Police still awaiting access to well pad
State police confirmed Monday that they are still awaiting access to the Chevron gas well site in Dunkard Township, Greene County, and that the identity of a missing worker as a result of the explosion and fire at the site is being withheld until investigators are able to process the scene.
“Although the fire is contained, the site itself (meaning the platform where the explosion occurred) has yet to be deemed safe for access. Crews are continuing to remove equipment in preparation for securing the tanks, but we do not have free access as of yet,” Trooper Stefani Plume said.
Plume said that it remains unclear when police will gain access to the site.
“We have been given no indication from Chevron or its contracted companies at the scene as to when this will occur or when we can continue our investigation,” Plume said. “Until we can gain access and determine if the missing person is, in fact, there, we are not releasing any names at this point.”
She said that police are ready to initiate their investigation as soon as it is deemed possible.
“(We) intend to do this as quickly as we possibly can, but that depends on when we actually gain access to the scene as well as how long it takes to find the missing worker and confirm identity. We would never want to assume that the information given to us is correct and release misinformation,” Plume said.
Chevron officials reported Sunday that the fire had self-extinguished Saturday afternoon.
The fire began at 6:45 a.m. Feb. 11, when an explosion rocked the Lanco 7H Marcellus shale well pad and resulted in a fire that burned for about four days.
The missing worker has been identified by a Texas company as one of its employees. Cameron International is based in Houston and is a flow specialist company for gas wells.
“At this time, we cannot comment on the status of the unaccounted for colleague,” said Chevron spokeswoman Lee Ann Wainwright. “This is a subject of an ongoing Pennsylvania state police investigation, and, out of respect for their jurisdiction, all questions regarding the missing person will be handled by them.”
Wainwright said before the well intervention equipment work can commence, a crane that was burned as a result of the incident must be removed from the site.
She said the crane was in the line of fire and is badly damaged, so special equipment was brought in to assist with its removal.
Wainwright said the removal of the crane is necessary before crews can begin well intervention work.
Wainwright said crews are staging water near the site to prepare for well intervention work and for fire prevention and suppression, if necessary.
Ten water storage tanks were delivered and installed on Friday, and more were established over the weekend.
Wainwright said water from these tanks will be used to cool the well site and equipment, if necessary, so the wells can safely be worked on and for potential fire prevention and suppression. The water tanks are being placed on a tank pad that Chevron constructed adjacent to the well pad. Weather permitting, crews hope to source water around the clock.
Crews are staging additional response equipment at nearby locations, including the Greene County Fairgrounds, she said.