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

Tue Jan 12 13:42:42 CST 2016

Radsafe/Joe Shonka,

     The scenario you describe is possible.  However, the easiest pathway
to the Earth's Surface is an open drill
hole.  Maybe the company involved has issued a press release with details
about the well leak???

     Joe Preisig

On Tue, Jan 12, 2016 at 1:55 PM, Otto Raabe <ograabe at ucdavis.edu> wrote:

> 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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