Chevron Shale Well Fire no Longer Burning
Monday, February 17, 2014
Chevron reported that the fire at one of its shale gas wells in Green County, Pennsylvania, is no longer burning, according to the Herald Standard.
The fire, which was sparked by an explosion last Tuesday, Feb. 11, at the 7H Marcellus shale well pad in Dunkard Township, resulted in one injury and the disappearance of one man, who remains missing.
Wild Well Control, a crew based in Houston, Texas, specializing in fighting out of control wells, was brought in shortly after the explosion.
Safety still a concern
According to The Observer-Reporter, the well self-extinguished sometime Saturday afternoon.
Chevron official said the next step is to remove the last piece of equipment from the site, a large crane that is believed to be the ignition source.
Though the well is no longer on fire, in an interview with The Observer-Reporter, Scott Perry, deputy secretary for the office of oil and gas management for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection, said the situation is still volatile, stating that, “Something as small as static electricity could reignite it.”
» Via: Herland-Standard › Greene County gas well fire no longer burning
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Shale FAQ
What is fracking?
Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing. Fracturing is a process by which highly pressurized fluid is pumped thousands of feet into the ground to fracture rock formations. The goal is to release the natural gas that’s locked inside the rock.
Is it safe?
What most concerns people about fracturing is ground water contamination. The worry is that fractures underground, caused by the process, will extending upwards and into aquifers, releasing gas and chemicals into the ground water supply. There’s been no confirmed reports of such a thing happening. Though surface spills and drill site blowouts can lead to localized environmental concerns.
Will my water catch on fire?
Flammable water is caused by the release of methane gas into a drinking water supply. Methane gas occurs naturally and can be released by any kind of drilling, including water wells. In Pennsylvania officials fined Chesapeake Energy $1 million for contaminating ground water with methane. It was determined that the company had not properly cemented it’s boreholes and gas migrated up the well, between rock and into aquifers.
Green is Greene, named after General Nathaniel Greene, not the color