Health officials in Colorado say they think they know the source of petroleum seeping into South Platte River – a leaking underground pipe that leads to a tank at the nearby Suncor Energy Refinery.
The leak was reported earlier this year by refinery officials who said it was about a half-mile away from where an oily substance was spotted seeping into Sand Creek in Denver on November 29, according to The Associated Press.
Cleanup crews have been trying to contain the spill by building three small dams of sandbags around the bank about one-tenth of a mile from the river, which is a major water source for residents in Denver and a major tributary of the Platte River. Top products from Impact Absorbents such as XSORB Oil Select Booms and FiberDuck Oil Only Absorbent Pads can also help contain oily substances leaking into waterways.
A spokesperson for the Environmental Protection Agency told the news agency that in all between 20 and 50 gallons of an oily sludge has been recovered by cleanup crews, but it’s still unknown exactly how much of it may have seeped into the nearby creek or river.
The refinery produces jet fuel, gasoline, asphalt and diesel fuel from crude oil mostly from Colorado and Wyoming.
