S.W. Penna. Well Pad near WV
MARCELLUS WELL PAD FIRE.
KDKA Channel 2 News, February 11, 2014
Three fire crews are on the scene in southwestern Pennsylvania at a Marcellus well pad fire, burning out of control.
LOCATION: Bald Hill Road near Bobtown, PA. This is near the Mason-Dixon Line between Mt. Morris (I-79) and Pt. Marion (PA-88).
UPDATE (Associated Press) – One worker has been injured and another is missing after a natural gas well explosion and fire in southwestern Pennsylvania, within miles of the West Virginia border.
Chevron spokesman Trip Oliver says the fire was reported at about 6:45 a.m. at the Lanco 7H well in Dunkard Township, near Bobtown. That’s about 50 miles south of Pittsburgh. Oliver says one person is reported hospitalized and another is currently unaccounted for. Chevron personnel immediately responded to the fire and called in assistance from Wild Well Control.
Ambulance and emergency medical crews have been summoned to the scene, and state police have reportedly set up a half-mile perimeter. Crews at the scene report that intense flames have kept them from getting too close to the well.
See also — UPDATE: “Video of Chevron Fracking Well Fire, More Explosions Feared. It Will be Days Before the Fire is Controlled”
>>> OIL & GAS INDUSTRY VERY DANGEROUS <<<
Over 450,000 workers were employed in the oil and gas extraction and support industries in 2011. From 2003 to 2010, 823 oil and gas extraction workers were killed on the job, which is a fatality rate seven times greater than the rate for all U.S. industries.
Safety and health hazards and dangerous conditions that can result in fatalities for oil and gas workers include: Vehicle Accidents, Struck-By/ Caught-In/ Caught-Between, Explosions and Fires, Falls, Confined Spaces, Chemical Exposures.
Point Your RSS Reader to FrackCheckWV.net/feed/
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Some 12 hours or more later the one worker was still “missing.” The most reasonable explanation is that he was cremated and the ashes spread by the accident, from the look of the fire.
The other one was “injured.” It came out that “he was taken to the hospital.” I guess we should credit Chevron with doing the right thing. Was it the local hospital? A burn center? Isn’t the severity a newsworthy item?
Welcome to corporate euphemism public relations codes!
CHEVRON MARCELLUS GAS WELL PAD WORKER STILL MISSING
Fire continues out of control after 30 hours, near Dunkard Creek.
http://www.wpxi.com/news/news/crews-battling-large-gas-well-fire-greene-county/ndKqH/?ref=cbTopWidget
CHEVRON Update No. 4: Pennsylvania Incident
Feb. 12, 2014, 4:45 p.m. EST – RE: Greene County Fire
One contractor employee remains unaccounted for. Our thoughts and prayers are with this family and with all of our employees, contractors and emergency responders.
The fire on the Lanco site is still burning at the well site from an uncontrolled well release. Chevron and Wild Well Control are on location and assessing the situation. At this time we cannot speculate how long the fire may burn.
We are assessing our options so that we can proceed with the most appropriate and safest approach to the fire. We are developing a site-specific safety plan to identify and establish mitigation plans for all potential hazards associated with extinguishing the fire and controlling the well. We have secured specialized firefighting equipment and are preparing a location to serve as a staging area.
Our plans include efforts to control the well by shutting off the flow of natural gas and taking all appropriate procedures to protect the other wells on the pad. We are closely monitoring the status of the adjacent two wells and are developing contingency plans for those wells, if necessary.
Out of an abundance of caution, we have begun to monitor the air, surface waters and noise in the area for any signs of impact. At this point we have no indications that this incident has created any safety risk.
Chevron is working with local, state and federal agencies and emergency response organizations. We appreciate their ongoing support to this incident.
Chevron would like to express our sincere regret to those who may be affected by the incident. We’re working to contain the fire and ensure the safety of our employees, contractors and the surrounding community. We will continue to provide updates as more information becomes available.
If any neighbors have concerns, they can call a Chevron toll-free line: 1-877-847-8408.
Chevron Update No. 5: Pennsylvania Incident
Feb. 13, 2014, 9:00 p.m. EST – Chevron has had a full day of on-site operations to move our plan forward to extinguish and cap the well. The water tank pad has been prepared and the site is expected to be ready for water tanks to be delivered on Friday, weather permitting. We expect additional equipment will be removed Friday, which will safely enable clear access to the well. Chevron, Wild Well Control and partners continue to make progress in planning for the removal of machinery from the incident site.
The fire is currently an intermittent flame sourced by natural gas from the initial well. While progress has been made today responding to conditions at the well site, we remain focused on the unaccounted for contractor. Chevron continues to work with local, state and federal agencies and emergency response organizations. We appreciate their ongoing support to this incident.
Out of an abundance of caution, we continue to monitor the air, surface waters and noise in the area for any signs of impact. Fixed, portable and personal gas monitors have been brought on site to aid responders. At this point we have no indications that this incident has created any safety risk.
Incident command has been staffed with dedicated resources since the incident took place. Response teams continue to work 24 hours a day to continue to assess and respond to the incident. We are working at a pace that helps ensure the safety of all involved in responding to this incident. Chevron, with well control experts, is developing a plan of action to gain control of the well and the flow of natural gas. We are closely monitoring the status of the adjacent two wells and are developing contingency plans for those wells.
If any neighbors have concerns, they can call a Chevron toll-free line: 1-877-847-8408.
Chevron Update No. 6: Greene Co. PA Gas Well Fire
Feb. 14, 2014, 4:40 p.m. EST – Activity continues on the Lanco well pad site, where the initial well is burning at a steady flow, as expected, and an adjacent well on the pad is burning intermittently. This second well sustained damage from the heat of the fire from the initial well. We continue to monitor the condition and integrity of the remaining well on-site and a contingency plan is in place should conditions change.
Chevron continues its operations of clearing the site of equipment and vehicles that were on the site at the time of the incident. This will allow Wild Well Control to get close enough to the well to perform its operations. The last piece of equipment to be removed from the site is a charred crane. This crane is maintaining extreme temperatures and is the ignition source that continues to reignite the natural gas flowing from the initial well. This flame is serving as the source of ignition for the second well. The flames have prevented the combustible gas from spreading beyond the well site. The crane is being moved to allow access for the well intervention equipment.
Staging water near the site in preparation for firefighting is a top priority. Toward that end, water trucks, heavy lifting equipment and pumping systems are being delivered to the site. Additional response equipment is being staged at the Greene County Fairgrounds and other locations near the well site. Chevron has constructed a water tank pad adjacent to the well pad, approximately 155 feet by 185 feet, so that water can be stored on site and used to fight the fire.
Activity at this point has been focused on ensuring that Wild Well Control has the space, resources, conditions and equipment on-site and in place to safely begin its operations to gain control of the well and stop the flow of natural gas. We continue to monitor the air, surface waters and noise in the area for any signs of impact. Fixed, portable and personal gas monitors and alarms have been deployed on-site and in the surrounding areas. Air and water samples are being collected and sent to labs for analysis.
Chevron continues to work with local, state and federal agencies and emergency response organizations. We appreciate their ongoing support to this incident. Incident command has been staffed with dedicated resources since the incident took place. Response teams continue to work 24 hours a day to continue to assess and respond to the incident. We are working at a pace that helps ensure the safety of all involved in responding to this incident.
Neighbors may call a Chevron toll-free line with any questions: 1-877-847-8408.
Chevron Update No. 7: PA Gas Well Fire
Feb. 16, 2014, 5:08 p.m. EST – The two wells are no longer burning as of 3PM Saturday. It is premature to speculate on what caused the flames to go out. However, we do know that at this time, there is not enough fuel being emitted to sustain combustion, and with the cooling of the crane, the ignition source has been removed.
Before the well intervention equipment work can commence, a crane that was burned as a result of the incident must be removed from the site. This crane was in the line of fire and is badly damaged, so special equipment was brought in to assist with its removal. The removal of the crane is necessary before we can begin well intervention work.
One of our top priorities continues to be staging water near the site to prepare for well intervention work and for fire prevention and suppression, if necessary. Ten water storage tanks were delivered and installed on Friday, and one tank was installed on Saturday. Additional tanks were able to be installed Sunday as well. Our focus will soon shift to connecting all of the tanks together and then filling them with fresh water.
Water from these tanks will be used to cool the well site and equipment, if necessary, so the wells can safely be worked on and for potential fire prevention and suppression. The water tanks are being placed on a tank pad that Chevron constructed adjacent to the well pad. Weather permitting, we hope to source water around the clock. We are staging additional response equipment at nearby locations, including the Greene County Fairgrounds.
We are dedicating considerable resources to maintaining and clearing the roads due to weather conditions to help assist personnel traveling to the site and equipment being delivered.
Incident command has been staffed with dedicated resources since the incident occurred. Response teams continue to work 24 hours a day to continue to assess and respond to the incident and to help protect the safety of all involved in responding to this incident.
Neighbors may call a Chevron toll-free line with any questions: 1-877-847-8408.
Chevron Update No. 8. Penna. Gas Well Fire
Feb. 17, 2014, 4:55 p.m. EST – For clarification regarding the timeline associated with the Lanco Well Site Fire – the initial well, 7H, began burning the morning of February 11. An adjacent well on the pad, 6H, began burning on February 14, after sustaining damage from the heat of the fire from the initial well. The two wells are no longer burning as of 3PM Saturday.
It is premature to speculate on what caused the flames to go out. However, we do know at this time the volume of natural gas is lower than what it had been previously.
Due to the flames going out, Wild Well Control was able to access the well pad to perform an assessment of the wellhead equipment on Sunday. The information gathered allows our planning engineers to have the latest and most accurate information readily available to assist with their intervention. Wild Well Control is also mobilizing blowout prevention equipment, such as capping stacks, to seal the wells, which is standard equipment for these types of situations.
Before the well intervention equipment work can commence, a crane that was burned as a result of the fire must be removed from the site. The crane, that is approximately 30 feet from the well head, required special equipment to be brought in to assist with its removal.
Water tanks have been moved onto the Lanco well pad to prepare for well intervention work and fire prevention and suppression, if necessary. We are currently connecting all of the tanks together and filling them with fresh water. We have mobilized a fleet of tanks that hold 500 barrels of water each, with an approximate capacity of 21,000 gallons per tank. The purpose of these tanks is to provide enough water to cool the area and minimize the potential for re-ignition.
We are staging additional response equipment at nearby locations, including the Greene County Fairgrounds.
On Sunday, Chevron met with DEP representatives at the Incident Command Center in Moon Township for a Technical Briefing on the well intervention plan. Chevron continues to work cooperatively with local, state and federal agencies and emergency response organizations. We appreciate their ongoing support to this incident.
A weather station is in place on site to provide accurate, current on-site weather conditions for monitoring by the Incident Command Center to assist with operations planning.
We are dedicating considerable resources to maintaining and clearing the roads due to weather conditions to help assist personnel traveling to the site and equipment being delivered.
Incident command and response teams continue to work 24 hours a day to assess and respond to the incident and to help protect the safety of all involved in responding to this incident.
Neighbors may call a Chevron toll-free line with any questions: 1-877-847-8408.