Cleanup Continues After Crude Oil Leak In NW OKC

Homes in Oklahoma City’s SilverHawk neighborhood are left covered with residual crude oil after a leak Thursday.

Neighbor Michelle Dunlap will now spend the weekend figuring out how to clean the film off her home.

“We've got oil, kind of a smear, fuzzy film, oily film on our windows, our patio furniture, both on the south side and the north side of the home,” Dunlap said.

Dunlap said the smell was stronger Thursday.

“We couldn’t take the dog for a walk when I got home because it was so strong,” Dunlap said.

Another neighbor ran his truck through the car wash three times just to get the oil off.

At nearby West Field Elementary, the playground was full of cleanup crews instead of children Friday.

“We kept everybody inside from recess today while they’re working on the cleanup,” West Field Principal Lisa Crosslin said.

The Oklahoma Corporation Commission said weather is partly to blame for the messy film left behind.

“This had a quarter mile impact area because of the high winds that were in place at the time of the leak,” Oklahoma Corporation Commission Spokesman Matt Skinner said.

The pipeline that leaked belongs to Sunoco, which have crews in neighborhoods affected for cleanup.

No waterways were affected, according to the Department of Environmental Quality.

Pressure caused the oil to foam up, and at least 15 barrels leaked out as an orange mist.

The OCC is working to find out why the pipeline burst and how best to clean up for concerned neighbors.               

“I think as a neighborhood just want to see that the oil company do the right thing by us,” Dunlap said.

Concerned neighbors can call Sunoco’s hotline at 855-430-4491.