Over the past 2 weeks since this event was first reported, I have been consulting with several technical experts. I am issuing this revised statement:
The erupting geyser at the Indian Hills Golf Course in Lambton Shores, southern Ontario should be considered a major emergency. There are several possible scenarios, and not universal consensus as to the cause.. The is a small chance that this could be related to a structural failure of one or more wells in the Union Gas Dawn Storage Field, which could portend a disaster of immense proportion, due to the massive storage capacity there.
URGENT WARNING for people living in Lambton County, Ontario Canada:
Be on high alert for possible exposure to DEADLY H2S (Hydrogen Sulfide / "sour gas") being released from gas venting from underground sources.
Also be on high alert for possible gas migration into homes and other habitable structures which could form an explosion hazard.
Report any smells of sulfur, odorized gas (mercaptin), or "rotten egg" type smells, or unusual gas venting or bubbles in groundwater to Canadian Authorities.
Any gas seen bubbling in ground water, or gas venting coming out of the ground, or any "rotten eggs" type sulfur smells should be considered extremely dangerous.
H2S exposure can be deadly. If you think you are smelling H2S you should immediately leave the area. If you are smelling this inside a structure there may be a high risk of a gas explosion. Leave immediately. Avoid using electrical equipment, cell phones, or other possible ignition sources.
https://youtu.be/UdYum6v48S8
They are reporting the a natural "gas pocket" under the golf course.
Canadian News Media are reporting this is "natural" and "localized".
They are reporting the a natural "gas pocket" under the golf course.
- News1: http://
www.lakeshoreadvance.com/ 2015/06/17/ natural-gas-leak-at-indian- hills-golf-course
News2: http://blackburnnews.com/sarnia/sarnia-news/2015/06/ 17/ natural-gas-leak-under-inve stigation/
News3: http://www.torontosun.com/2015/06/17/ watch-gas-bubbles-out-of-on t-golf-course-pond
Canadian News Media are reporting this is "natural" and "localized".
However, this conclusion is suspect, as it was made just a few days after the event happened, which seems too early for them to have been able to (e.g.) get test results back looking for markers in the gas, thermogenic vs. biogenic, H2S vs Mercaptin, etc. How can they be so sure?
The report of possible Mercaptin smell would mean this is odorized gas, which means this is definitely a man-made event, and not natural. However, this could also be H2S, as this area is known to have sour-gas, which could be released due to many reasons, such as if there are active oil or gas exploration in the area, or an injection well, or solutions mining (salt).
Also, the pressures involved seem to indicate a human-caused event.
The report of possible Mercaptin smell would mean this is odorized gas, which means this is definitely a man-made event, and not natural. However, this could also be H2S, as this area is known to have sour-gas, which could be released due to many reasons, such as if there are active oil or gas exploration in the area, or an injection well, or solutions mining (salt).
Also, the pressures involved seem to indicate a human-caused event.
Some possible scenarios:
- Oil and/or gas related activity seems likely.
- Could be a pipeline incident? Reports: none in the area
- Suspected active unconventional O&G (both) exploration in Ontario now.
- Enhanced oil recovery and/or Horizontal hydro-fracking or acid-fracking?
- New wells? or restimulating older wells?
- Surface communication via orphaned / abandoned wells? many in Lambton Co.
- There appears to be active solutions mining in the area. Could this cavern have become pressurized from some underground source?
- Possible Injection wells in the area? (This could pressurize natural methane deposits)
- This area is known for karst geology, which is rather unstable.
- Area is known for Sour Gas / H2s
- H2S is technically a thiol, and can be mistaken for mercaptin odorants
(in concentrations small enough not to kill you)
This site is ~20 miles from the nearest well.
Leaks from natural gas storage has been known to migrate up to 7 miles away, as what happened in Hutchinson Kansas explosions.
Dawn is a methane storage field in depleted gas wells,
which have generally been drilled into "Pinnacle Reefs".
which have generally been drilled into "Pinnacle Reefs".
It is the biggest methane storage field in Canada and possibly in North America.
DAWN Field is a stagering 157 billion cubic feet of storage!
Compare: Existing Seneca Lake => 2 BCF
Crestwood's entire storage at 5 fields in 2 states = 80 BCF.
157 BCF = energy equavilent of 2,458 Hiroshima Bombs.
Check my math:
157 BCF = energy equavilent of 2,458 Hiroshima Bombs.
Check my math:
DAWN Storage is related to the proposed
ET Rover Pipeline, crossing Ohio and Michigan to the West,
and also to the massive expansion of the Empire / National Fuel
and also to the massive expansion of the Empire / National Fuel
system in New York from the east.
.
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| There is are two existing transmission lines in the area, a Union Gas pipeline which runs through S. Ontario approximately east and west, and also Enbridge Line 9-- being reversed. They run rather close to the same path. The Blue Line indicates the Union Gas pipeline system. |
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| Red Star = Indian Hills Golf Club, Lambton Shores, ON, CA Outer Black Circle indicates WATCH ZONE including all of Lambton County, Ontario and norther parts of the Detroit Metro area for possible gas migration into homes, buildings, and other habitable structures. PLEASE REPORT any "rotten egg" or sulfur-type gas odors, or visible gas venting to Canadian authorities, as this could indicate a risk of explosion or fire. WARNING: H2S (Hydrogen Sulfide "sour gas") is extremely toxic. If you think you smell it, get out of this area quickly. |
On Jan 17, 2001, a similar situation happened in Hutchinson KS, where several gas geysers erupted out of the ground, and several caught fight and destroyed structures. Investigation has shown that the source of the gas was most likely the Yaggi Field, which was 8 miles away. A local solution mine (similar to what can be seen across the road from the golf course in Lambton) seems to have been the vector for allowing the gas to vent to the surface.
See: http://ogst.ifpenergiesnouvelles.fr/articles/ogst/pdf/2003/03/berest_58n3.pdf
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See: http://ogst.ifpenergiesnouvelles.fr/articles/ogst/pdf/2003/03/berest_58n3.pdf
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May you, and all beings
be happy and free from suffering :)
-- ancient Buddhist Prayer (Metta)
May you, and all beings
be happy and free from suffering :)
-- ancient Buddhist Prayer (Metta)
Get a pipe in there and some storage tanks...and start pumping it off..
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