FAILURE TO FOLLOW FREEZING WEATHER PROCEDURES, CAUSED A BIG LOSS OF NATURAL GAS AND A HUGE FINE FOR CABOT OIL & GAS CORPORATION

FAILURE TO FOLLOW FREEZING WEATHER PROCEDURES, CAUSED A BIG LOSS OF NATURAL GAS AND A HUGE FINE FOR CABOT OIL & GAS CORPORATION

The Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) today announced it has fined Cabot Oil & Gas Corp. of Pittsburgh $76,546 for a January well control incident at the company’s Huston well pad in Brooklyn Township, Susquehanna County.

“Cabot lost control of the Huston J1 gas well for 27 hours, to which the department responded to promptly to ensure there were no significant environmental impacts,” DEP Director of District Oil and Gas Operations John Ryder said. “In this incident, mostly gas was released, which dissipated quickly to background levels within 100 feet from the well.”

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The incident began the morning of Jan. 5 when a Cabot subcontractor was replacing equipment on the wellhead.  The subcontractor did not follow standard operating procedures for the process by failing to first warm the wellhead prior to conducting any work in the freezing temperature. This resulted in damage to a wing valve.

A subsequent analysis of the damaged wing valve indicated that it was in the open position, allowing gas to escape. The analysis also indicated that frozen sand in the valve bore may have obstructed movement of the gate, causing a function test to indicate the valve was closed when it was open.

Cabot contacted Wild Well Control of Houston, Texas, for assistance, which installed two hydraulic valves to diminish the gas flow in the damaged valve to allow full replacement. The well was brought under control shortly before 1 p.m. on Jan. 6.

During the incident, Cabot contacted five property owners within a quarter mile of the well pad to notify them of the situation. However, it was determined that no evacuation was needed based on the results of DEP air monitoring. DEP staff used meters to detect combustible gas on and in the vicinity of the well pad, and to determine if there was an explosive atmosphere.

DEP Oil and Gas and Emergency Response program staff were on scene providing oversight throughout the incident.

The department issued a notice of violation (NOV) to Cabot on Jan. 16 for violations of the Solid Waste Management Act, Clean Streams Law and the Chapter 78 oil and gas regulations. The NOV requested a written response within 10 days, which Cabot provided.

In its response, the company said it could not determine the exact amount of natural gas or fluid released because it was not possible to safely measure the flows, but said the majority of the release consisted of natural gas.

Pennsylvania hits another production record

Gas production in Pennsylvania continued to hit records, with 1.9 trillion cubic feet of gas coming out of the ground during the first half of the year, according to new data released from the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection on Monday. That's a 14 percent increase over the previous six-month period when operators pulled 1.7 trillion cubic feet of gas out of the ground. A year ago it was closer to 1.4 trillion.

About 510 new wells came online during the reporting period. 

Infrastructure constraints in Appalachia have made it difficult for producers to get their gas out of this underpriced market to hungry demand centers outside of Pennsylvania, but some of that may be easing.

“There's a lot of new capacity over the first half of the year," said Sam Gorgen, a U.S. crude oil production analyst at the Energy Information Administration, who monitors Pennsylvania oil and gas production.

"Certainly, there is the possibility of companies wanting to bring on more wells, and there could be some restrictions on [how much] they could flow from those wells," he said. 

Susquehanna County had the most gas production during the past six months, with 455 billion cubic feet, or 23 percent of the state sum. Bradford and Lycoming counties followed.

In southwestern Pennsylvania, Washington County continued to lead the area in gas production with 198 billion cubic feet, followed closely by Greene County with 172 billion cubic feet. Production from the Greater Pittsburgh region accounted for about a quarter of all statewide gas reported during the first six months of 2014.

Washington County was once again the leader in liquids production in the state by a large margin, with 1.8 million barrels of condensate, most of that coming from Range Resources, and 204,316 barrels of oil, all from Chesapeake Energy.

While a distant second, Mercer County is starting to emerge as another liquids-rich destination, with Shell and Halcon having some successes there with condensate and oil. Last week, Shell sold off its acreage in Mercer and neighboring Western Pennsylvania counties to Rex Energy Corp.

Five Cabot Oil & Gas wells in Susquehanna County were the most productive during the past six months, pumping out the most gas per day even though some had already been producing for more than six months. Typically, a shale gas well starts slowing production after only a few months.

The top five producers in the state — Chesapeake Energy, Cabot Oil & Gas, Range Resources, Southwestern Energy, and EQT Corp, in that order —  accounted for nearly half of the state's gas supply for the first half of the year.

Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting & Forensics (MECF)

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THIS SUDDEN DEEP FREEZE WILL CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE FROM NON-WINTERIZED PIPE BURSTS

THIS SUDDEN DEEP FREEZE WILL CAUSE PROPERTY DAMAGE FROM NON-WINTERIZED PIPE BURSTS EVEN IN SOUTHERN HOMES

REGIONAL DIFFERENCES - WHY PIPES BURST IN SOUTHERN CLIMATES

Surprisingly, ice forming in a pipe does not typically cause a break where the ice blockage occurs.  It’s not the radial expan­sion of ice against the wall of the pipe that causes the break. Rather, following a complete ice blockage in a pipe, continued freezing and expansion inside the pipe causes water pressure to increase downstream -- between the ice blockage and a closed faucet at the end. It’s this increase in water pressure that leads to pipe failure. Usually the pipe bursts where little or no ice has formed. Upstream from the ice blockage the water can always retreat back towards its source, so there is no pressure build-up to cause a break. Water has to freeze for ice blockages to occur. Pipes that are adequately protected along their entire length by placement within the building’s insulation, insulation on the pipe itself, or heating, are safe.

Generally, houses in northern climates are built with the water pipes located on the inside of the building insulation, which protects the pipes from subfreezing weather. However, ex­tremely cold weather and holes in the building that allow a flow of cold air to come into contact with pipes can lead to freezing and bursting.

Water pipes in houses in southern climates often are more vulnerable to winter cold spells. The pipes are more likely to be located in unprotected areas outside of the building insulation, and homeowners tend to be less aware of freezing problems, which may occur only once or twice a season.

Pipes in attics, crawl spaces and outside walls are all vulnerable to freezing, especially if there are cracks or openings that allow cold, outside air to flow across the pipes. Research at the Uni­versity of Illinois has shown that “wind chill,” the cooling effect of air and wind that causes the human body to lose heat, can play a major role in accelerating ice blockage, and thus burst­ing, in water pipes.

Holes in an outside wall where television, cable or telephone lines enter can provide access for cold air to reach pipes. The size of pipes and their composition (e.g., copper or PVC) have some bearing on how fast ice forms, but they are relatively minor factors in pipe bursting compared with the absence of heat, pipe insulation and exposure to a flow of subfreezing air.

When is it Cold Enough to Freeze?

When should homeowners be alert to the danger of freezing pipes? That depends, but in southern states and other areas where freezing weather is the exception rather than the rule (and where houses often do not provide adequate built-in pro­tection), the “temperature alert threshold” is 20 degrees F.

This threshold is based upon research conducted by the Building Research Council at the University of Illinois. Field tests of residential water systems subjected to winter tempera­tures demonstrated that, for un-insulated pipes installed in an unconditioned attic, the onset of freezing occurred when the outside temperature fell to 20 degrees F or below.

This finding was supported by a survey of 71 plumbers practic­ing in southern states, in which the consensus was that burst-pipe problems began to appear when temperatures fell into the teens. However, freezing incidents can occur when the tem­perature remains above 20 degrees F. Pipes exposed to cold air (especially flowing air, as on a windy day) because of cracks in an outside wall or lack of insulation are vulnerable to freezing at temperatures above the threshold. However, the 20 degrees F “temperature alert threshold” should address the majority of potential burst-pipe incidents in southern states.

MITIGATING THE PROBLEM

Water freezes when heat in the water is transferred to subfreez­ing air. The best way to keep water in pipes from freezing is to slow or stop this transfer of heat.

Ideally, it is best not to expose water pipes to subfreezing tem­peratures, by placing them only in heated spaces and keeping them out of attics, crawl spaces and vulnerable outside walls. In new construction, proper placement can be designed into the building.

In existing houses, a plumber may be able to re route at-risk pipes to protected areas, although this may not be a practi­cal solution. If the latter is the case, vulnerable pipes that are accessible should be fitted with insulation sleeves or wrapping (which slows the heat transfer), the more insulation the better. It is important not to leave gaps that expose the pipe to cold air. Hardware stores and home centers carry the necessary materials, usually in foam rubber or fiberglass sleeves. Better yet, plumbing supply stores and insulation dealers carry pipe sleeves that feature extra-thick insulation, as much as 1 or 2 inches thick. The added protection is worth the extra cost.

Cracks and holes in outside walls and foundations near water pipes should be sealed with caulking to keep cold wind away from the pipes. Kitchen and bathroom cabinets can keep warm inside air from reaching pipes under sinks and in adja­cent outside walls. It’s a good idea to keep cabinet doors open during cold spells to let the warm air circulate around the pipes. Electric heating tapes and cables are available to run along pipes to keep the water from freezing. These must be used with extreme caution; follow the manufacturer’s instructions careful­ly to avoid the risk of fire, and check to make sure the product conforms to UL 2049. Tapes and cables with a built-in thermo­stat will turn heat on when needed. Tapes without a thermostat have to be plugged in each time heat is needed, and may be forgotten.

LETTING THE WATER RUN

Letting a faucet drip during extreme cold weather can prevent a pipe from bursting. It’s not that a small flow of water prevents freezing; this helps, but water can freeze even with a slow flow.

Rather, opening a faucet will provide relief from the excessive pressure that builds between the faucet and the ice blockage when freezing occurs. If there is no excessive water pressure, there is no burst pipe, even if the water inside the pipe freezes.

A dripping faucet wastes some water, so only pipes vulnerable to freezing (ones that run through an unheated or unprotect­ed space) should be left with the water flowing. The drip can be very slight. Even the slowest drip at normal pressure will provide pressure relief when needed. Where both hot and cold lines serve a spigot, make sure each one contributes to the drip, since both are subjected to freezing. If the dripping stops, leave the faucet(s) open, since a pipe may have frozen and will still need pressure relief.

IF YOU SUSPECT A FROZEN PIPE

If you open a faucet and no water comes out, don’t take any chances. Call a plumber. If a water pipe bursts, turn off the water at the main shut-off valve (usually at the water meter or where the main line enters the house); leave the faucet(s) open until repairs are completed. Don’t try to thaw a frozen pipe with an open flame; as this will damage the pipe and may even start a building fire. You might be able to thaw a pipe with a hand-held hair dryer. Slowly apply heat, starting close to the faucet end of the pipe, with the faucet open. Work toward the coldest section. Don’t use electrical appliances while standing in water; you could get electrocuted.

GOING ON A TRIP

When away from the house for an extended period during the winter, be careful how much you lower the heat. A lower temperature may save on the heating bill, but there could be a disaster if a cold spell strikes and pipes that normally would be safe, freeze and burst.

A solution is to drain the water system. This is the best safe­guard. With no water in the pipes, there is no freezing. This remedy should be considered even when the homeowner is not leaving but is concerned about a serious overnight freeze.

To drain the system, shut off the main valve and turn on every water fixture (both hot and cold lines) until water stops run­ning. It’s not necessary to leave the fixtures open, since the system is filled mostly with air at that point and not subject to freezing. When returning to the house, turn on the main valve and let each fixture run until the pipes are full again.

 

HOW HAZARDOUS ARE THE “GREEN” ARTIFICIAL TURFS?

 

 

 

HOW HAZARDOUS ARE THE “GREEN” Artificial TurfS?

 

A small but growing number of school districts, municipalities, and universities in New Jersey and elsewhere are switching from traditional grass athletic fields to artificial turf.  Changed considerably since 1960s AstroTurf, newer synthetic grass is touted for advantages like shock-absorption and durability in varied weather conditions.  There is no need for mowing, watering, pesticides, or fertilizer and therefore the turf is advertised as environmentally friendly.  While these advantages have powerful appeal, synthetic turf comes with an unfortunate host of established and potential health and environmental risks.

A modern artificial field surface has three layers – drainage, shock absorbing, and surface.  The surface has polyethylene plastic blades that simulate grass and a several inch layer of “infill” that keeps the blades upright.  The infill varies by manufacturer and may include ground-up recycled tires, ground-up soles of athletic shoes, silica sand, and/or new thermoplastic or rubber material.  The silica sand contains crystalline silica, a proven human carcinogen that causes silicosis.  This “crumb rubber” has been found to contain additional toxic materials such as:

•     Toxic metals including zinc, lead, arsenic, cadmium, and chromium which have many harmful effects on humans and the environment.

•     Carcinogens including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs).

•     Latex and other rubbers which can cause allergic reactions.

•     Phthalates which have adverse effects on the reproductive organs, lungs, kidneys and liver.

Crumb rubber can degrade from weather and microbes, producing new chemicals.  Toxic components can be breathed in, accidentally ingested, contact the skin, and leach into surface water and groundwater.  Besides toxicity, other problems with artificial turf include:

•     Crumb rubber doesn’t stay in place. It can move around on the field and sticks to the skin, shoes, and clothing of staff and students who use the fields.  It can end up inside schools, vehicles, and homes.

•     Excessive heat. Artificial surfaces are dramatically hotter than natural grass fields, reaching temperatures up to 150 degrees Fahrenheit and possibly contributing to burns, dehydration, and heat exhaustion. They may be too hot to play on at times. Watering cools them down but they heat back up quickly.

•     High cost. Artificial fields cost in the range of one-half to two million dollars.

•     Friction. Some types of artificial turf can cause skin abrasion to a greater extent than natural grass.

•     Sanitation. Dog, goose, and other droppings do not decompose on artificial turf.

•     Maintenance. The crumb rubber may need to be raked to maintain a uniform depth. Solvents and adhesives may be needed to repair seams. Leaves, gum, and other debris need to be regularly removed or they may clog the drainage system.

•     Short Life. Artificial turf has a life expectancy, with proper maintenance, of five to ten years compared to at least 15 years for grass fields.

•     Disposal. One football field contains approximately 120 tons of crumb rubber or 26,000 recycled tires.  Crumb rubber takes more than 25 years to break down completely.

•     Unpleasant odor. The odor is especially a problem in indoor installations.

•     Loss of habitat. Artificial turf does not support birds, animals, or insects.

•     Combustibility. While shredded tires will burn at a much lower rate than chunk tires, crumb rubber can certainly be made to burn by arson, producing smoke and toxic air, soil, and water pollutants.

A 2006 study by the Norwegian Institute of Public Health and the Radium Hospital, Artificial turf pitches – an assessment of the health risks for football players  examined health risks on turf used in indoor halls, which consist of artificial turf fiber and rubber granulates.  It looked at exposure via inhalation, skin contact and ingestion, concluding that that the granulate used in many types of artificial turf contains chemicals that could harm human health, but in extremely low concentrations, and these are leached from the granulate in very small quantities, and air concentrations are very low.

Total VOC were found at higher concentrations than generally found in homes, but the study concluded that the values found do not represent an elevated health risk, adding “… but our knowledge of this area is rather inadequate…”. Although there is some evidence of a link between phthalate exposure and development of asthma and/or allergies, at this point – due to a lack of knowledge – a risk assessment was not possible.  

Environment & Human Health Inc.’s 2007 report Artificial Turf summarized a study that looked at the leaching potential of metals from tire crumb samples, as well as chemicals released from the crumbs. In one experiment, 25 chemicals were identified (with 72-99% certainty) in tire crumbs, as were metals (mainly zinc, but also selenium, lead and cadmium). Among the report’s recommendations is to limit exposure to turf fields that contain rubber tire crumbs until more is known about human exposure issues, and that those allergic to latex should use caution when using fields or playgrounds that include these materials.  

The Swedish Chemicals Agency reported that although synthetic turf contains recycled tire rubber that may cause local environmental risks, the amount of substances like zinc and phenols that leach from the rubber granulate is small, so any environmental effects would likely be local, i.e., they won’t reach watercourses.  They recommend that water quality be analysed where the water is associated with these turf surfaces.  They advise that the recycled tire rubber in the turf need not be replaced immediately, but should be replaced by alternatives, over the long term and where the material shows signs of breakdown (e.g., where it forms smaller particles, which are of greater risk).  

The Connecticut Department of Public Health fact sheet, Lead in Artificial Turf states that the only way to determine if artificial turf contains lead is to have the turf tested.  Lead chromate has been used in pigments to colour nylon-based turf.  Children playing on the field may be exposed to lead dust from worn turf fibres that get onto their hands or toys, then is ingested when the children put these into their mouths.  

New artificial turf products that contain fewer toxic chemicals are being developed.  For example, Ecofill is advertised as being free from heavy metals, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and as emitting much less heat than rubber-based products.  GeoTurf apparently uses materials that are organic or 100% recyclable, and are lead-free and non-toxic.  

What about UofT’s artificial turf?   UofT has posted general information about the turf it plans to use, noting that the fields will not contain any fill (including crumb rubber infill) or lead as a stabilizer for pigment (it’s not clear if lead will be present for any other purpose). The turf appears likely to result in increased water runoff– a drainage system will divert regular runoff into the City’s sewer system and a large cistern will be located beneath the field to handle excess stormwater.  

According to the UofT Project Planning Report, the turf material will be composed of knitted or tufted nylon, polypropylene or polyethylene, with a granular porous asphalt as sub-base and a shock pad under the turf.   To meet world field hockey requirements, the turf surface will need to be watered during the Games – allowing for reduced friction and faster ball speed.  

What are the issues [and what did we find]?

Many types of artificial turf contain rubber materials, which may contain toxic chemicals, although generally at very low concentrations.  Much of the literature relating to environmental and health impacts of artificial turf relates to the rubber component.   We won’t get into how much the artificial versus natural turf fields cost – both on a short-term and long-term basis.  There are many analyses published, with a huge lack of consistency.   Environmental concerns raised about artificial turf include:

·                     Unlike with soil, which soaks up rainwater, turf will divert the water into runoff, which could reach groundwater and drinking water [natural surfaces absorb and use much of the precipitation; however, projects UofT’s include extensive planning for dealing with stormwater drainage]

·                     Real grass provides a cooling surface (so important in climate change); artificial turf heats up in sunlight and can contribute to increase in urban temperatures [this is a significant concern; in one study, the surface temperature of an artificial soccer and football field averaged 117 °F, with a high of 156-157 °F, while a nearby natural grass field’s surface temperature averaged 78 °F (high 89 °F).   The temperature of concrete was 94 °F and asphalt 110°F. Irrigation of artificial fields significantly decreased surface temperatures, but only for a few minutes]

·                     It may be contaminated with harmful chemicals, including metals like lead [this depends on the turf type –e.g., rubber crumb turf may contain many chemicals; however the concentrations that leach out are not believed to be significant risks to the environment ….but there are gaps in the science]

·                     Natural fields filter air/water pollutants; artificial ones don’t.  Artificial fields have a high net carbon loss, while a natural grass field typically has a net carbon gain.

And health concerns include:

·                     Artificial turf heats up, contributing to heat stress [watering the turf can reduce the temperature for a short time, but athletes should be advised to stay hydrated]

·                     There are more injuries on artificial turf [differences in injury rates in athletes playing on natural surfaces and crumb-rubber turf have not been consistently shown; artificial turf proponents argue that turf surfaces are more uniform than natural fields, and offer better traction and proper hardness levels ]

·                     It may be a breeding ground for bacteria (e.g., methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus), as it cannot get rid of bacteria from sweat, blood, skin cells deposited during play [A causal relationship between artificial turf and staph infections has not been shown. Contact with either natural or artificial turf is an infection risk; the usual precautions for dealing with wounds and skin abrasions should be followed]

·                     People allergic to latex (i.e., from rubber crumb) are at risk [There have been no reports of such allergy from contact with artificial turf]

·                     Users are exposed to harmful chemicals [Data are lacking, but the low concentrations of these toxins is not believed to be a threat to human health]

Caution Advised

Although the desire to improve access to sports fields is clearly well-intentioned, the risks that accompany synthetic turf need to be carefully considered.  Issues of toxicity, movement, heat, cost, friction, sanitation, lifespan, maintenance, warranty, disposal costs, odor, loss of habitat, combustibility, should be thoroughly addressed before any decision to purchase is made.  The community should carefully consider all the options including natural grass.

There are many manufacturers of artificial turf with different products and advertising claims.  It is reasonable to expect vendors to identify the chemical ingredients of all turf components and provide a Material Safety Data Sheet on each component, especially the crumb rubber.  If the crumb rubber is of unknown composition, that should raise a serious warning.

Tires are known to contain over 60 different substances. Typically, forty-five percent is vulcanized or cross-linked polymer, forty-five percent is carbon black, and the rest is dispersing oil, sulfur, synthetic fibers, pigments, processing chemicals and steel or fiberglass.  Tire manufacturers use a variety of formulation recipes and Ingredients are often kept secret.  Therefore the company that produces the crumb rubber will most likely have to analyze its composition on a regular basis to provide accurate information on ingredients, since different batches can be expected to vary in content.

When it comes to synthetic turf, the most sensible approach may be to follow the precautionary principle of assuming something involving chemicals is hazardous until scientific evidence proves that it is not.  Some public health professionals are calling for a moratorium on installing any new fields that use ground-up rubber tires until the hazards are better understood. Some are also recommending that exposures to already installed fields that contain rubber-tires should be limited.

Metropolitan Engineering, Consulting & Forensics (MECF)

Providing Competent, Expert and Objective Investigative Engineering and Consulting Services

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