HAMILTON, MI -- An estimated 300 gallons of crude oil leaked out onto an Allegan County farm Sunday afternoon as a result of what workers believe to be a valve malfunction.
Eric Kimber, a Department of Environmental Quality geologist, said the majority of the oil was captured within a PVC-lined area, but about 300 gallons spilled over the "3-to-4-foot" barrier and onto the neighboring farmland.
"There was nothing criminal involved here, it's just terribly unfortunate. The company had a lined dike, which in normal situations would contain it all, but there was enough for it to come over the top and that's the part they're cleaning first."
The spill occurred at a Goodale Enterprises facility near the intersection of 38th Street and 135th Avenue near Hamilton, which pumps oil from wells and stores it in large containers.
With the valve broken, oil leaked out beyond the barrier and traveled an estimated 200-300 feet into nearby cornfields.
Crews spent Sunday afternoon vacuuming puddled oil into tanker trucks, and returned Monday to continue excavating contaminated soil.
"This is very heavy oil, so it didn't sink in too far into the soil," Kimber said. "As cleanups go, the heavy oil worked in the favor of getting it cleaned up quicker and more effectively."
Mark DuCharme, who handles environmental contamination cases at the DEQ, said the oil isn't believed to have reached any ground or surface waterways.
The DEQ hopes to have the area outside the Goodale barrier cleaned up by the end of the day Monday. Afterward, samples of the remaining soil will be sent to a lab for testing to make sure it meets DEQ criteria.
Goodale Enterprises, a Grand Rapids-based crude oil provider, is expected to foot the bill for cleanup costs. It's unlikely the company will face a fine, according to DEQ personnel.
Oil being pumped to the malfunctioning container has been shut off until the valve is repaired.