2006) |
What's New
- In 2005 two sources of disturbance
affected the site after initial restoration
was completed (December 2004). PXP’s Pt. Arguello
brine discharge line required
excavation and repair in March of 2005. Soil
excavation, equipment operation, and
stockpiling to affect the pipeline
repair disturbed a portion of the previously
restored site. In addition, a
gully formed across the site as a result
of uncontrolled storm drainage in winter
of 2005. Both the area affected by
the brine line repair and erosion gully
were repaired (backfilled and re-seeded)
by March 18, 2005.
- Quarterly Groundwater
Sampling reports have been conducted
to assess potential groundwater contamination.
The 2007 Fourth Quarter Groundwater
Sampling Report results (received
April 2008) indicated that the report was the eighth
consecutive groundwater monitoring event where all
groundwater samples taken at the site display either
no trace of hydrocarbon or the measured quantity of
hydrocarbon is below the groundwater
clean-up level established for the
site by County Fire Department. Final
sign-off from County Fire Department
is still pending.
- Regular site monitoring will continue
to be conducted by the County EQAP
to monitor erosion control and vegetation
maintenance upon an overall Gaviota Terminal Site Assessment.
Description
This site once housed two 1000-barrel crude oil processing tanks.
The tanks were removed in 2003 and site cleanup and restoration
is ongoing.
Location
The ARCO Alegria tank farm is located on the ocean side of U.S.
101 in Alcatraz Canyon, approximately 30 miles west of the City
of Santa Barbara. The facility occupies approximately one acre
of land within the Gaviota Terminal on the western side of
Alcatraz Creek.
Arco-Alegria Location |
Overhead View of the Gaviota Oil Terminal with ARCO's Alegria
Facility (arrow) |
Onshore Facilities
- The ARCO Alegria facility consists of an idle oil and gas processing
facility and tank battery.
- The ARCO facility at the time of shut down was primarily comprised
of two bermed above-ground 1000-barrel
tanks, gas traps, compressors, controllers, and associated piping.
- The facility, including piping, has been idle since the well
that it serviced was shut-in
in 1991.
- The flowlines previously continued offshore, connecting the
ARCO facility to its one oil well (State 2793-1) in the Alegria
Offshore field, however the offshore portion of the lines were
removed during the SWARS project and the lines along the beach
were inadvertently taken out during the Chevron/ AERA Flowline
Removal Project in 1999.
Cleanup Activities
- ARCO began the soil remediation phase of decommissioning
in late September 2004. Work to remove hydrocarbons,
lead, mercury and other associated contaminants
was completed on November 18, 2005 and the initial
site restoration and temporary revegetation was
completed on December 18, 2004.
- ARCO began the decommissioning of their Alegria
facility January 28, 2003 which took five working
days to complete. Soil and groundwater sampling
began in February 2003. Remedial action,
site restoration and revegation to pre-project
condition are scheduled to be completed after
approval of a Remedial Action Plan for the
Gaviota Terminal Abandonment Project (DRP-00000-00003).
- The Coastal Development Permit for the ARCO Alegria Decommissioning
Project was issued on December 16, 2002 (no appeals were filed).
The project is located within the Gaviota Marine Terminal and
includes removal of the Alegria Facility; removal of above and
below ground structures and piping associated with the facility
(approximately 750’ of flowlines); and site assessment,
remediation, and restoration.
- ARCO Environmental Remediation LLC is authorized to remove
above- and below- ground structures associated with the Alegria
Facility and to perform site assessment, remediation, and restoration.
- The facility, including piping, has been idle since the well
that it serviced was shut-in
in 1991.
Past Activities
- While petroleum industry activities have taken place in the
Gaviota Terminal since the late 1800s, the predecessors
of British Petroleum did not develop the ARCO Alegria property
until 1962.
- Modification of the facility since original development consists
solely of the occasional replacement of equipment for like equipment
due to wear and tear and possible minor alterations due to varying
well flow characteristics.
- During the active life of this facility, it was used for the
processing of produced oil, gas, and water.
- The produced oil, natural gas, and water was transported
by pipeline into the facility.
- The gas and liquids were then separated from each other
with the liquids (crude
oil and produced
water) being sent to the 1000 barrel storage tanks.
- The gas was dehydrated, compressed, and piped back offshore
for gas
lifting the producing oil well, and residual gas was sold
via pipeline.
- After the liquids were sent to the tanks, the water was
bled off the bottom of the tanks, disposed of and the oil
was sold.
- On January 15, 2002, ARCO Environmental Remediation LLC requested
permit approval from the Energy Division for the decommissioning
of ARCO's Alegria facility and associated onshore piping located
within the Gaviota Marine Terminal
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