Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) for the Upstream (Oil Exploration and Production) Sector

• SPCC Basics
• Create Your SPCC Plan
• Frequent Questions
• Additional Information Resources

SPCC Basics

• A Facility Owner/Operator's Guide to Oil Pollution Prevention
• SPCC Basics Presentation provides a brief overview of the SPCC program.
• SPCC Rule: Train-the-Trainer for the Production Sector provides organizations with materials to hold trainings to raise awareness of the SPCC rule.
• Fact Sheet: Oil Discharge Reporting Requirements

Create Your SPCC Plan

Frequent Questions

1. Who is responsible for holding and maintaining an SPCC Plan?
2. Is my facility covered by SPCC?
3. How do I determine if my facility could reasonably discharge oil into or upon navigable waters or adjoining shorelines?
4. If the oil storage capacity on the facility is less than 10,000 gallons total, can a facility self-certify a plan and do regular self-inspections and be in compliance?

1. Who is responsible for holding and maintaining an SPCC Plan?

The SPCC rule requires the owner or operator of the facility prepare and implement an SPCC Plan. The Plan must be maintained at the location of the facility that is normally attended at least four hours per day.

2. Is my facility covered by SPCC?
 

SPCC applies to a facility that:

• Stores, transfers, uses or consumes oil or oil products, such as diesel fuel, gasoline, lube oil, hydraulic oil, adjuvant oil, crop oil, vegetable oil or animal fat; and
• Stores more than 1,320 U.S. gallons in total of all aboveground containers (only count containers with 55 gallons or greater storage capacity) or more than 42,000 gallons in completely buried containers; and
• Could reasonably be expected to discharge oil to navigable waters of the U.S. or adjoining shorelines, such as lakes, rivers and streams.

3. How do I determine if my facility could reasonably discharge oil into or upon navigable waters or adjoining shorelines?

You can determine this by considering the geography and location of your facility relative to nearby navigable waters (such as lakes, rivers, streams, creeks and other waterways) or adjoining shorelines. You should consider if ditches, gullies, storm sewers or other drainage systems may transport an oil spill to nearby navigable waters or adjoining shorelines. Estimate the volume of oil that could be spilled in an incident and how that oil might drain or flow from your facility and the soil conditions or geographic features that might affect the flow toward navigable waters or adjoining shorelines.

Also you may want to consider whether precipitation runoff could transport oil into navigable waters or adjoining shorelines. You may not take into account manmade features such as:

• dikes,
• equipment,
• or other structures that might prevent, contain, hinder, or restrain the flow of oil.

Assume these manmade features are not present when making your determination. If you consider the applicable factors described above and determine a spill can reasonably flow to a waterway, navigable water or adjoining shorelines, then you must comply with the SPCC rule.

4. If the oil storage capacity on the facility is less than 10,000 gallons total, can a facility self-certify a plan and do regular self-inspections and be in compliance?

Yes, and you do not have to file the plan with EPA. If over 10,000 gallons in total oil storage capacity, you will need a professional engineer to certify your plan.

Additional Information Resources