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I have personally witnessed two lightning strikes on gas tanks. VIDEO
About Sharon Wilson
Sharon Wilson is considered a leading citizen expert on the impacts of shale oil and gas extraction. She is the go-to person whether it’s top EPA officials from D.C., national and international news networks, or residents facing the shock of eminent domain and the devastating environmental effects of natural gas development in their backyards.
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Who knew water and sand was such a great fuel source? Condensate you say? No, No, remember, Barnett Shale methane is "dry gas". Lie much Mr. Ed?
When mother nature "strikes" (lightening/tornadoes/hurricanes), at least we can address one of the hazards (power outages).
Louisiana people have co-existed (cancer alley) with refineries. But at least those are located away from neighborhoods and schools. Once drilling comes to your towns, they can be in your back yards literally!
In February, XTO/Dalworthington Gardens(DWG) had to rush to the site and manually shut in the natural gas well. The pressure release valve was activated when the primary well shut in device failed. This chain reaction of events came about due to an (ice)storm that caused a power outage/rolling blackouts at a compressor station that went offline which caused pressure to back up at the XTO/DWG drill site which triggered the need to shut down the well that experienced high pressure readings.
Then on April 11, this happened again at the same site and the Arlington Chesapeake (Sublett and 360) site during a storm and power was lost. When the primary shut in device fails, pressure release valves activate the release of gasses into the neighborhoods and into our ever warming atmosphere. One home had the windows opened two blocks away and the home filled with fumes and a resident was sickened. Another neighbor smelled the "sweet" smell which BENZENE is a known carcinogen (aramatic hydrocarbon) associated with fossil fuels.
These electric powered (urban) compressor stations need to be equipped with back up "natural gas fired or diesel" compressors to keep these compressors going during a storm, but I'm not sure of how responsive these back up systems can kick in to prevent the pressure to back up at these drill/production sites.
Also, if back up NG or diesel systems can kick in and take the load off of the electric demand when rolling black outs are threatened, then that will help in minimizing the disruption of end users' electricity needs. Catalysts address the NOX created by these combustion compressors so we would need those too.
I detest diesel anything, but I hate drill sites spewing even more, and I shutter to think about any stress on compressor stations having to go into a emergency mode and doing any huge system purges (blowdowns).
If back up combustion compressors can prevent production site and compressor station emissions as well as minimize electricity rolling black outs…that merits looking into.
Look at that water and sand burn! Im guessing all that black smoke is just water vapor?
It looks like the fire fighting folks have gas masks on: at least it's not like TCEQ, "if it looks like media or people around, you can not wear gas masks."
Sorry, off topic, but has anyone else seen the online banner ads with Tommy Lee Jones for http://www.raiseyourhandtexas.org/ talking about funding public education in Texas…you know the same Tommy Lee Jones who shoved the Barnett Shale down our throats 3 years ago. Hey Tommy, it's your favorite industry that is paying nearly nothing in corporate taxes, while small businesses and individuals (and now public education suffer). How about killing the "high-cost" natural gas drilling subsidy for natural gas for a start.
hey Tx why don't you climb atop those tanks next storm and get some closeups, maybe even wave a metal wand around…..
Careful anon 10:45pm – we nabbed the last "anonymous" poster who made physical threats against female residents in Flower Mound. It didn't turn out well.
Maybe if we're really lucky the condensation tanks by all the gasholes who have their head in the sand will explode and take them with it.
Survival of the fittest, or in this case, the smartest…
being fit helps too, it helps bring more oxygen to the brain to make better decisions.
-FrackingCrazy
No ga$$holes live by these tanks because they know the dangers. Most of them don't even live on the BS. Talk about NIMBY's.
Careful anon 9:38 AM – Whats this We…you got a turd in your pocket?
It appears the tanks did not have a lightning arrestor system around them; required in most, if not all, Municipal Gas Well Ordinances.
@Anon 1:41 PM – How'd you get in my pocket?