It is well known that lightning loves to strike oil & gas facilities. Lightning rods should be required at all facilities. And dangerous, polluting, heavy industrial facilities should never be allowed near homes. In fact, let’s move this country forward and get off fossil fuels.
On June 19, 2008, I drove up on this scene where lightning struck a gas well facility in Wise County.
I called the paper immediately thinking that they might want to report on it. Their response was that this happens often when storms go through. Not kidding.
Thirteen months later, I witnessed lightning strike a gas well in Denton County.
This morning: Lightning strike at gas well in Somerval County, 1700 block of County Road 308. UPDATE: I’ve been told that this facility does have lightning rods and cables but that does not make them lightning proof.
LIghtning strikes happen at oil & gas facilities all the time. Here are a few examples:
This was a bad one in Wise County: Lightning strikes, gas tanks burn
Another one in Wise County: Wise County Gas Well Fire Under Control After Lightning Strike. 8 of 10 tanks along state Highway 199 exploded, burned Wednesday
There was a big injection well fire in the Boyd area. it got struck by lightning. I heard thought the internal grapevine that some water wells are now contaminated.
Oklahoma: Lightning Sparks Tank Battery Fire. They have video and it looks like nothing much is left on the pad site.
Lightning sparks fire at disposal facility
Firefighters from across Harrison County were called out when lightning reportedly struck a saltwater disposal facility early Wednesday night.
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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fishcreekneighbor says
December 21, 2013 at 12:22 pmSo, lightening rods don’t make gas wells lightening proof?? That’s scary ~ particularly so because our local ordinances are very weak and we’ve been experiencing such extreme weather patterns lately.
fishcreekneighbor recently posted..It’s a Ho, Ho, Sinkhole
CTT says
December 21, 2013 at 4:38 pmNo, no, no. It “rarely happens”. (That’s what I was told recently by “them” when I brought it up.)
Good times, huh? 12 tanks so close to my house, I can see the semi driver’s expressions when they hook up to the tanks day and night. And hear what radio station they like to listen to. One guy sure is a Rush Limbaugh fan.
I used to love storms, now, they bring on some pretty severe anxiety attacks.
I mean, excuse us, that “rarely happens”.
Lee Binns says
December 31, 2013 at 10:20 amLightning rods have their place but are most often futile in efforts to combat lightning when under siege during a storm.
Our system technology greatly enhances protection from critical lightning strikes with the use of a patented plasma ion generator that provides a real-time and full-time barrier above the endangered asset.