From an email in SW PA in Washington County:
I wanted to let all of you know that we had a incident out here at the Stewart Compressor Station in Mt. Pleasant Township this afternoon.
Around 1:15 pm there was a loud explosion from the MarkWest Compressor Station, which is less than 1,000 yards from our home. For at least an hour and a half the sound of gas escaping from the line rattled our home. It sounded and felt like a jet engine next door. The line was releasing pure, unprocessed natural gas. Full of hydrocarbons!!! In the beginning it had a grayish, brown color. The wind was blowing strait towards my house!!! While I was in my backyard trying to film some of this I was overcome by the smell and felt very light headed.
I phoned MarkWest at their Atlasburg office to notify them of the noise. They were not aware of any problems. However, they said they would “check with production”. A second explosion went off. I called back again. They said they would call me back when they figured out what was going on. Not a safe feeling.
This sounds exactly like what happens in the Barnett Shale! Officials are completely unprepared for emergencies!
After about twenty five minutes, I received a call back from MarkWest explaining the emergency. I was told an emergency valve was releasing pressure. The compressors were shut down and the main line was being emptied. This was done to prevent an explosion. I was then told that someone would be out to check the station. I did drive over (with my video camera, of course). The MarkWest employee was sitting in his truck about 150 yards away from the pipe spraying the gas. I guess that was for his safety too.
“…main line was being emptied!? Emptied of WHAT? Was that some more of that “clean” energy that is the most powerful GHG? How many of these blow out were methane spews into the air can our planet take?
During this whole process I phoned the PA DEP and filed an emergency complaint. Over three hours have gone by, and no one from the DEP has arrived to investigate. I also filed a formal complaint with our township. The emergency personnel in this area are not capable of arriving on one of these sites and knowing what to do.
The sad part is that about three weeks ago I started calling the plant manager of the station and asked to be included in the PPC (Preparedness Prevention and Contingency) plan. That has yet to happen. After today’s incident I will call them everyday to demand we are added to the PPC plan and are automatically notified in the time of an emergency.
My biggest concern is that this compressor station is about 200 yards from the Williams Gas Refrigerated Extraction Plant. If one blows up, the other one is going to blow up.
PLEASE go to your township supervisors and demand that they add conditional-use zoning to your zoning ordinances. Our supervisors are “our voice” in local government. They need to follow the PA Constitution and protect our air and water! This is getting completely out of control.
Welcome to shale hell!
For those of you in Mt. Pleasant Twp., there is a Supervisors meeting on Wednesday, October 28th at 6:30 pm. Please go and voice your concerns about what is happening to your community. The gas drilling industry is only going to continue to grow in your area. You need to be informed and protected.
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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Let those who have ears, hear! I hope PA citizens are listening. This incident is no small thing to me, let alone the woman who experienced this first hand at her home today.
Which county is this? There are 5 PA counties that have a Mt. Pleasant Township.
I don't know but I'll try to find out.
I swear, this is the same exact thing that happens here. Ask Mayor Tillman.
Oh man, at first I thought you were talking about Mt. Pleasant, TX!!! Though, I don't doubt that this happens there too. NE Texas has a lot of gas/oil wells. I seem to be hearing more and more from the Barnett Shale region about natural gas, etc. I have also been crazy interesting in all this talk of Texas finally being held accountable for its emissions (which would be the freaking 7th in the world if it were its own country!!!). I think we need more people like you. Especially in Texas. Side note: have you ever watched Split Estate on Planet Green? It's a great show that showcases people in similar situations with oil and gas companies. It's sad that most people don't see any kind of victory. It's nice to see this is nation-wide though. Maybe finally oil and gas can start being regulated more harshly.
I can't get Planet Green. =( But, I'm going to buy Split Estate. =)
I think we are making some head-way.
Thank you for reading.
I'm impressed–clean burning natural gas! The 'Bridge Fuel', etc. Give me a break! Rave on you SOB O&G companies. They are not going to help the ordinary citizen–at all!
No Planet Green!? Satellite anyone!? Hahaha. It's really worth it. It has really lit a fire under my ass about the environment, etc. Yes yes, Split Estate is definitely worth a buy. It's great. It also hits home because it is identical to what's been going on in North and Northeast Texas.
mt. pleasant twp. is in southwest pa, not real far from gettysburg, and almost on the pa/maryland border.
get ready pennsylvania! this is just going to happen everywhere… people and animals… birds and insects… trees!!! will blow UP or become sick or die… the water will not be water anymore. the air will not be 'fresh', and the 'air' and the 'water' will contaminate the soil…
but we'll have enough gas to blow ourselves to kingdom #@$/$in' come!
bring it on!
gas and more gas!
laughing gas and orGASms! YES!
let's swallow our pills with gas!
let's just shout hallelujah and love this gas! then maybe we can get happy!
coming soon on splashdown:
KISS MY GAS!
"The line was releasing pure, unprocessed natural gas."
I hate to tell you, but unprocessed gas is FAR from pure! First, it often has BTEX & naphthalene in it. Benzene (the B in BTEX) is a known carcinogen! Then, there's often hydrogen sulfide in raw gas, rather toxic & deadly. Then, various amounts of what's in the fracing fluids. And, sulfates & carbonates are often also in raw gas, more corrosion to metals than toxic to humans.
Pure methane is not brown, so, the brown could be fine dust, or what ever's in the witches' brew they use in the fracing fluids.
Only 200 yards apart? A serious fire could then spread from one plant to another. You should see the pictures of serious gas pipeline fires, where everything within hundreds of yards gets incinerated. The radiant heat from one of those is staggering.
People natural gas isn't some new fuel,its been used in your stoves,water heater and heating our homes for last 80-yrs.Propane,Butane- motorhome,outdoor grill etc.
Anonymous 7:13
And your point is?
I'm pretty sure most people know what natural gas is and that we've been using it for a while.
Just because we use something does that mean we can't try to make it safer and cleaner for our environment and less invasive for the people who live nearby? It's not okay to sacrifice people, animals, water, air and soil for this mad dash for cash.
Well said Sharon. It amazes me how a little cash puts people in denial.
Interesting that a call from a local is the first one to tell MarkWest that there's a problem. The PR spin types say the energy companies monitor these things closely, & can see a problem instantly, yet I keep hearing these stories again & again.
Seems like a lot of gas coming all the energy consumers on this whine page.