MILLIKEN — Industry crews have placed absorbent booms in the South Platte River south of Milliken where at least 5,250 gallons of crude oil has spilled from two tank batteries into the flood-swollen river.

The spill from a damaged tank was reported to the Colorado Department of Natural Resources Wednesday afternoon by Anadarko Petroleum, as is required by state law.

State officials have responded to the spill site, which is south of Milliken near where the St. Vrain River flows into the South Platte.

Nearly 1,900 oil and gas wells in flooded areas of Colorado are shut, and 600 industry personnel are inspecting and repairing sites, according to the Colorado Oil and Gas Association. Crews are inspecting operations, conducting aerial and ground surveillance, identifying and determining locations of possible impairments, the association said Tuesday.

Anadarko, the second-largest operator in the Denver-Julesburg Basin, has shut about 10 percent of its operations — 250 tank batteries and 670 wells.

In a statement, Anadarko said: "To date, we are aware of two tank batteries that were damaged by flood waters, and have associated light-oil releases. The releases occurred in flood waters associated with the South Platte River and the St. Vrain River, and we have reported them to the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, the National Response Center, the U.S.

Environmental Protection Agency and the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment:

"We are actively working under the oversight of these agencies to contain and clean up the releases to the greatest extent possible. We will continue to provide additional information as appropriate."

State inspectors also have fanned along the river to assess environmental damage from toppled oil and gas facilities after the floods.

The flood that began late last week toppled dozens of oil and gas storage tanks and swamped other production facilities at sites in the flood plain. Earlier this week, oil drums, some empty, some full, could be seen floating in the river as far east as Kersey.

"This is the first specific incident where we have a clear indication of the problem," state natural resources spokesman Todd Hartman said.
State authorities don't know when this spill happened, Hartman said.

Weld County authorities on Saturday said at least one oil and gas industry pipeline had broken and was leaking into the South Platte. County officials did not provide a precise location for the broken pipeline. They said at least two other pipelines were compromised as they sagged in flood-saturated soils.

Gary Wockner of Clean Water Action said in a statement Wednesday night that the spill "exemplifies the danger" of drilling and fracking in floodplains.
"This State of Colorado and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency must force Anadarko to clean it up -- no matter the cost -- and make reparations to the public, including paying fines and enforcing the Clean Water Act which may include civil and criminal penalties. In addition, the State must initiate new rules for drilling and fracking near rivers, streams, and in floodplains that better protect the public and the environment,." Wockner said in the statement.

Ross Lane of the Western Values Project echoed that thought.

"This disaster is a clear indication that the Colorado oil and gas industry must do more to protect the public health of Coloradans," said Lane. "As our friends and neighbors pick up the pieces from this disaster, Anadarko must fulfill their responsibility to the people of Colorado."