Greka stop work order release recalled

 

Greka Oil and Gas company was ordered to cease production yet again April 21 at its Bell Lease location in Santa Maria, despite having been given the green by the county to resume oil production three weeks ago.

The stop-work order was issue by the Santa Barbara County Petroleum Division after an inspector discovered that an underground pipe was leaking. Greka employees later found that a bottom pump from one of the 200,000 gallon tanks was pumping oil and produced water through a three-inch pipe that was not working.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s contracted clean up crew was directed to evacuate a cleanup that was occurring on a hillside adjacent to the leak.

“It leaked enough water and oil to have compromised the integrity of the dirt containment berm and possibly the entire hillside,” said Santa Barbara County Fire Department Capt. Eli Iskow.

“They were done by 6 p.m. they really worked hard and used a lot of people and equipment and got it done.”

 

In a statement released April 22, Greka President Andrew deVegvar called Iskow’s claims that the hillside was compromised and proved dangerous to workers “erroneous and defamatory.”

He also claimed that the fire department never issued a stop-work order, but instead issued a notice to comply.

“There was no danger regarding the hillside…” deVegvar said. “There was no evacuation. There was no stop-work order…This is simply a very minor incident involving some residue from an out-of-service pipe that was buried underground, again no danger, no evacuation, no stop-work order.”

Iskow said that whether or not Greka was issued a stop-work order is only a technicality.

“The issue is whether they had a violation that caused them to stop production, not if they were issued a stop-work order,” he said. “They still were ordered to stop production until the problem was corrected.” 

 

Greka also could be fined by the Santa Barbara County Air Pollution Control District for multiple air violations after a report of a gas vapor leak in the area. 

“We found multiple vapor leaks on Greka property,” said APCD Director Terry Dressler “We will document those violations and then as is our policy we will seek monetary penalties for the violations.”

The penalties could range as high as $10,000 to $25,000 per day.

Though Greka has been allowed to resume productions at its Bell Lease location, the stop-work order still pertains to the damaged pipeline.

Iskow said that it is up to Greka if the stop work order is lifted.

“They might not even use that pipe line, they may even remove it,” he said.

Despite the oil spill and a number of recent small oil spills, Greka maintains that is doing all it can to continue to correct the violations, clean up oil and produced water from recent spills, and work to eliminate future spills. 

 

“When you look at the county statistics you will see that all of the oil and gas operators in the county have recorded spills from time to time,” said Tony Knight, Greka spokesperson.

“The goal that Greka is working toward is to have no spills whatsoever. Greka has put a lot of resources back into its facilities.”

DeVegvar said that Greka has been acting in good faith with the county and making progress – actions he said had not been reciprocated by the county.

“It’s time for the county fire department to start acting in good faith and stop playing to the media with these ridiculous and defamatory statements,” he said. “The county is singling out Greka for unequal and unfair treatment. It is arbitrary and capricious and it has to stop.”