Massive Methane Leak in California - Worst Catastrophe Since BP Spill?

"Since initially reporting on California's Aliso Canyon gas leak, more details have emerged on the scale (and potential for no solution) of the problem as the infamous Erin Brockovich writes, "the enormity of the Aliso Canyon gas leak cannot be overstated. Gas is escaping through a ruptured pipe more than 8,000 feet underground, and it shows no signs of stopping," as according to the California Air Resources Board, methane - a greenhouse gas 72 times more impactful in the atmosphere than carbon dioxide - has been escaping from the Aliso Canyon site with force equivalent “to a volcanic eruption” for about two months now."

The leak includes not just methane but benzene (a carcinogen) also. Despite frantic efforts, the leak can't be stopped until Spring.

http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2015-12-24/unstoppable-california-gas...

I understand that Delmont, in Westmoreland County, PA, has a huge methane storage well, also. Let's hope it doesn't leak. http://old.post-gazette.com/healthscience/19990322gas2.asp

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Permalink Reply by Barry D on December 28, 2015 at 10:27pm

Paul,

For a supposedly educated person you make some uneducated statements.

I am sure that you know, that in scientific studies "anecdotal evidence holds very little weight. Primarily because it has not been verified.

But, in your world, un-verified information is ok, isn't it? Because the truth doesn't matter to you, does it? The end justifies the means and all that. Saul Alinsky would be proud of you comrade.

And, there you go again equivocating and at the same time presenting misinformation, that's a two-fer of misleading enviro-leftists techniques.( i.e the reference to the concussion issue).

Permalink Reply by james david lamm on December 27, 2015 at 4:12pm

paul, I did not know nat gas was measured in pounds. cubic feet more like it..

Permalink Reply by craig on December 26, 2015 at 9:28pm

Unfortunate situation.

However California has spent untold Billions worrying about electric cars, wind/solar power, high speed trains, illegal immigrants, etc without properly investing in/repairing current infrastructures that are crucial for their survival. Think water and gas infrastructures for starters, of which they have had multiple failures the past few years. One Hundred year old water pipes, really??

Heck, maybe they will eventually destroy their environment while trying to save it.

Permalink Reply by Barry D on December 27, 2015 at 1:01pm

Paul,

If you are truly concerned with methane emissions, then why aren't you trying to stop the raising of farm animals?

Farm animals is the largest source of methane in our atmosphere in this country.

Further, the earth leaks methane naturally regularly, at a rate hundreds of times that of leaks from oil and gas facilities.

Yet, the environment continually goes through natural warming and cooling cycles. If methane leaks were such a problem the natural leaks would have permanently raised the temperature a long time ago. There would not have been any cooling cycles.

The greatest influence on the temperature on our planet is the sun, period.

Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on December 28, 2015 at 10:47am

How is it that the flow from 'a ruptured pipe more than 8,000 feet underground' cannot be stemmed (if in fact that is where the emission is originating / coming from) ?

Could it have anything at all to do with a San Andreas Fault Line Earthquake breaking open Natural Gas Storage Caverns to atmosphere and not only attributable to 'a single pipe' ?

Remembering the Kuwaiti Oil Fields set ablaze by Iraq's Sadam Hussein that were rather handily extinguished by our contractors at the onset of the M. E. Oil Wars (after driving Iraqi Forces out of Kuwait).

Somehow I don't think we have the whole story here myself.

Permalink Reply by DESJR on December 28, 2015 at 11:25am

Joseph, read this article on the efforts to plug it. The traditional method is not working so they are having to drill a relief well.

“Our efforts to stop the flow of gas by pumping fluids directly down the well have not yet been successful, so we have shifted our focus to stopping the leak through a relief well,” Anne Silva, a spokesperson for the Southern California Gas Company, told Motherboard, adding that the company is still exploring other options to stop the leak. “The relief well process is on schedule to be completed by late February or late March.”

Part of the problem in stopping the leak lies in the base of the well, which sits 8,000 feet underground. Pumping fluids down into the well, usually the normal recourse, just isn’t working, said Silva. Workers have been ”unable to establish a stable enough column of fluid to keep the force of gas coming up from the reservoir.” The company is now constructing a relief well that will connect to the leaking well, and hopefully provide a way to reduce pressure so the leak can be plugged."

Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on December 28, 2015 at 1:52pm

Wonder what caused the well to rupture at bottom hole ?

Wonder what kind of 'reservoir' is tapped by this well (storage or production) ?

Guess the density of the overburden to be greater than that of the 'fluids' (presumably H2O and / or a great percentage of H2O) being used ?

Dependent on the over pressure they may need more 'relief wells' than just one (1) ?

Thanks for the additional information (to me very thought provoking).

If you learn more kindly keep us advised.

BTW couldn't find a link to the article you've excerpted but I get the drift.

Thanks again.

Permalink Reply by Sylvester Deal on December 28, 2015 at 8:34pm

Take a break and learn about the effort regulators and SoCalGas are making to fix the problem. 

http://www.cpuc.ca.gov/PUC/energy/Aliso_Canyon_Well_Failure.htm

http://owr.conservation.ca.gov/Well/WellDetailPage.aspx?domsapp=1&a...

http://owr.conservation.ca.gov/Well/WellDetailPage.aspx?domsapp=1&a...

API 03700776 failed well

API 03730471 relief well

Permalink Reply by Barry D on December 28, 2015 at 10:04pm

Sylvester,

Thank you

A voice of reason, opposed to this horrible post.

Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on December 28, 2015 at 10:08pm
Thank you.
Permalink Reply by Barry D on December 28, 2015 at 10:14pm

Tens of thousands of wells in the U.S. that function well each and every day. Now, one springs a leak and this is the worst environmental disaster in 10 years.

And, of course, according to people such as Paul, we should shut down all oil and gas wells and all oil and gas exploration! Right!

I don't know about you, but I like lights at night; heat in the winter and AC in the summer. I like the fact that my grocery store shelves are full from deliveries made possible by oil.

Worst environmental catastrophe my eye; what utter nonsense.

Typical fear mongering from the environmental left.

Hey Paul, give it a rest until you come up with actual replacements for fossil fuels. And, please don't give me that hogwash about solar and wind etc. We all know that those technologies won't be viable for at least 30 years, or more. Even then they won't provide all the energy we require.

Or, are you one of those "de-growthers" ? One of those that wants us to live in the horse and buggy days?

Sorry folks, nothing to see here, move along.

Permalink Reply by Joseph-Ohio on December 29, 2015 at 5:48am

I want to know what caused this to happen.

Perhaps a California Class Earthquake / Earthquakes  / Sabotage / Environmental Terrorism ?

In any case I don't think it's too smart to locate a huge Natural Gas Storage Reservoir (especially one that stores Mercaptan Treated / Line / Consumer Ready Natural Gas) in a Zone known for it's massive Earthquakes (where it appears to me that the population is  just waiting for the 'Big One' to happen anyway).  Aactually (given a choice) I don't think it's too smart at all for anyone to even live in such a Zone.

To me it's analogous to Japan's Fukushima nuclear power plant meltdown after their offshore earthquake / following tsunami wave.  That right there (to me) isn't too smart of a place for a nuclear power plant (for instance and comparison).

But after considering all that - I admit that there are times that such bad things happen to good people no matter what precautions are taken and I am also sympathetic.

JMHOs

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