[ RadSafe ] Apparently large amount of Radon in Natural Gas Release near Los Angeles

Tue Jan 12 12:55:22 CST 2016

Since the half lives of radon and its decay products are only a few days,
surely the long residence time of natural gas in storage tanks and pipes
will result in the nearly complete decay before use.

Otto Raabe

On 1/11/2016 7:42 PM, Joseph Preisig wrote:
> Radsafe/Roger:
>        Don't know what the radon levels are in the natural gas.  Maybe some
> HP should go in and take a sample for counting at the gas well.  Wear Scott
> Air Pack???  Count the samples and let all concerned know.
>
>       I don't know if the natural gas is heavier than air.  If so, it could
> fill in a little valley in California and choke off all the life in such a
> valley.  The radon is a secondary threat.
>       There are people who are proficient in capping natural gas wells in
> the petroleum industry.  Someone call them.  The gas well isn't on fire,
> right???  Is there a well head or well casings in place.  If necessary,
> pour a concrete base around the well and let it harden.  This might keep
> gas from getting out through the soil around the well.  Call BP ---they
> capped a well underwater in the Gulf of Mexico a while ago, remember???
>       The procedure is fairly simple if some sort of well head is above
> ground.  Make a capping pipe which will closely fit over the well head.
> There should be a working big valve assembly at the top of the capping
> pipe.  The capping pipe is placed with a crane or whatever above the well
> head.  It may be necessary to have side ropes for people to hold the
> capping pipe in place.  The valve should be open.  Once the capping pipe is
> in place, attach via screws or whatever the capping pipe to the well head.
> Do not weld it in place???!!!
>       Once the capping pipe is in place firmly, slowly close the valve and
> avoid sparking.  Once the valve is closed, make the well head to capping
> pipe attachment assembly stronger.   There, DONE???  Repeat process if it
> doesn't work the first time.
>
>       Joe Preisig
>
>
>
>
> On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 10:10 PM, Roger Helbig <rwhelbig at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> Here is NY Times article on the gas leak from a storage well that has
>> been leaking since October and has led to Governor Brown declaring an
>> emergency.
>>
>>
>> http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/07/us/california-governor-declares-emergency-over-los-angeles-gas-leak.html
>>
>> On Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 7:06 PM, Roger Helbig <rwhelbig at gmail.com> wrote:
>>> Here is how news and anti-nukes are playing this, ignoring the fact
>>> that this appears to be naturally occuring radioactive material and
>>> has nothing to do with nuclear power or weapons
>>>
>>> Roger Helbig
>>>
>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>> From: nuclear-news <comment-reply at wordpress.com>
>>> Date: Mon, Jan 11, 2016 at 6:18 PM
>>> Subject: [New post] Massive gas blowout in Los Angeles now releasing
>>> radioactive material
>>> To: rwhelbig at gmail.com
>>>
>>>
>>> Christina MacPherson posted: "TV: Radioactive material reportedly now
>>> being released from massive gas blowout in LA — Byproduct of Uranium —
>>> Expert: “A lot” has been detected in area… Very dangerous… May be
>>> coming up from ground into people’s homes — Official: Levels can cause
>>> “signif"
>>> Respond to this post by replying above this line
>>>
>>>
>>> Massive gas blowout in Los Angeles now releasing radioactive material
>>>
>>> by Christina MacPherson
>>>
>>> TV: Radioactive material reportedly now being released from massive
>>> gas blowout in LA — Byproduct of Uranium — Expert: “A lot” has been
>>> detected in area… Very dangerous… May be coming up from ground into
>>> people’s homes — Official: Levels can cause “significant long-term
>>> health effects” (VIDEO)
>>>
>> http://enenews.com/tv-reports-radioactive-material-being-released-massive-gas-blowout-la-byproduct-uranium-expert-lot-being-measured-area-very-dangerous-be-coming-ground-peoples-living-rooms-bedrooms-nurseries?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ENENews+%28Energy+News%29
>>> Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Jan 8, 2016: Their animals are dying… their
>>> fish are dying in their fish bowls, their dogs are dying, their cats
>>> are getting sick. And their children are getting sick — they’re
>>> suffering nose bleeds, they’re suffering terrible debilitating
>>> migraine headaches, asthma attacks, respiratory infections, eye
>>> infections, ear infections, stomach ailments… The health impact — it’s
>>> not just methane coming out of that hole… This is global crisis, more
>>> importantly this is a local crisis. Because not only do you have
>>> methane — you have benzene, toluene, xylene, which are carcinogenic.
>>> You have hydrogen sulfide, sulfur dioxide — which are neurotoxic,
>>> which can injure your brain, affect memory, injure your kidneys, your
>>> liver, your other bodily organs. There’s also a lot of radon gas being
>>> measured in the area. People believe — we don’t know if this is true —
>>> the gas that is leaking at 2 miles deep is now coming out and pushing
>>> that radon up into people’s living rooms, their bedrooms, their
>>> nurseries.
>>>
>>> Lawyers and Settlements, Jan 7, 2016: The leak has caused a continuous
>>> flow of gases and fluids. Methane alone is leaking 100,000 pounds per
>>> hour, according to Los Angeles city attorney Mike Feuer. Along with
>>> that greenhouse gas is methyl mercaptans (odorants added to gas to aid
>>> in leak detection) and aromatic hydrocarbons. More concernedly, health
>>> officials have identified benzene and radon, both known carcinogens.
>>>
>>> CBS LA, Dec 11, 2015: Dr. Cyrus Rangan, the Director of Toxicology and
>>> Assessment for the county, came to CBS2/KCAL9 to answer questions….
>>> It’s been reported that radon is being released…  “This is a
>>> theoretical possibility,” Dr. Rangan said, “and when you’re addressing
>>> a problem that might be several hundred or even several thousand feet
>>> deep, you might generate what are called preferential pathways for
>>> something like radon, beneath the Earth’s surface, to make its way up
>>> to the surface. So primarily our concern about radon is from the
>>> worker’s exposure, for the people actually doing the repair job. If we
>>> find radon there, we can address the situation. And if radon does
>>> exist in the work site then we may need to have to look at the
>>> residential community and monitor for it.”
>>>
>>> Lawyers and Settlements, Dec 12, 2015: There is the issue of radon, a
>>> naturally occurringbyproduct of uranium… as SoCalGas and its partners
>>> bore into the ground in an attempt to stem a leak that is unleashing a
>>> constant cloud of gas into the atmosphere, radon has crept into the
>>> conversation.
>>>
>>> Robert Kennedy Jr, Dec 17, 2015: Public officials and the gas industry
>>> have a tricky and deceptive way of saying things. Methane itself is
>>> not dangerous… methane is an indicator that other gases are involved,
>>> including radon and benzene, both carcinogenic and very dangerous… gas
>>> can escape through any perforation in the earth and on the way up to
>>> the surface, it can encounter the aquifers underground, where it will
>>> leave behind chemicals, including benzene and radon.
>>>
>>> Erin Brockovich, Dec 22, 2015: [B]enzene and radon [are] the
>>> carcinogens that are commonly found in natural gas.
>>>
>>> Los Angeles Daily News, Dec 2, 2015: [R]adon gas, which may
>>> potentially be released during repair operations, is also a concern
>>> [L.A. County Department of Public Health Interim Director Cynthia
>>> Harding] said.
>>>
>>> Los Angeles Times, Dec 2, 2015: Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael
>>> D. Antonovich said a new report by county public health officials had
>>> concluded that since the gas leak has continued for so long, emissions
>>> levels could produce “significant long-term health effects, including
>>> cancer.” Antonovich said the report had identified benzene as the
>>> “chemical of greatest concern,” because it is known to cause cancer.
>>> It also cited concerns about radon, another known carcinogen.
>>>
>>> KPCC, Dec 9, 2015: Public Health Director Cynthia Harding told members
>>> of the Board of Supervisors in a Dec. 1 letter [that radon] could also
>>> be released as the leak is repaired.
>>>
>>> Los Angeles Times, Dec 20, 2015: Health officials are also concerned
>>> that the company’s attempt to fix the leak by drilling into the ground
>>> to construct a relief well could release radon, a radioactive,
>>> naturally occurring and odorless gas that is found in geologic
>>> formations and causes lung cancer.
>>>
>>> Watch an interview with Robert Kennedy here
>>>
>>> Christina MacPherson | January 12, 2016 at 2:18 am | Categories:
>>> incidents, USA | URL: http://wp.me/phgse-lDB
>>>
>>> Comment    See all comments
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