Friday, October 7, 2011

Accident on PA Well Pad Injures Worker

A gas well worker was airlifted to Robert Packer Hospital in Sayre, PA, October 6th, after an emission of gas under pressure, described by Chesapeake Energy as "an inadvertent release of pressure."  The incident occurred in Terry Township, Bradford County, PA.

Well, I would be surprised if Chesapeake would say this was done on purpose.  Of course, it was inadvertent, just like all spills and accidents resulting in injuries, deaths, and illness.  Does that make it more acceptable?

The newspaper article described what a resident close to the accident felt:
Spring Lake Road resident Larry Shenk, who lives about a half mile away from the well site, said he was walking out of his house onto his porch, when he heard a loud boom, followed by about 15 seconds of a whooshing sound, which sounded like air blowing.
I believe this well was put in in 2009 and was a producing well.  The injured man was performing routine maintenance at the site. 

Read the whole article here.

The road near our summer homestead
Photo: Carol Manuel
Note:  This incident is personal for me because it happened just 10 miles south of our family summer homestead in French Azilum.  French Azilum is being destroyed by gas drilling.  I say this because any beautiful place which is turned into an industrial zone is, by definition,  destroyed.  It becomes a Sacrifice Zone.  There are many such zones in our country and more on the way.  All for greed and profit.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I feel bad for the families of the ones that were hurt. My boyfriend is a driller and it's a very real thought and worry every time he's out. I pray he's ok and doesnt get hurt. It's a very dangerous job bringing gas to homes for heat and cooking. But it doesn't come up by itself. Accidents happen every day, always hear of someone vetting hurt one way or another. However, it's the nature of the job and he comes from a family if drillers and derrick hands to make sure everyone has the gas they need. Not all companies are the same, and lumping them together isnt right. Neither is talking down about the hard workers here to do a job away from home.

Peacegirl said...

Anonymous- I wish you would identify yourself, but maybe you just couldn't get through any other way. Anyway, I care about the gas workers, too. I don't want anyone to get hurt. Do you realize that this natural gas is not necessarily serving Americans? It is being sold overseas or stored as liquid natural gas until the market improves. All gas companies have accidents. I mentioned Chesapeake because this was the company at that well. Your boyfriend is a hard worker and probably very tough. This does not have anything to do with the fact that gas drilling is polluting the entire planet and should be stopped. You have heard about peak oil? We don't have that much oil and gas left anyway. We need to look for sustainable sources of energy. Your boyfriend could work in that industry, too, and perhaps be safer.

smurfette said...

I, too, worry about the workers, and I respect them a lot, but the CEOs are the people who fly over in a helicopter now and then, never take the risk that the workers do every day, and rake in most of the profits. I think that the CEOs should experience some of the hardships of working and living near gas wells by having to live next to a compressor station with their families for six months before they get a dime more in salary.