Eisenbarth well fire - GoMarcellusShale.com2024-03-28T14:07:02Zhttps://gomarcellusshale.com/forum/topics/eisenbarth-well-fire?feed=yes&xn_auth=nohttp://www.dispatch.com/conte…tag:gomarcellusshale.com,2014-09-03:2274639:Comment:6187812014-09-03T02:27:26.424Zsearcheronehttps://gomarcellusshale.com/profile/JanetConn
<p><a href="http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/08/31/fracking-fire-points-out-failings.html" target="_blank">http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/08/31/fracking-fire-points-out-failings.html</a></p>
<p>This is the current update on the well fire. Basically it says no one was prepared to fight this, there was a power struggle on the well site and the powers that be--elected officials, ODNR, State Fire Marshall's office after two months have not devised a plan of…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/08/31/fracking-fire-points-out-failings.html" target="_blank">http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/08/31/fracking-fire-points-out-failings.html</a></p>
<p>This is the current update on the well fire. Basically it says no one was prepared to fight this, there was a power struggle on the well site and the powers that be--elected officials, ODNR, State Fire Marshall's office after two months have not devised a plan of action in case of another emergency.</p>
<p>IMHO its time for all involved to present the plan, fund the plan and look at the emergency services in each of Ohio's shale counties, offer emergency responder training, buy the necessary equipment for emergency responses even including heavy duty tow trucks because most of the O/G vehicles I see on the highways are not going to be towed by a rollback tow truck. </p>
<p>If Wild Well Services can have regional sites can Ohio not have regional sites of specialized emergency equipment? </p>
<p></p> searcherone Many of these c…tag:gomarcellusshale.com,2014-08-12:2274639:Comment:6099872014-08-12T12:59:35.388ZJim Litwinowiczhttps://gomarcellusshale.com/profile/JimLitwinowicz
<p>searcherone Many of these companies have had training sessions for first responders when they began developing a new area. But the training basically consists of ..'These fires are way beyond your training, expertise, and equipment capabilities Your response should be to evacuate the area, set up a perimeter, and wait for expert fire control teams to arrive.'</p>
<p>About the only additional thing they can do is monitor air quality and expand the perimeter if needed.</p>
<p>And thanks for…</p>
<p>searcherone Many of these companies have had training sessions for first responders when they began developing a new area. But the training basically consists of ..'These fires are way beyond your training, expertise, and equipment capabilities Your response should be to evacuate the area, set up a perimeter, and wait for expert fire control teams to arrive.'</p>
<p>About the only additional thing they can do is monitor air quality and expand the perimeter if needed.</p>
<p>And thanks for pointing out that Wild Well has a staging area in Cannonsburg as I didn't know that. Its good to know they are closer. I would expect them to set up other staging areas in Ohio and maybe one in eastern Pa to reduce their response time.</p>
<p></p> PA Joe
Your comments relate t…tag:gomarcellusshale.com,2014-08-12:2274639:Comment:6099732014-08-12T01:18:43.171Zsearcheronehttps://gomarcellusshale.com/profile/JanetConn
<p>PA Joe</p>
<p>Your comments relate to my contention that a plan of action needs in place so that all involved from company, contractors, state authorities, including state police agencies, down to and including local emergency responders need to know what to do and who has the authority to make the decisions. </p>
<p>IMHO until an acceptable emergency plan is in place all parties involved are shunning their responsibilities.</p>
<p>I did learn the Wild Well has an office/yard/staging…</p>
<p>PA Joe</p>
<p>Your comments relate to my contention that a plan of action needs in place so that all involved from company, contractors, state authorities, including state police agencies, down to and including local emergency responders need to know what to do and who has the authority to make the decisions. </p>
<p>IMHO until an acceptable emergency plan is in place all parties involved are shunning their responsibilities.</p>
<p>I did learn the Wild Well has an office/yard/staging area/personnel in Canonsburg. PA. Media need to report the location where the Wild Well responders come from, not it is a Texas company. Makes people think they are coming from Texas.</p>
<p></p> I have heard from those invol…tag:gomarcellusshale.com,2014-08-11:2274639:Comment:6098332014-08-11T13:04:53.537ZPA Joehttps://gomarcellusshale.com/profile/PAJoe
<p>I have heard from those involved directly that both the operator and the contractors begged the fire department not to hose down the location. I live in a rural area and when there is an incident people come out of the woodwork so they can use their sirens and flashing lights as well as get all the tonka toys out to play with so I am not surprised. Nothing against the emergency responders, grateful for what they do, but they are woefully under trained for this sort of thing and should…</p>
<p>I have heard from those involved directly that both the operator and the contractors begged the fire department not to hose down the location. I live in a rural area and when there is an incident people come out of the woodwork so they can use their sirens and flashing lights as well as get all the tonka toys out to play with so I am not surprised. Nothing against the emergency responders, grateful for what they do, but they are woefully under trained for this sort of thing and should probably have listened to the experts, INMHO.</p> Billy, you should contact eve…tag:gomarcellusshale.com,2014-08-09:2274639:Comment:6094662014-08-09T12:58:57.806ZJim Litwinowiczhttps://gomarcellusshale.com/profile/JimLitwinowicz
<p>Billy, you should contact every driller and the subs they use to correct that situation. Then go to OSHA and state safety agencies and point this out to them. Maybe you could start a consulting firm to check out well sites and improve their systems. Hire several USN fire control experts and make all these work sites safer.</p>
<p>Billy, you should contact every driller and the subs they use to correct that situation. Then go to OSHA and state safety agencies and point this out to them. Maybe you could start a consulting firm to check out well sites and improve their systems. Hire several USN fire control experts and make all these work sites safer.</p> In frac well fires local fire…tag:gomarcellusshale.com,2014-08-08:2274639:Comment:6092672014-08-08T18:37:45.583ZBilly Park Whydehttps://gomarcellusshale.com/profile/BillyParkWhyde
<p>In frac well fires local fire departments are for all purposes like calling a fire department while at sea. The only way to protect from this type of fire is one like it. is to have the gear with trained personnel to use it</p>
<p> I go to different pads while their drilling , fracking or even production pads. At one I saw a small 4x4 gator type vehicle set up as a fire response unit. It is not manned needs to be pull started on the pump unit I guess a warm fuzzy feeling not really a unit…</p>
<p>In frac well fires local fire departments are for all purposes like calling a fire department while at sea. The only way to protect from this type of fire is one like it. is to have the gear with trained personnel to use it</p>
<p> I go to different pads while their drilling , fracking or even production pads. At one I saw a small 4x4 gator type vehicle set up as a fire response unit. It is not manned needs to be pull started on the pump unit I guess a warm fuzzy feeling not really a unit for real action . Perhaps it's just a haul rear out of the area!</p> Steven,
Wild Well Fire servic…tag:gomarcellusshale.com,2014-08-08:2274639:Comment:6093552014-08-08T16:50:57.263Zsearcheronehttps://gomarcellusshale.com/profile/JanetConn
<p>Steven,</p>
<p>Wild Well Fire services were apparently on site. Which makes me question is their domicile only in Texas. If so that is a long distance from the Utica and Marcellus. Transportation into SE Ohio is not easy, two hours after landing in Pittsburgh or three hours after landing in Columbus and granted there are some small hilltop landing areas.</p>
<p>Overall my concern is lack of onsite leadership to handle this situation. My statements at no time are critical of the local…</p>
<p>Steven,</p>
<p>Wild Well Fire services were apparently on site. Which makes me question is their domicile only in Texas. If so that is a long distance from the Utica and Marcellus. Transportation into SE Ohio is not easy, two hours after landing in Pittsburgh or three hours after landing in Columbus and granted there are some small hilltop landing areas.</p>
<p>Overall my concern is lack of onsite leadership to handle this situation. My statements at no time are critical of the local volunteer fire departments who are asked to be responders. My criticism is leveled at elected and appointed officials at the state and local levels who appear not to be communicating, coordinating and planning ahead for the changes in our rural locations.</p>
<p>Personally I would like to see Wild Well Services doing training for the local fire departments. The E&P s need to take their responsibility in this situation for they are the profit making entities who are operating these sites.</p>
<p>Steven, thank you for your responses as you know far more about the chemical aspects than most of us on this site. Chemistry was never my interest.</p> Anyone that was in the USN an…tag:gomarcellusshale.com,2014-08-08:2274639:Comment:6093522014-08-08T16:49:52.082ZBilly Park Whydehttps://gomarcellusshale.com/profile/BillyParkWhyde
<p>Anyone that was in the USN and was a Damage Controlman or part of a crash crew knows that the fire in its initial stage could have been brought under control rather easily and quickly. </p>
<p>As having been a USN Damage Controlman we are probably the best when it comes to fighting oil fires but this was not a crude oil fire but a chain reaction.</p>
<p>I was on a Frac Crew and a design flaw that concerned me was the design of the radiators upon the frac pumps. The radiators are horizontally…</p>
<p>Anyone that was in the USN and was a Damage Controlman or part of a crash crew knows that the fire in its initial stage could have been brought under control rather easily and quickly. </p>
<p>As having been a USN Damage Controlman we are probably the best when it comes to fighting oil fires but this was not a crude oil fire but a chain reaction.</p>
<p>I was on a Frac Crew and a design flaw that concerned me was the design of the radiators upon the frac pumps. The radiators are horizontally mounted in the front of the trailer next to the semi tractor at about the roof level of the cab. </p>
<p> The radiator fan is powered by a huge hydraulic motor so when a hose breaks, or a seal ruptures the hot hydraulic oil is pulled upwards through the fan and dispersed as a fine mist which has to fall. When it falls onto hot exhaust pipes bingo then that's when the chain reaction starts,The tractor's tanks usually full, then you have the frac pump tanks the amount of diesel adds up quickly! </p> Your point is good as well. …tag:gomarcellusshale.com,2014-08-08:2274639:Comment:6091792014-08-08T14:21:25.039ZSteven A Joliathttps://gomarcellusshale.com/profile/StevenAJoliat
<p>Your point is good as well. I believe the local firefighters would have small quantities of foaming agents for fighting car and small industrial fires, but the volumes required for a well fire would likely exhaust their limited supplies. I thought that some mention was made shortly after the incident occurred that professional well control specialists were involved. They would likely bring in the larger quantity of material that would be necessary to extinguish the fire. Given the small…</p>
<p>Your point is good as well. I believe the local firefighters would have small quantities of foaming agents for fighting car and small industrial fires, but the volumes required for a well fire would likely exhaust their limited supplies. I thought that some mention was made shortly after the incident occurred that professional well control specialists were involved. They would likely bring in the larger quantity of material that would be necessary to extinguish the fire. Given the small amount of foam runoff needed to produce a fish kill, it would be reasonable to assume foam was at least partially responsible. If large quantities of formation water from the well reached the creek, its high salinity would cause fish to die before any diluted chemicals could have much effect. Without seeing the final incident reports, or being on the site, I am limited to speculating about the progression of the accident.</p> Steven, you bring up a great…tag:gomarcellusshale.com,2014-08-08:2274639:Comment:6092222014-08-08T01:55:05.149Zsearcheronehttps://gomarcellusshale.com/profile/JanetConn
<p>Steven, you bring up a great point about foam. </p>
<p> I wonder if foam was available for use. Is foam something every volunteer fire department would have on hand to use or is it possible that it would be on the well site? Remember this is a rural location and these fire departments are not equipped with the latest and greatest equipment. The method of raising funds for the departments in this county was in the past carnivals, and now is bingo and fish dinners with some grant work…</p>
<p>Steven, you bring up a great point about foam. </p>
<p> I wonder if foam was available for use. Is foam something every volunteer fire department would have on hand to use or is it possible that it would be on the well site? Remember this is a rural location and these fire departments are not equipped with the latest and greatest equipment. The method of raising funds for the departments in this county was in the past carnivals, and now is bingo and fish dinners with some grant work being done. Credit to Statoil for making a 25,000 donation to one of the fire departments about a year ago.</p>
<p>As far as the fish, the media reported 70,000, but the EPA report stated right at 12,000 that included 20 species. Also I think it said something about they were picked up and had to be disposed of. </p>