XTO Fracked Gas Well Out of Control in Ohio Valley
From WTRF News 7, Wheeling, WV, February 24, 2018
POWHATAN POINT, Ohio ——————————————-
UPDATE 2/24:
XTO Energy’s well control team continues working to control the well while monitoring weather conditions to ensure safe operations as rain is expected throughout the day, according to XTO Energy officials.
Worker and residential safety remains a top priority, and the air monitoring continues without disruption. There are four homes that are still in the half-mile evacuation zone.
The claims office remains open, and claims adjusters and XTO representatives are on site to assist with the community’s needs.
Any local residents who may have been impacted by this incident are encouraged to call 855-351-6573 or visit XTO Energy’s community response command center at the Powhatan Point Volunteer Fire Department at 104 Mellott Street, Powhatan Point, OH, 43942.
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UPDATE 2/23:
According to XTO Energy officials, current weather conditions have slowed operations to contain the well, but XTO Energy’s well control team is continuing to work to get the well under control.
In these conditions, officials say that worker and residential safety remains a top priority. Four homes remain in the half-mile evacuation zone, and air monitoring will continue.
Any local residents who may have been impacted by this incident are encouraged to call (855) 351-6573 or visit XTO Energy’s command center at the Powhatan Point Volunteer Fire Department at 104 Mellott Street, Powhatan Point, OH 43942.
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UPDATE:
According to a press release, XTO Energy crews have restored electricity to homes that lost power as a result of weekend flooding in Powhatan Point.
Now that power is restored, XTO Energy is working with residents in the cleared home to return at their convenience. Four homes remain in the half-mile evacuation zone.
The well control team is continuing to clear debris and made progress Tuesday in assessing the wells on the pad to safely stage the area to contain the well.
Ohio EPA and XTO Energy will continue to monitor air quality.
Any local residents who may have been impacted by this incident are encouraged to call XTO Energy’s claims phone number at 855-351-6573 or visit XTO Energy’s community response command center at the Powhatan Point Volunteer Fire Department, located at 104 Mellott Street, Powhatan Point, OH, 43942.
XTO representatives and claims adjusters are on site to assist with the community’s needs.
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UPDATE:
Manager of Public and Government Affairs at XTO Energy, Karen Matusic, issued the following statement:
XTO Energy’s well control team has cleared a safe path to the pad and continues to work on clearing debris to stage the area for shutting in the well. On Monday, the evacuation zone was reduced to a half-mile radius of the well pad, with XTO Energy working with state and local agencies to conduct air quality tests at homes and around the perimeter to ensure safe re-entry. Crews are actively working to restore power to residences that lost power as a result of weekend flooding. Five homes remain in the evacuation zone. XTO Energy continues to work with the Ohio EPA to continue monitoring air quality. Any local residents who may have been impacted by this incident are encouraged to call XTO Energy’s claims phone number at 855-351-6573 or visit XTO Energy’s community response command center at the Powhatan Point Volunteer Fire Department, located at 104 Mellott Street, Powhatan Point, OH, 43942. XTO representatives and claims adjusters are on site to assist with the community’s needs.
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UPDATE:
According to XTO officials, the evacuation has been lifted for anyone living outside of a 1/2-mile radius of the gas well pad.
If you have not been contacted by XTO Energy officials, you are urged to call (855) 351-6573 to schedule an appointment with a representative to go into your home and conduct a precautionary room-by-room air check.
Residents living inside of the 1/2-mile radius are not permitted to return to their homes.
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ORIGINAL:
Thirty homes remain evacuated as a result of the XTO gas well fire that happened last Thursday in Powhatan Point.
Officials with the company say they are working as quickly and safely as possible to get everyone and everything back to normal.
After monitoring the air quality along with the Ohio EPA, they are happy to report that they have not found any contaminants in the air. Officials are continuing to monitor the situation, and once they are certain that everything is under control, they plan to conduct air quality testing inside the homes affected.
XTO is continuing to reimburse and pay residents for the inconveniences related to the evacuation. If any resident is not returned to their home before school on Tuesday, XTO will arrange transportation to get them to school.
Claims adjusters are on site, or can be reached by phone at (855) 351-6573.
Experts from CUDD were finally able to get to the well pad on Sunday to remove debris from the explosion. The fire is reportedly out.
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Powhatan gas well that exploded is about to be “killed”
From D. K. Wright, WTRF News 7, 1:00 PM, March 6, 2018
Belmont County – XTO Energy says they’re “coming down the home stretch,” repairing problems caused by that Feb. 15 well pad explosion in Powhatan.
At this hour, workers are getting ready to go in and kill that well.
XTO’s spokesperson says in order to do that, they’ll have to divert the gas first.
“What we’re hoping to do this afternoon, weather permitting, is to divert the gas flow that’s coming from the well that had the loss of control incident, into what we call a burn pit,” explained Karen Matusic, XTO public affairs manager.
“We’ve excavated a pit where we’re going to safely burn that natural gas, which will be better for the environment and will create a safe area for the workers to go in and shut off that well.”
Matusic says the gas will flare down into the burn pit that’s 50 feet high and 90 feet wide.
She says the noise won’t be any louder than what people in the area are hearing now.
She says hopefully the process will be completed within a few days.
She says they apologize for the incident and thank everyone–from residents to first responders to the news media–for their patience.
http://www.wtrf.com/community/powhatan-gas-well-that-exploded-is-about-to-be-killed/1013595485