This is a breaking story so there is not yet a lot of information. I will update as the story develops.
A pipeline exploded in Ellis County TX. Homes and schools have been evacuated. Fire out of control.
WFAA NEWS VIDEO
CBS NEWS VIDEO
It looks like some kind of natural gas facility or drilling operation in the photo.
According to the new, this is an active drill site and the explosion occurred when they punctured the pipeline. However, that can’t be correct because they would not be drilling through a pipeline. I’m wondering it this was one of those hot tap operations where they try to hook up a new pipeline to an existing pipeline.
Reuters says there is another pipeline that may explode and require wider evacuations.
It’s a 10-inch liquids LPG gas pipeline owned by Chevron.
The entire town of Milford has been evacuated. LA Times.
Here is some information from Dory:
Chevron – Reliance Industries Limited (RTL) (India):
MumbaiFebruary 17, 2011
Reliance Industries (RIL) today got a new partner for its Marcellus Shale gas assets in the U.S., as Atlas Energy shareholders approved its merger with Chevron Corporation. While RIL spokesperson declined to comment, a source close to the company said RIL was keen and interested in the shale gas business. Instead of working with Atlas Energy, it will now work with Chevron, he said. http://www.business-standard.
com/article/companies/ril- gets-new-partner-for- marcellus-111021700097_1.html RIL was miffed about being kept in dark and displeased with the fact that the valuation of Marcellus shale gas asset for Chevron deal was half of what Reliance paid for its 40 per cent stake. RIL has a 40 per cent stake in the joint venture with Atlas Energy, which it had formed last April. It had agreed to pay $1.7 billion for the said working interest in the underlying shale asset, Marcellus Shale. This included $340-million upfront cash payment and $1.36-billion drilling carry.
“Chevron owns 80 percent of the pipeline system and Atlas Pipeline Partners has a 20 percent stake.” [per Reuters http://www.reuters.com/
article/2013/11/14/us-energy- pipeline-explosion- idUSBRE9AD0Y120131114 ] Chevron owns Atlas Energy, Atlas Pipeline Partners is an affiliate of Atlas Energy (http://www.atlasenergy.com/
affiliated-companies/) Atlas Pipeline Partners: Atlas Pipeline also owns a 20% interest in the West Texas LPG natural gas liquids transportation pipeline, operated by majority owner Chevron Corporation.
http://www.atlaspipeline.com/About-Us.aspx Coming soon – Chevron blames Atlas Pipeline who in turns blames Atlas Energy who blames Chevron…. when in essence they are all the same corporation.
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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KERA just interviewed an industry rep who said the reason the fire was so bad was the weather.
WCGasette recently posted..Gas Well Explosion Today ~ Southwest of Dallas, TX
BOOM–goes Texas!!!! Don’t expect to have quality of life residential living in Texas.
A drilling rig hit an ethane-propane line in 1981 in Ackerly TX, killing 4:
http://www.ntsb.gov/doclib/recletters/1982/P82_19.pdf
So you’re saying there’s no way am oil and gas operator could be so incompetent as to accidentally drill through a pipeline?
Inquiring minds want to know.
I thought it was inconceivably incompetent but I was wrong. I have more information coming when I get time to post it.
the 10 inch line was damaged by the driller. a nearby 14 inch line is threatened.
Never EVER believe they know where all the gas lines are, because they don’t. I worked for an excavation/construction company for 20 years.
Money is the root of too much evil. Looking at this report I am wondering what has happened in Colorado with all the clean up from the flooded wells and sites there? How many more dangerous events are going to have to happen before we can shut these damn things down?!
It looks like a workover rig. They aren’t used for drilling.. I’m not sure I know of a 10″ line that isn’t mapped and marked? Expect some sort of accidental damage that did not ignite immediately, allowing the surrounding crew to step back.
Whew! what a relief to know that since it’s a workover rig, there’s no concern here. Whatever the cause, it’s good to know that pipeline mapping is so accurate.
What are the possibilities here, Nicky? Inaccurate map/no map or the crew misread the map?
Human error
Well, I guess all the driller’s reps who speak in front of our city councils can no longer claim a 100% “accident free” record that ehy’ve alwasy claimed.
Of course, it was a lie before so I guess they can just keep telling lies in the future as well.