Phillips 66 working on plan to clean up Jefferson City spill

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Energy company Phillips 66 is working on a cleanup plan after about 1,100 gallons of drilling mud spilled into a local waterway.

The company is replacing and relocating sections of its pipeline in Jefferson City. Crews with a subcontractor called Strike were drilling at 7 Hills Road and Wilmor Drive on Jan. 27 when the spill occurred, said Joe Stoops, an environmental supervisor with the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.

Stoops said the drilling mud was clay-based and the spill should have no long-term environmental effects. The spill was caused by an underground anomaly or the area's topography, Stoops said. The mud went into a stormwater culvert before flowing into an unnamed tributary of the Moreau River, he said.

Phillips 66 has taken steps to prevent the mud from spreading and is putting together a cleanup plan with input from DNR, Stoops said. The cost of the cleanup had not been determined Tuesday and Stoops said no fines have been levied.

Phillips 66 spokesman Rich Johnson said the spill happened while crews performed a horizontal directional drill. Johnson said the crew stopped working as soon as they noticed the spill.

"While work continues on the rest of the pipeline replacement project, we are working with regulators on a plan to continue work on the drill under Bald Hill Road," Johnson said. "We expect to be complete with all of our pipeline work in the Jefferson City area this spring."