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SUBJECT: Van Hook WMA Site Visit, Oil Release Investigation

DATE PREPARED: December 14th

& 17th

SITE VISIT DATE: December 14th

COE PROJECT STAFF ONSITE: Ryan Newman, William Harlon

NON-COE STAFF ONSITE: Mark Glaser, BLM & Kris Roberts, NDDH

SITE VISIT RECORD:

On December 13th, 2012, an oil well located in Mountrail County, North Dakota owned and

operated by the Slawson Oil Company, experienced a blowout due to an equipment

malfunction that resulted in the uncontrolled release of an undetermined (as of December 15th)

amount of Bakken crude and salt water mixture. The high pressure event created a geyser of

Bakken crude mixed with the salt water. Those on site indicated the geyser was approximately

40 50 foot high.

Ryan Newman, Lake Manager and William Harlon, Environmental Specialist, arrived on site

Friday morning at approximately 11:00 am, CST. Newman and Harlon met with Mr. Mark

Glaser, Natural Resource Specialist for the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and Mr. Kris

Roberts, Environmental Geologist with the North Dakota Department of Health. Newman and

Harlon indicated that the purpose of their visit was to conduct an inspection of COE-

administered lands in the vicinity of the spill for the purpose of determining if impacts occurred

to COE lands as a result of the uncontrolled release. Glaser and Roberts accompanied Newman

and Harlon for a portion of the site visit.

Mr. Roberts indicated some residue had made it onto COE lands adjacent to the well site. He

indicated that approximately 1 inch of snow accumulated late on December 13th and into

December 14th

, covering the layer of Bakken crude. The conditions during the site visit were

characterized by overcast skies, dense fog (app. 150 yards visibility) and cool temperatures (app.

12oF). The presence of a 1-inch snow layer and fog did not inhibit detection of Bakken crude.

Crude was identified as yellow/orange layer of snow. This strata of crude/snow-mix ranged in

thickness from 0.5 to 1 inch. The crude was further detected by odor and the oily film it left

on clean notebook paper.

Newman Harlon Roberts and Glaser walked the COE boundary at the site to determine the

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approximately 4,100 feet into Lake Sakakawea (i.e., 4,100 feet measured from the 1850

operating pool elevation). Approximately one half of the 4,100 feet was on ice. Crude was

observed on snow, ice, bare ground, grass and trees (both deciduous and evergreen) during the

site visit. The crude was visible as either a layer within the snow (as previously discussed) or a

sheen on vegetation. The larger portion of the spill was localized around the well pad. Clean

Harbors representatives were on site. They indicated that a profile had been made for waste

disposal and the material was being hauled to their landfill in Sawyer, ND. Clean Harbors also

indicated that they were not hired as a contractor by the responsible party to perform actual

recovery and clean up of the spill to this point. There were a D8, excavator, motorgrader,

multiple trucks, etc working together as a means to scrape oil, dirt, and snow from private lands

into piles and load for disposal. It appeared the equipment had recently erected a secondary berm

(outside of the well pad) on private property as a means to capture any overland flow that left the

pad and headed towards the Reservoir. These activities were taking place approximately 2,000

feet from the COE boundary.

COE personnel will be meeting with the State Health Department, the BLM, NDG&F (as the

impacted area is a Wildlife Management Area leased to them), and Slawson (the well owner)

onsite, December 18, 2012, to delineate the extent of the remediation area and to discuss the best

methods for remediation. Following is the tentative remediation plan:

1) COE, NDGF, NDDoH, and Slawson will meet at 10AM Tuesday, December 18th to

discuss/outline areas as listed below.

2) Immediate - Conifer and other mist-impacted trees will be sprayed with Ecobiotics

(Enviroshield, Williston 701-774-1085 now and at spring warm-up).3) Immediate - Back bay area south of the recreation area will have snow removed by 2 skid-

steers with snow buckets.4) Immediate - Drainage in 2 or 3 places before the lake will be stripped of vegetation (and

vegetation disposed properly) and hay filters from round hay bales will be laid across the

drainage to filter out any petroleum sheen that runs off during melting periods.5) Immediate Produced water sample from Lunker2 will be collected and analyzed for

hydro-fracking additives.

6) Immediate Samples will be collected from back bay and horseshoe bar snow for analysisof petroleum, formation water and hydro-fracking additives.7) Spring Conifer and other mist impacted trees will be sprayed with Ecobiotics at warm up.

8) Spring Game and Fish will evaluate potential to conduct a prescribed burn of the grass

land impacted.9) April 1 - Soil samples will be collected from various areas, including the horseshoe bar

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The following series of photos characterizes the extent of crude residue onvegetation and in the snow. (more pictures available)

PHOTO 1: COE Environmental Specialist, William Harlon, wiping residue from a cottonwood

branch with notebook paper.

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PHOTO 2: Photo showing crude residue on paper. Crude was distinguished from other

materials by scent. In addition, the crude slightly penetrated and stained the paper whereas other

materials transferred onto the paper remained on the surface. This technique was utilized

multiple times during the site visit. Trees were tested in this manner starting at the northeastcorner of COE lands and extending to the cottonwood skeletons located on the sandbar within

the Reservoir. Crude residue was identified at each location. The amount of crude, however,

decreased steadily from northeast to southwest.

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PHOTO 3: Photo showing crude in footsteps. Crude made a compacted yellow/orange imprint when stepped on.

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PHOTO 4: Another photo showing strata of crude in foot print. This photo taken at approximate 1850 elevation line.

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PHOTO 5: Another photo showing strata of crude in foot print. This photo taken below 1850 elevation line.

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PHOTO 6: COE Lake Manager, Ryan Newman, performing paper test on material along shoreline. Crude residue was detected.

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PHOTO 7: Photo showing crude strata on snow adjacent to sand bar. Multiple crude stains are shown.

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PHOTO 9: Photo of crude strata on ice out on reservoir, southwest of sand bars.

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PHOTO 10: Photo showing COE Environmental Specialist William Harlon examining tree on COE lands. Note

the right side of the tree has frost formation and the left hand side does not. The blowout location is to the left

(northeast) of this tree. Crude residue on trees in the area of impact precluded the formation of frost. The crude

mist came from the northeast and subsequently coated the upwind side of the tree. The following two photos

(11 & 12) illustrate this.

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PHOTO 13: Photo of trees on COE lands illustrating the lack of frost formation. Trees were paper-tested to confirm residue. Odor

was distinct at this location.