Plantation Pipe Line Lewis Drive Release

Plantation Pipe Line Company owns and operates a 26-inch pipeline that transports gasoline and diesel (petroleum products) across South Carolina. The Plantation Pipe Line release is located on Lewis Drive approximately 450 feet east of the intersection of Calhoun Road and Lewis Drive (GPS: 35.544329, -82.507707), approximately one mile northwest of Belton, South Carolina. The release was discovered on December 8, 2014. Repairs to the 26-inch pipeline were completed by Plantation Pipe Line and Lewis Drive was reopened to traffic the week of December 19, 2014. Plantation Pipe Line reported that approximately 369,600 gallons of gasoline and diesel (mostly gasoline) were released to the environment.

As a result of the release, the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (Department) required Plantation Pipe Line to perform an evaluation of the impacts to the environment, typically called an assessment. The assessment has been an on-going process that involves ensuring monitoring wells are installed and sampled routinely to characterize the extent and severity of the petroleum contamination. Surface water in Brown’s Creek and Cupboard Creek is also routinely sampled and monitored. In addition to the continuing assessment, Plantation Pipe Line has been conducting clean up activities, typically called corrective action. The corrective action at this site began immediately with the installation of recovery wells and recovery sumps that were installed to remove the gasoline and diesel fuel that was released into the environment from the pipeline. Currently, corrective action at the site includes air sparging and petroleum removal using skimmers and absorbent socks. Routine site inspections are also carried out by Plantation Pipe Line to ensure no unforeseen effects to the environment are occurring. As of June 30, 2018, Plantation Pipe Line reported that 222,983 gallons of petroleum product have been recovered from the environment.

 

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Sites of Interest Pollution