84,000 Gallons Spilled in Saturday Oil Leak

The Santa Barbara County Fire Department released official numbers today for the amount of oil spilled this weekend at the Greka-Davis Tank Battery facility, which is located 5017 Zaca Station Road, on the property of 3rd District Supervisor Brooks Firestone. A total of 2,000 barrels – or about 84,000 gallons – spilled into a nearby tributary of the Sisquoc River as a result of a malfunctioning pump. A press release from County Fire Department spokesman Captain Eli Iskow said Greka management has reported that the oil flowed for more than twelve hours, and also that the spill area extended to about 1.25 miles downstream of the tank containment area. Much as in an early December spill, in which 33,600 gallons flowed out of failed equipment near Los Alamos, an alarm failed to notify Greka staffers of the mishap.

Iskow compared Saturday’s spill to a similar one that occurred in December 7, 2005. This more recent spill, Iskow noted, flowed nearly twice as far into the creek. “As the investigation continues, along with the recovery of oil, cleanup of the soil, creek and vegetation, this current gallonage estimate may fluctuate,” read Iskow’s press release.