Exxon Mobil is demolishing two homes in Mayflower that have oil trapped beneath their foundations after the March oil spill.
Company spokesman Aaron Stryk calls it an effective and efficient way to ensure any remaining oil is removed.
Stryk says the overall work process on the two home sites will take closer to two weeks because all debris must be removed, contaminated soil will be excavated and replaced with clean soil, and then the two lots will be graded and sodded.
The former owners of the two houses sold them to Exxon as part of a compensation plan.
Exxon says it's in discussions with the owners of a third home in the neighborhood with oil under it to see if demolition is appropriate there and would be an option.
The oil giant says it will conduct air and seismic monitoring around the homes being taken down.
Meanwhile, the Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality has begun testing sediment samples from the cove and main portion of Lake Conway to see whether any heavy oil sank to the bottom.
