EQ has been instrumental in assisting with two recent devastating oil spills in the Gulf of Mexico and Kalamazoo River in Michigan. For both spills, EQ has provided personnel, equipment and expertise to assist in the clean-up efforts with the goal of restoring and protecting the environment.
Gulf of Mexico
What many say could be the worst environmental disaster in history, the EQ Industrial Services Emergency Response Division responded by sending equipment and personnel to the Gulf of Mexico region to work on the oil spill clean-up.
EQ placed approximately 15,000 feet of oil containment boom off of the barrier islands and wetlands of Louisiana and Alabama to help prevent oil from reaching shore, protecting the fragile shoreline. Six EQ vacuum trucks were staged in Florida, ready to help with the effort at any time. One example: An EQ crew responded to Ft. Walton Beach, FL where an oil tank from the drill rig washed up on shore. The crew helped remove the tank and clean up the spill that resulted. EQ response personnel also helped in clean-up efforts on Shell Island, off of Panama City, FL, when the oil spill approached shore. Also, EQ has provided 13 oil skimmers to authorities in Venice, LA. The skimmers are used on boats to skim and collect oil off of the top of the water.
Kalamazoo River, Michigan
EQ has also responded to one of the worst oil spills in Michigan to help minimize the environmental impact. The spill occurred from a broken oil pipeline near Marshall, MI. Close to 1 million gallons leaked into the Kalamazoo River. Once local authorities realized the impact of the spill after the pipeline break was discovered, the EQ Emergency Response group sprang into action and sent people and equipment to the area.
EQ currently has over 100 employees dispersed along the 35 mile stretch of the Kalamazoo River that was impacted. These employees include hazardous material clean-up technicians, equipment operators, supervisors and safety personnel. EQ has deployed 7,000 feet of oil containment boom in the waterway. EQ has 10 oil skimmers on site to remove the oil from the water. The company also has 12 vacuum tanker trucks, 25 frac tanks and 75 roll off boxes all being used to mitigate the effects of the spill. Much of the waste generated will be managed in an environmentally safe manner at EQ facilities in Michigan. Working in conjunction with our partner Young’s Environmental, crews are working 24 hours a day, 7 days per week on the clean-up effort.