GRASSY BUTTE – The North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality (NDDEQ) has been notified of a produced water spill at a saltwater disposal facility in McKenzie County operated by White Rock Oil & Gas, LLC.

The incident occurred about 12 miles northwest of Grassy Butte on Wednesday and it was reported the same day. The cause of the spill was pump failure that led to a tank overflow.

White Rock Oil & Gas, LLC estimates approximately 8,400 gallons of produced water were released. Of this amount, about 42 gallons migrated offsite, impacting an unnamed frozen creek.

Produced water is a by-product of oil production. It’s typically carried from an oil well by pipeline or truck to a disposal site, where it is injected back into the ground for permanent storage.

Personnel from the NDDEQ are inspecting the site and will continue to monitor the investigation and remediation.