Kuwait : Gas Leakage - Firemen Manage to Contain Escaping Hydrogen Sulfide

Kuwait Times

Kuwait, Oct 18 (Update at 7.30am, Kuwait Time) : A gas leak took place while drilling an oil well wednesday at the Al-Rawdhatain oilfield, Kuwait Oil Company and security sources said, as that the pungent and repulsive smell of hydrogen sulfide reached as far as Kuwaiti City as reported by many residents. The sources said Abdali firemen and KOC emergency teams later contained the leak by burning out the escaping gas to prevent it from spreading far.

Notably, inhaling sulfur gas may cause dizziness, vomiting and diarrhea, stressed security and health sources, noting that residents within a 4-km diameter around the oilfield were evacuated. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless, very poisonous, flammable gas with the characteristic foul odor of rotten eggs. Hospitals reported an increase in patients suffering from ailments after inhaling the gas, while the Ministry of Education denied rumours that schools and colleges will be closed today.

KOC’s deputy managing director for exploration Khalid Al-Sumaiti had earlier stressed that all needed efforts were being exerted to control the leak either by stopping it or by burning it out. He added that despite reports that the gas had reached as far as 80 km, the gas density in the air had not reached dangerous levels.

Chairman of the environmental Green Line Group Khaled Al-Hajri criticised the statements made by Sumaiti in which he focused on resuming oil production rather than the environmental effect of the gas and its possible effect on people’s health. He also warned that this type of gas has dangerous effects on respiratory systems and kidneys, and advised the public to stay indoors and tightly close windows. If the gas has already entered the house, it needs to be ventilated to avoid the gas’ toxic effects. KOC officials said its teams had fanned across the state to measure the concentration of gas in the air, adding that it had not reached toxic levels.

Earlier:

Kuwait : Toxic Gas Leak from Oil Well Sparks Alert

Kuwait, Oct 18 (Agencies): Health officials warned Kuwaitis to stay inside and seal doors and windows tightly on Wednesday after toxic gas leaked from an oil well north of Kuwait City.

Residents in areas as far as 100 kilometres (60 miles) away reported smelling the rotten-egg odour of potentially poisonous hydrogen sulphide gas.

Kuwait Oil Co said it had set fire to the well in the huge Rawdatin oilfield close to the border with Iraq, which had sharply reduced the leak.

KOC chairman Sami al-Rasheed told state television monitoring stations across Kuwait had found hydrogen sulphide concentrations far below danger levels.

The oil and gas leak happened in the afternoon due to a very high pressure of crude but the incident caused no casualties, KOC said earlier.

An industry source said KOC evacuated workers from near the well as a precautionary measure.

Kuwait pumps around three million barrels per day of crude oil whose income makes up more than 94 percent of the Gulf state's revenues.