EPA Orders Cleanup After Oil and Brine Spill Reaches Kansas River System

Federal regulators require Atlas Operating to recover oil, contaminated soils, and debris from tributary and Chikaskia River.

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has issued a unilateral administrative order to Atlas Operating, LLC following an estimated spill of 33,600 gallons of a mixture of crude oil and brine production water from an oil tank battery near Spivey, Kansas. The release entered an unnamed tributary before flowing into the Chikaskia River, and the EPA has directed the company to stop the flow, recover the oil and contaminated materials, and dispose of the waste properly.

Why it matters

Discharges of oil or hazardous substances into waterways are regulated under the Clean Water Act to limit environmental damage. This spill has impacted a tributary and the Chikaskia River, requiring a swift cleanup response to protect the local ecosystem.

The details

According to the EPA, the release entered an unnamed tributary before flowing into the Chikaskia River. Cleanup and containment efforts began shortly after the discharge was confirmed. Under the order, Atlas Operating must stop the flow of oil, recover and remove oil, contaminated soils, and debris near the release site, recover oil and impacted debris along affected shorelines, and dispose of all recovered waste according to regulations.

  • The EPA was first notified of the suspected discharge on the evening of Feb. 15 through the National Response Center.
  • An EPA On-Scene Coordinator arrived at the site the following morning on Feb. 16 to evaluate the situation and determine the extent of the spill.
  • The agency expects the response and recovery activities described in the order to be completed by March 13, 2026.

The players

Atlas Operating, LLC

The oil and gas operator in Kansas responsible for the spill and required to complete the cleanup work under the EPA's order.

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency

The federal agency that issued the unilateral administrative order to Atlas Operating and will oversee the cleanup efforts.

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What’s next

The EPA will oversee the work to ensure the cleanup requirements are met by the March 13, 2026 deadline.

The takeaway

This spill highlights the importance of strict regulations and swift response to limit the environmental damage from oil and hazardous substance discharges into waterways. The EPA's order ensures Atlas Operating takes the necessary steps to recover the oil and contaminated materials to protect the local ecosystem.