Cyril Refinery Superfund Site Set For Another Five-Year Review: What Caddo County Residents Should Know

The Oklahoma Refining Company Superfund site in Cyril is headed back under the microscope. The Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality and the EPA are launching another five-year review of the 160-acre property, which was added to the National Priorities List in 1990 after refinery operations ended in 1987. The review will examine whether the cleanup work done so far is still protecting human health and the environment, and whether the existing land use restrictions should remain in place. The full report is expected to be available to the public in May 2027.

The site’s history is long, and so is the cleanup. Remedial action on one portion of the property was completed in 2023, including excavation work and a system designed to recover light non-aqueous phase liquid from the groundwater. That’s the oily layer that sits on top of the water table. But work on the next phase, focused on groundwater, surface water, and sediment in Gladys Creek, is still pending federal funding. That’s the part many residents want the most answers about.

For Cyril and the surrounding Caddo County communities, this site carries both history and weight. It was once the area’s largest employer, and generations of local families have ties to the refinery. The upcoming review is a chance to see exactly what’s been done, what’s left, and what it all means for water and land nearby.

Have you or your family ever been affected by the Cyril refinery site? We’d like to hear your story.