WY Oil and Gas Health and Toxics Issues

Clark Wyoming Blow Out, August 2006

In Clark, Wyoming, on the spectacular Beartooth Front, a well blowout forced the evacuation of more than 25 homes. 

After three days of uncontrollable releases totaling 8 million cubic feet of methane and vaporized drilling fluids, the well was ultimately brought under control and residents re-entered their homes.  Wyoming's Department of Environmental Quality is now monitoring a plume of groundwater contamination that includes benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylenes, and bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate.

The Endocrine Disruption Exchange, Inc. (TEDX) conducted a chemical analysis of the drilling muds in use just prior to the blowout.  The test identified health effects associated with the chemicals listed above while underscoring the fact that the public has little or no knowledge of the toxins being used in their communities.

Community residents now worry that the plume will contaminate their drinking wells.  Because there has not been full disclosure of all the chemicals used at this site, residents are unable to assess the potential health risks.

This contamination also threatens water and habitat resources along the spectacular Beartooth Front to the Shoshone National Forest.

OGAP recently sent a letter to the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality regarding the chemical analysis and the dangers to public health.  View Letter.

OGAP also recently filed comments with other partner groups to the Department of Environmental Quality on this issue.  View Comments.

To view the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality statement regarding the Clark Blow Out go t http://deq.state.wy.us/volremedi/clarkwell.htm

TEDX Analysis of Chemicals Used by the Oil and Gas Industry in Wyoming

This analysis was designed to explore the health effects of the products and chemicals used in drilling a natural gas well, Crosby 25-3, northwest of Clark, Park County, Wyoming.  This well was directionally drilled with a total vertical depth of 8,038 feet.  Natural gas, petroleum condensate, and drilling fluids were accidentally released from the ground adjacent to the well.  The release occurred over a period of about 58 hours between 11 and 13 August 2006 and resulted in surface soil impacts in an area estimated to cover approximately 25,000 square feet.
 
This analysis provides a glimpse at the pattern(s) of possible health hazards for those living in the region.  TEDX was able to do this analysis because we were provided the Materials Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for the products in use at the time of the blowout, and through information provided in the Terracon Remedial Investigation Work Plan  Final Draft, dated July 2, 2007, or information disclosed in the Terracon Remedial Investigation Work Plan  Amended Draft, dated September 14, 2007.  TEDX makes no claim that this list of products is complete.

Health Effects
TEDX found adverse health effects for all the chemicals on this list.  This is true even though MSDSs for five of the products stated that they contained no hazardous substances.   All of the MSDSs for these products contained information that the ingredients were eye or skin irritants or toxicants, 80% were respiratory toxicants, 40% were dangerous to wildlife, and one was a gastrointestinal toxicant.

In general, the volatile chemicals have more adverse health effects associated with them than the soluble chemicals.  Not only are they more toxic, but in the area of skin and sensory organ toxicity, gastrointestinal and liver, and the respiratory system toxicity, 100% of them cause harm. 
 
The soluble chemicals are associated with more adverse health effects than the total number of chemicals.   While they do not show as high a percentage of effects as the volatile chemicals, between 80% and 100% can cause harm to the same systems as listed above. 
 
Prior to use, these products must be shipped to and stored somewhere before being transported to the well site. They pose a hazard on our highways, roads, and rail systems, as well as to people living and working near the storage facilities.
 
Full Disclosure
While this list was compiled primarily from MSDS information, it is still far from a complete picture of what is in use.  The limitations of MSDS data are outlined above.  Also, this list provides only a hint of the combinations and permutations of mixtures possible and the possible aggregate exposure.  Each drilling and fracturing incident is custom designed depending on the geology, depth, and resource available.  The chemicals and products used, and the amounts or volumes used can differ from well to well.  The only way to get a realistic picture of what is being introduced into
our watersheds and air is for a complete record of information of the specific well site (state, county, township, section, etc.), the formulation of chemicals and products used at each stage, the quantity of each product (weight and/or volume), total volume injected and recovered, and the depths at which material/mixtures were injected and recovered, the composition of the recovered liquids and those liquids and solids removed from site.  This needs to be public information.  From the data in this list, we know for certain that a great deal more than water and soap is being used to drill a natural gas well. 

Download a copy of the TEDX report on chemicals from oil and gas in Wyoming.

Go to the TEDX wedsite for more information.

For More Information

OGAP Letter to WY DEQ Regarding Clark Blowout

Clark Resource Council Comments on Blowout to WY DEQ

Contacts

Clark Resource Council website: http://www.clarkresourcecouncil.org/