Mid-Atlantic Corrective Action

Saint Marys Refining Company
(Formerly: Quaker State)

On This Page

• Current Progress at Site
• Site Description
• Site Responsibility
• Contaminants
• Community Interaction
• Institutional Controls
• Documents and Reports
• Photos, Maps and Diagrams
• Reuse Information
• Questions

EPA ID:WVD004337135
Location:
201 Barkwill Street
Saint Marys, WV 26170
Property Area: 70 acres
Congressional District: 1
Other Names Quaker State
Pennzoil – Quaker State Company
LAST UPDATE October 2012

Contacts

Bulletin Board

Current Progress at the Site

In April 1997, EPA and Saint Marys Refining Company (SMRC) entered into a RCRA 7003 Administrative Consent Order.  The Order required SMRC to investigate and clean-up site related contamination.  Pennzoil – Quaker State Company (PQS), a previous owner of the site conducted site environmental investigations and clean-up at the SMRC facility.  Fifteen Solid Waste Management Units (SWMUs) and five Areas of Concern (AOC) were identified at the facility.  The SWMUs are areas of known or suspected contaminant releases.

Investigations showed that on-site soil and on- and off-site groundwater were impacted by hydrocarbon contaminants.  The primary contaminants are benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylene (BTEX), methyl-tertiary butyl ether (MTBE-an oxygenate), naphthalene, total petroleum hydrocarbons and arsenic.  Ground water on and around the site is not used as a drinking water source.

In 2006, intensive site-wide clean-up of soil and groundwater began with the installation of on-site clean-up technologies.  PQS installed over 100 wells for Soil Vapor Extraction and Bioventing (SVEB) treatment.  SVEB changes the subsurface from anoxic to aerobic conditions to support hydrocarbon degrading microbes, while extracting the volatile hydrocarbon portion and oxidizing the volatiles to carbon dioxide and water.  SVEB well installation began in August 2006.  To enhance treatment of the dissolved phase plume, PQS injected sulfate into the deeper aquifer to support anaerobic bacteria to breakdown hydrocarbons. 

By September 2008, the SVEB system had removed about 98% of the contaminant source mass from the soil in the former refinery area, with no reappearance of contaminants in groundwater.  Contaminants were significantly reduced, with the remaining contaminants exceeding drinking water standards (benzene and naphthalene) to be reduced through natural processes.  From injecting sulfate, the bacteria population grew large enough to continue contaminant reduction without further injection.  The SVEB system and sulfate amendments have significantly reduced hydrocarbons to the point where natural processes will continue to reduce the contaminants without the remediation systems. 

On the bluff area of the refinery, contaminated soil from SWMUs 12 and 13 and AOC 3 was excavated and treated in the former refinery area in the valley.  The excavations were backfilled with clean soil.  The contaminated bluff soil was treated in the valley portion of the former refinery.  The soil meets EPA’s acceptable risk level for industrial workers, and soil remaining on the bluff meets WV’s residential use levels.  

SMRC and EPA conducted a neighborhood well survey to determine if private wells were located in the area.  The survey also showed no impacted private wells or basements.

On- and off-site groundwater monitoring wells (Route 2 neighborhood, across from SMRC) are sampled twice a year to measure hydrocarbon levels (benzene, toluene, ethyl benzene, xylenes, MTBE, naphthalene) and arsenic in groundwater;

In November 2006, SMRC moved the vent pipe for the truck loading area, located off of Barkwill Street, to the center of the facility, and thereby reduced hydrocarbon vapor emissions and odors from the truck loading area. 

In 2007, EPA required sampling of stream sediments, Ohio River sediments and on-site PCB analysis.  The final results from this sampling show minimal impact to these areas.
 
As shown in the Environmental Indicator Forms located on EPA=s website (see Contacts below), human health exposures are under control, and groundwater contamination is delineated and stable (and diminishing).  Recently, three off-site locations (across Route 2, towards the Ohio River) were found to have site-related contaminants.  These sites were entered into West Virginia’s Voluntary Remediation Program (VRP).   Soil and groundwater cleanup along the SMRC pipe line by the City’s Wastewater Treatment Plant is completed.

On September 14, 2011, EPA issued a Statement of Basis which provided the basis for EPA’s proposed remedy decision for this Facility.  A 30-day public comment period was opened.  Only SMRC submitted comments.  The Final (remedy) Decision and Response to Comments (FDRTC) was signed by EPA on January 30, 2012.   The Statement of Basis and FDRTC is available at EPA’s website listed at the end of this Fact Sheet.

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Site Description

The SMRC facility was a petroleum refinery that began operations in the early 1900’s.  The Facility was designed to produce lubricating oils, waxes, gasoline, jet fuel, and other petroleum products.  The facility ceased refining in the early 1990’s, and currently only a portion of the site is used for the bulk storage and transport of finished petroleum products.  The SMRC facility is located along Route 2 in the town of St. Marys, Pleasants County, West Virginia.  The facility is about 70 acres, and is divided into two areas: the main plant area with the truck loading rack, and the bluff or cliff area where there are some large petroleum tanks, and is about 70 feet higher than the main area.  The facility is surrounded by commercial, industrial and residential properties.  The Ohio River is north of the facility.   Site-related contaminated soil is limited to on-site areas.  Contaminated groundwater is found on- and –off site.  The facility is fenced, with 24-hour security.  Public meetings were held every October from 2006 to 2009.  More information about the site is located at the Pleasants Co. Library, WV and at the U.S. EPA office in Philadelphia, PA.     

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Contaminants

The primary contaminants are benzene, ethylbenzene, toluene and xylene (BTEX), methyl-tertiary butyl ether (MTBE-an oxygenate), naphthalene, total petroleum hydrocarbons and arsenic.  Ground water on and around the site is not used as a drinking water source.

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