ECCLES, RALEIGH COUNTY, WV - EPLOSION HEARD FOR MILES

ECCLES — A water separator tank exploded at a gas well location off Upper Sandlick Road near Eccles around 1 p.m. Christmas Day, according to the Trap Hill Volunteer Fire Department. Fire Chief Larry Reedy said there was a great deal of force behind the pressure explosion, sending bits of metal flying in all directions. A gas well tender was on site, but wasn’t injured. No other injuries were reported. Reedy said the blast was probably caused by a faulty valve, but the gas company will further investigate the source of the problem. The blast did not involve natural gas from the well. Reedy said the compressor station sustained extensive damage and a phone line on the main road was cut by the explosion. Callers reported the blast was heard as far away as Glen Jean in Fayette County and shook windows in homes in the Beckley and Bradley areas of Raleigh County.

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Also from 15th December - the well is not a Marcellus well but a shallow gas site. However, I guess a valve is a valve is a valve.. and, like the above incident, sometimes they fail..

GAS WELL EXPLOSION  IN KANAWHA COUNTY INJURES ONE

Three Cabot Gas workers were attending to a traditional natural gas well on the Samples Creek Mine property in eastern Kanawha County Thursday afternoon when a valve exploded.

Kanawha County Assistant Emergency Services Director C.W. Sigman says one worker was injured by shrapnel from the valve. He says the other two workers were uninjured but complaining of ringing ears.

Sigman says the initial explosion, which happened at around 3:15, was heard on Cabin Creek Road several miles away. He says there was no fireball or significant fire in connection with the incident. He says the gas well was quickly shut off.

Sigman says the crew was working on a water separator that separates the salt brine from the gas. They were working on a leaking valve when it exploded.

"A valve came apart and the shrapnel from that explosion hit a salt brine tank," Sigman said. "We lost some salt brine."

There were no burn injuries reported. The injured worker was taken by ambulance to CAMC General. He sustained minor injuries, officials said.

The Cabot Gas well is located on the backside of the Samples Mine property, which is owned by Patriot Coal.

GAS WELL EXPLOSION INJURES ONE IN KANAWHA COUNTY WV