Hazardous Waste Cleanup: Shell Lubricants (Formerly: Penzoil-Quaker State) in Newell, West Virginia
On this page:
- Cleanup Status
- Site Description
- Contaminants at this Facility
- Institutional/Engineer Controls
- Land Reuse
- Site Responsibility
A public notice has been posted with comment period ending March 7, 2020.
On February 18, 1994, EPA executed an Administrative Order requiring the former Facility owner Quaker State to complete various Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) Corrective Action activities for the Congo Refinery in Newell, West Virginia.
Cleanup Status
EPA is currently working with Shell and their consultants to complete the RCRA Facility Investigation (RFI) phase of this project, and to finalize the 2009 Draft Human Health and Ecological Risk Assessment Report. Once this work is completed, a Corrective Measures Study (CMS) will be prepared to fulfill the requirements of the Administrative Order that was issued by EPA in 1994.
Quaker State sold the property to Ergon in July 1997, and the operating facility is now known as Ergon West Virginia Inc. Newell Refinery. Pennzoil merged with Quaker State in 1999, and Shell subsequently purchased Pennzoil in October 2002. Shell continues to execute the RCRA Corrective Action activities required by the 1994 EPA Order for the Newell West Virginia Facility. These activities include the conduct of a RFI and the preparation of a Corrective Measures Study to identify cleanup options that are needed to stabilize the site conditions and/or mitigate any unacceptable risks posed by the presence of contamination. Between 1994 and 2009, multiple phases of investigation work were completed to delineate contamination that was present in soil and groundwater at the Facility. Various Interim Measures (IMs) including source removal work and groundwater monitoring were also completed at the Facility. These measures are ongoing to ensure the site conditions are stable, and that no offsite migration of contaminants occurs or unacceptable health risks are posed.
Site Description
Contaminants at this Facility
Contaminants of concern include benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene, naphthalene, methyl tertiary butyl ether (MTBE), methyl ethyl ketone (MEK), benzo(a)anthracene, benzo(b)fluoranthene, pyrene, arsenic, chromium, iron, lead and manganese.
Institutional and Engineering Controls at this Facility
The need Institutional Controls is yet to be determined.
Land Reuse Information at this Facility
The facility is in continued use.
Site Responsibility at this Facility
RCRA Corrective Action activities at this facility have been conducted under the direction of EPA Region 3 with assistance from the West Virginia Department of Environmental Protection.