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

Tue Jan 12 14:06:34 CST 2016

All,

I have found one set of analyses on the internet that seem to be from a reputable source;  these were taken at a local elementary school in December and indicate that Rn is <0.4 pCi/L (N=50).

This is consistent with a low level source, diluted by atmosphere.  I would be very surprised if the radon concentration resulting from the gas leak is measurable, let alone high.  This is not to say the local geology could not produce some measurable radon on its own - this could the case and will have to be taken into account to make sense of any new radon measurements.  

FYI.  When natural gas is extracted from a production well, it usually has to go to a storage facility until needed.  Usually these are old wells no longer being produced, or salt caverns several thousand feet below ground surface (BGS).  [Above ground tanks are just too small to be very useful, and much less safe than underground storage.]   Here it seems to be an old well and it seems the casing or old caps/valves have given way.   In any case the gas company believes the fix is to drill a relief well - a process that will take a few months (ouch).    

The odorant has already been added so while ignorance might have been bliss in this case, everyone near is going to sense the odorant and experience a constant odor of mercaptan - especially if enhanced with media panic - this will eventually make you sick and angry.  Peoples' sensitivity to mercaptan varies greatly, with some very sensitive and others with a high threshold for detection.   Also, Once others respond to the scent, the emotions kick in and everyone feels in danger - this is the purpose of adding the mercaptan after all.   

Since the storage well has already been produced, the local radium - if any - will not be in equilibrium with the daughter radon, hence the radon level of stored gas will necessarily be quite low.  Normally, freshly produced natural gas has a concentration of about 35 pCi/L,  plus or minus a mag.  But here it should be much lower - 5 pCi/L seems a reasonable high guess.     

I haven’t found reasonable estimates of the overall emanation rate, but typically odorants are designed to alarm at a dilution of 5 - 6 orders of magnitude, so depending on your position and the prevailing wind, it wouldn’t take much to set you off !   There may well not be much acute hazard here (and certainly little to no radon hazard), but people are going to be displaced by the smell, inconvenienced a lot, and will feel very much at risk - assisted by the media who will see a major opportunity in this case.    

If anyone sees good data on this event, please share on RadSafe !   

Brad

> On 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
>>>> 
>>>> Unsubscribe to no longer receive posts from nuclear-news.
>>>> Change your email settings at Manage Subscriptions.
>>>> 
>>>> Trouble clicking? Copy and paste this URL into your browser:
>>>> 
>>> http://nuclear-news.net/2016/01/12/massive-gas-blowout-in-los-angeles-now-releasing-radioactive-material/
>>>> Thanks for flying with WordPress.com
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> You are currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list
>>> 
>>> Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood
>>> the RadSafe rules. These can be found at:
>>> http://health.phys.iit.edu/radsaferules.html
>>> 
>>> For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings
>>> visit: http://health.phys.iit.edu
>>> 
>> _______________________________________________
>> You are currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list
>> 
>> Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood the RadSafe rules. These can be found at: http://health.phys.iit.edu/radsaferules.html
>> 
>> For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings visit: http://health.phys.iit.edu
> 
> _______________________________________________
> You are currently subscribed to the RadSafe mailing list
> 
> Before posting a message to RadSafe be sure to have read and understood the RadSafe rules. These can be found at: http://health.phys.iit.edu/radsaferules.html
> 
> For information on how to subscribe or unsubscribe and other settings visit: http://health.phys.iit.edu