EPA v. DENBURY ONSHORE LLC

Case summary

OPA Enforcement Team settled enforcement case assessing a $99,950 penalty against Denbury Onshore, LLC (Denbury) for violations of sections 311(b)3 and 311(j) of the Clean Water Act. The case settles claims arising from discharge of oil and/or produced water from pipelines located within the Cedar Creek Anticline Production Units in Montana and North Dakota owned and operated by Denbury in March and May 2011 and for inadequate Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) plan. The pipeline failures resulted in discharges of approximately 40 barrels of produced water and 50 barrels of crude oil into Cedar Creek and Sandstone Creek, both of which are tributaries of the Yellowstone River, a navigable water of the US.

Defendants (1)

• DENBURY ONSHORE LLCNamed in complaintNamed in settlement

Facilities (2)

• CEDAR CREEK ANTICLINE DRILLING PROGRAM

  T11N R57E S3, WIBAUX, MT, 59353

  Registry ID: 110069231469

• DENBURY ONSHORE, LLC

  GAS CITY SECTION 28 TANK BATTERY, GLENDIVE, MT, 59320

  Registry ID: 110054093878

Statutes cited

• CWA 311J — SPCC and/or Federal Response Plan Violations
• CWA 311B — Oil & Hazardous Substances Discharge

Enforcement conclusions (1)

• DENBURY ONSHORE LLCentered 2016-05-02

  Primary law: CWA

  Federal penalty: $99,950

Timeline (4 milestones)

• 2016-03-18Enforcement Action Data Entered
• 2016-05-02Final Order Issued
• 2016-05-02Complaint Filed/Proposed Order
• 2016-05-23Enforcement Action Closed