At 5:50 a.m. on December 19, 2023, the MSL Oil & Gas Corp well tender reported a fire in crude oil storage tanks at the Dutter 235 conventional oil well in Wetmore Township, McKean County.

The fire occurred at three 5,880 tanks containing crude oil and a subsurface production wastewater tank.

Four McKean County fire companies (2, 5, 20 & 26), Company 72 from Warren County and a tanker truck from Elk County Company 8 responded to the fire. Company 6 in Elk County was on standby. [Read Central PA Fire Wire Facebook page]

MSL Oil & Gas Corp also notified DEP.  Water Quality Specialist Alexis Jacobs was at the well site by 10:30 a.m.

Jacobs described the incident and its aftermath this way in her inspection report--

"The evening prior to the incident, two of the tanks were full and being heated to prepare for crude oil pick up. The third tank contained approximately 1.6 ft of crude oil.

"The two tanks that were being heated have an open pipe constructed through the bottom of the tanks which allows for an open flame to heat the oil.

"It is speculated that the vapors and crude oil from the partially filled tank that was not being heated, caught fire due to the open flame heating set up on one of the adjacent tanks.

"All 3 tanks are intact but will be fully assessed for structural integrity."

"The well tender, of MSL, spotted the fire and reported the incident to the local fire department. Responding personnel and evidence at the site indicated the fire was contained within the secondary containment.

“Foaming agents were utilized to extinguish the fire. The wells plumbed to this tank battery were not involved in the fire.

“Fire foam remains within the secondary containment and will be taken off site and disposed of appropriately.

“The site lacked sufficient evidence of crude oil discharge, therefore, there were no violations cited as a result of this incident.”

Jacobs did not include any specific follow up actions the operator should take in the inspection report, but said “follow up inspections will occur to ensure the complete resolution of the incident.”

[Note: Fire fighting foam can contain PFAS ‘forever chemicals.’  It would seem to be a wise precaution to sample for PFAS contamination at the fire site.]

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(Photos: Top-- Courtesy of the Kane Fire Department Facebook page; Bottom- from DEP inspection report.)

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - Dec. 16 to 22 - 46% More Conventional NOVs; More Abandoned Wells; Conventional Well Fire; Venting Gas, Spills, Plugging Mess  [PaEN] 

-- Conventional Oil Well Storage Tanks Burn In McKean County, 6 Local Fire Companies Respond  [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industry Compliance So Far In 2023 - It Isn’t Pretty   [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - December 23 [PaEN]

-- DEP Posted 56 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In Dec. 23 PA Bulletin  [PaEN]

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[Posted: December 23, 2023]

12/25/2023