Petrol transfer operations were halted at an oil terminal following a suspected leak. Investigations to identify the cause of the leak were conducted. After two days of searches using an electro-acoustic technique, the leak was found on an underground pipe connecting the SP95 petrol storage tanks to the truck loading station. An estimated 256 m³ had been spilt and 1.79 m of supernatant was measured in the piezometer located some 40 m away from the leak.

Local residents were informed about the leak in a press release. City officials advised them against using the water from their wells.

On 3 February, the prefect issued an emergency-measures decree requiring the operator to implement the necessary means to eliminate the pollution. Additional piezometers were installed. Two identical containment wells measuring 256 mm in diameter and 16 m in length were installed on either side of the leak. Each was fitted with two pumps. The first pump, installed above ground, was used to raise the floating pollution for stripping on site. The remainder was handled by a specialist company. The second pump, installed underground, created a cone of depression in the groundwater to draw oil towards the well. Loading operations resumed on 9 March.

Excavation of soil around the pipe made it possible to locate the source of the leak, which was a blanking plug that had been fitted one year earlier on a DN 500 pipe.