Friday, May 22, 2015

TCEQ RELEASES PRELIMINARY ESTIMATES FROM ENCANA NATURAL GAS LEAK; AT LEAST 20,000 POUNDS WERE RELEASED INTO THE AIR, ALONG WITH PETROLEUM COMPOUNDS








MAY 22, 2015

KARNES CITY, TEXAS

It's estimated that this week's natural gas leak from an oil drilling site just east of Karnes City released more than 20,000 pounds of the gas, according to an initial report from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality obtained by the San Antonio Business Journal.

Encana Corp. (NYSE: ECA) reported an accident at its Dromgoole B 8H oil well off FM 792 and County Road 343 in Karnes County on Tuesday afternoon. Crews were able to secure the well by early Thursday morning, and the cause of the accident remains under investigation by Encana, the TCEQ and the Texas Railroad Commission.

The TCEQ report reveals that nearly 21,200 pounds of natural gas were released into the air, along with thousands of pounds of propane and butane as well as hundreds of pounds of benzene, toluene and xylene. The incident prompted the evacuation of almost two dozen rural homes.

The TCEQ's estimates were based on an analysis of oil and natural gas from a similar well in the same lease drilling in the same formation, officials said.

Encana housed evacuees in a local hotel while crews monitored the area for presence of deadly hydrogen sulfide gas to ensure the safety of residents, first responders and employees, the company reported. No hydrogen sulfide emissions were listed in the TCEQ report.