Pipeline explodes near Hughesville, MO

Panhandle Eastern pipeline explosion in MO, forces evacuations

A 30-inch natural gas pipeline ruptured in western Missouri Friday causing a massive explosion and fire that was visible for 12 miles, authorities said.

“I was just about to go to bed when I heard a boom. It didn’t sound right so I stepped outside and could see the glow from the fire,” said Pettis County Sheriff Kevin BondBond. “There was a big fireball.”

“Panhandle Eastern Pipe Line Co.’s 30-inch natural gas pipeline that runs through Pettis County experienced a release yesterday (November 28) at approximately 11:55 p.m., just north of the rural community of Hughesville. There were no injuries; however, there were some families in the area evacuated as a precautionary measure. We are working with the local emergency responders to make sure the needs of any of those who were impacted are taken care of,” said Panhandle Eastern spokesperson in a statement.

Another rupture in the Panhandle Eastern pipeline in Cooper County in August 2008  caused about $1 million in damages, according to a report.

Related Links

• Mass Evacuations Ordered as Pipeline Spews 2,000 Tons of Fuel November 29, 2013

• Global Disasters/ Significant Events – Nov. 23, 2013 November 23, 2013

Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/11/29/3786168/gas-pipeline-ruptures-explodes.html#storylink=cpy

Earthquake No. 19 Strikes N. Texas

STAY TUNED for Important Announcements Concerning the State of Texas Starting Late 2014

M3.1 Strikes near Reno, Texas

Earthquakes in the Stable Continental Region

A magnitude 3.1 earthquake, the 19 to strike northern Texas in the past 24 days,  occurred at 06:39 UTC November 29, 2013 .

• Magnitude: 3.1Mw
• Event Time: 2013-11-29 06:14:10 UTC [2013-11-29 00:14:10 UTC-06:00 at epicenter]
• Location: 32.899°N 97.626°W
• Depth: 5.0km (3.1mi)
• Nearby Cities
  • 6km (4mi) SW of Reno, Texas
  • 7km (4mi) W of Azle, Texas
  • 22km (14mi) NE of Weatherford, Texas
  • 22km (14mi) NW of White Settlement, Texas
  • 285km (177mi) S of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Texas and Oklahoma Earthquakes Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP

Texas Earthquakes Location Map. Source: USGS/EHP

List of Texas Earthquakes measuring 2.5Mw or greater since November 6, 2013 [Excludes No. 19, listed above.]  Source: USGS/EHP – Prepared by FIRE-EARTH Blog – Nov. 29, 2013.

Induced Seismicity

As is the case elsewhere in the world, there is evidence that some central and eastern North America earthquakes have been triggered or caused by human activities that have altered the stress conditions in earth’s crust sufficiently to induce faulting. Activities that have induced felt earthquakes in some geologic environments have included

• Impoundment of water behind dams, 
• Injection of fluid into the earth’s crust,
• Extraction of fluid or gas, and
• Removal of rock in mining or quarrying operations.

In much of eastern and central North America, the number of earthquakes suspected of having been induced is much smaller than the number of natural earthquakes, but in some regions, such as the south-central states of the U.S., a significant majority of recent earthquakes are thought by many seismologists to have been human-induced. Even within areas with many human-induced earthquakes, however, the activity that seems to induce seismicity at one location may be taking place at many other locations without inducing felt earthquakes. In addition, regions with frequent induced earthquakes may also be subject to damaging earthquakes that would have occurred independently of human activity. […] —USGS

Related Links

• Two More Quakes Strike North Texas November 29, 2013

• Oil Drilling Likely Caused Texas Earthquake Posted on May 17, 2009
• M3.3 Quake Strikes Azle, Texas Posted on November 25, 2013
• FEWW Earthquake Links

Mass Evacuations Ordered as Pipeline Spews 2,000 Tons of Fuel

Massive pipeline leak prompts mass evacuations in SW China

About 2,000 tons of gasoline escaped  at a high-speed railway construction site after a construction tower collapsed snapping a pipeline in SW China’s Guizhou Province.

The pipeline damaged in the incident is owned by Sinopec, the country’s largest oil refiners,  said a report.

“Three people have received medical treatment, and more than 110 are working to repair the broken pipe and clear the site, which is about 30 meters from the Shanghai-Kunming railway and has residential houses nearby.”

The local government has ordered mass evacuations of residents within a two kilometer radius of the incident site, and rail authorities have suspended train services.

Pipeline explosions last Friday killed 55 people and left 145 others injured, with nine additional passersby reported as missing in the coastal city of Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province. Source: NEWS.CN. More images ...

Other Sinopec Pipeline’s Deadly Explosions

Meantime, the China PetroChemical Corporation (Sinopec) announced it had suspended two company executives following the deadly pipeline explosions last Friday

The blasts killed 55 people and left 145 others injured, with nine additional passersby reported as missing in the coastal city of Qingdao, east China’s Shandong Province.

Related Links

• Global Disasters/ Significant Events – Nov. 23, 2013 November 23, 2013

Two More Quakes Strike North Texas

STAY TUNED for Important Announcements Concerning the State of Texas Starting Late 2014

18 Earthquakes strike North Texas in 23 Days

16 of the quakes measure greater than M2.5 with the largest two recorded as magnitude 3.6Mw.

More than 80 minor shocks have occurred in the built-up areas of Johnson, Ellis and Parker counties in the last five years.

In May 2001, after a 3.3Mw shock occurred in Northern Texas, FIRE-EARTH Blog said: Texas quake likely caused by oil and natural gas drilling activities

Map of N. Texas Earthquakes – 30 day shocks measuring 2.5 or greater as of November 29, 2013. Source: USGS/EHP

Details of the Latest Events

Event near Jacksboro, Texas

• Magnitude: 2.8Mw
• Event Time: 2013-11-28 08:41:07 UTC
• Location: 33.020°N 98.209°W
• Depth: 5.0km (3.1mi)
• Nearby Cities
  • 22km (14mi) SSW of Jacksboro, Texas
  • 25km (16mi) NNW of Mineral Wells, Texas
  • 48km (30mi) NW of Weatherford, Texas
  • 63km (39mi) WNW of Azle, Texas
  • 278km (173mi) SSW of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

Event N of Mineral Wells, Texas

• Event Time: 2013-11-28 07:58:36 UTC
• Location: 32.955°N 98.131°W
• Depth: 5.0km (3.1mi)
• Nearby Cities
  • 16km (10mi) N of Mineral Wells, Texas
  • 38km (24mi) NW of Weatherford, Texas
  • 55km (34mi) W of Azle, Texas
  • 66km (41mi) WNW of White Settlement, Texas
  • 284km (176mi) SSW of Oklahoma City, Oklahoma

List of Texas Earthquakes measuring 2.5Mw or greater since November 6, 2013.  Source: USGS/EHP – Prepared by FIRE-EARTH Blog – Nov. 29, 2013.

Texas and Fracking

Oil and gas drilling rigs are moving ever closer to populated areas in Texas, causing air quality problems for the residents. “Today there are over 12,000 gas wells in the Barnett Shale surrounding the Dallas-Fort Worth area. In addition to the wells, infrastructure such as compressor stations are springing up near the drill sites, adding to air quality problems. In towns like DISH, TX – where 11 high-pressure gas pipelines and their associated compressor stations all converge – residents have reported serious health impacts and severely degraded air quality.” —EarthJustice

See also:

• Fracking Damage Cases and Industry Secrecy
• A sampling of some of the high profile incidents related to the U.S. oil and gas drilling

Related Links

• Oil Drilling Likely Caused Texas Earthquake Posted on May 17, 2009
• M3.3 Quake Strikes Azle, Texas Posted on November 25, 2013
• FEWW Earthquake Links