Maintenance to replace a broken valve at a gas well site on Shiloh Road in Flower Mound is complete.
Well No. 2 at the Williams Smith Pad A is back in service after being shut-down on the evening of Thursday, Dec. 30, when metal loss created a small hole in a valve, resulting in a loud whistling sound and an unexpected release of natural gas.
The “washout” in the valve was caused by friction from a large quantity of sand and sediment that reached the valve after traveling through supporting piping under high pressure, according to Williams officials.
Flower Mound firefighters responded to the site, as well as a Williams technician and supervisor. One of the company’s safety specialists also briefed Flower Mound’s oil and gas inspector during and immediately following the event, which released an estimated 75 thousand cubic feet of natural gas (Mcf), or about the same amount that one household uses in a year for heating, cooking and hot water.
Air quality in the area remained safe throughout the event, according to data available via the TCEQ air quality monitoring station in Flower Mound that continuously tests for benzene and 45 other volatile organic compounds.
While higher readings for some compounds were observed at the monitoring station at 8 p.m., all of the levels were well below the short-term and long-term air monitoring comparison values (AMCV) for public health, according to the data.
Smith Pad A is located at 4000 Shiloh Road in the immediate vicinity of the TCEQ air monitor. Williams operates 10 wells there that were drilled and completed during 2009 and 2010.
“We’d like to thank Flower Mound’s fire and police departments for taking precautions to help keep the area safe as we responded. We’d also like to apologize to our neighbors for the loud noise they heard,” Williams officials said in a press release.
If you suspect a leak at one of Williams’ gas wells, you can report it to their toll-free 24-hour emergency hotline at 877-737-1915.
.jpg)
