Oil Geyser In NW Oklahoma City; The Clean Up Process

Firefighters responded to a geyser that spouted in northwestern Oklahoma City Monday morning.

According to the Oklahoma City Fire Department, the geyser consisted of oil from the ground near northwest 178th Street and North Portland Avenue.

Clean up continues in Northwest OKC, after 92 thousand gallons of oil spilled near a residential area.

The spill happened when a contractor hit the 16 inch crude oil pipeline.

"We received a phone call, 911 call, reporting oil coming from the ground," Chief Andrew McCann with the Oklahoma City Fire Department said. "Companies responded and found exactly what you see, oil from the ground."

A pipeline company digging in the area hit a 16 inch oil pipeline, according to the OCFD. The pipeline company shut off the oil flow.

"The shut off valves are miles away," Chief McCann said. "So once the process does get shut off, it will take time for the system to bleed down and the excess oil to flow through the leak."

Construction crews built dams out of dirt and sand bags in order to stop and redirect the oil from the geyser.

"We have some significant environmental impact. The oil is flowing into a collection area that flows where the storm drains are," Chief McCann said. "The contractor is damming the area to prevent any more. We have storm water quality assisting in clear up process of this leak."

There are homes near the geyser that could be effected by the spray.

Hazmat and Storm Water Quality were on scene, OCFD said.

Statement from Oklahoma Corporation Commission:

The oil transportation line struck today in North Oklahoma City runs from Cushing to Midland Texas. It is a large line, 16 inches in diameter. As it is an interstate line, it is under the jurisdiction of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a federal agency. The line is still blowing down, so there is no estimate yet on the amount spilled. It is our understanding that the line was hit by an excavation operator working on a new road for a development under construction. The Oklahoma Corporation Commission Pipeline Safety Department is investigating from the standpoint of Oklahoma regulations regarding excavation and pipeline damage. The Corporation Commission‘s Oil and Gas Conservation Division is responsible for ensuring the area is remediated properly.

This is a developing story. Refresh this page for updates.