MAP SHOWING AREAS OF POTERNTIAL DEADLY GAS LEAKS

File: 970107_aug96_decls8_0001.txt
Page: 0001
Total Pages: 5

Subject: MAP SHOWING AREAS OF POTERNTIAL DEADLY GAS LEAKS                

Unit: ARCENT      

Parent Organization: CENTCOM     

Box  ID: BX000455

Folder Title: INTELLIGENCE REPORTS NOV 90 DS-DS-1                                                             

Document Number:         26

Folder Seq  #:         11




                                 UNCLASSIFIED
  4w



           A MAP SHOWING AREAS OF POTENTIAL DEADLY GAS LEAKS WAS FAXED     s
      DATE TO JILE/SAUDI. IT SHOWS PRODUCING OILFIELDS IN KUWAIT; AREAS
      WITHIN EACH OILFIELD THAT CONTAIN WELLS THAT COULD LEAK HYDROGEN
      SULFIDE OR'SULFUR DIOXIDE; AND THE EFFECTS OF VARIOUS CONCENTRATIONS
      (IN PARTS PER MILLION) OF THESE GASES ON PEOPLE WHO ARE UNPROTECTED.
      AN EARLIER'EDITION WAS FAXED ON 23 TANUARY 91. THIS LATER EDITION
      INCORPORATES SUGGESTED CHANGES FROM OTHER OFFICES WITHIN THE DI AND
      NEW INFORMATION FROM THE KUWAIT OIL COMPANY.

           ALL OILFIELDS IN KUWAIT HAVE OILWELLS WHICH, IF DAMAGED, COULD
      BE LEAKING OIL AND NATURAL GAS. NATURAL GAS, PRIMARILY METHANE,
      FORMS EXPLOSIVE MIXTURES WITH AIR AND IS EASILY IGNITED. SOME OF
      THESE WELLS MAY BLOW OUT AND CATCH FIRE. A LEAKING WELL CAN BE
      IDENTIFIED BY THE OIL LEAKING FROM THE CHRISTMAS TREE, THE COMPLEX
      APPDANGEMENT OF VALVES THAT RISES ONE OR MORE METERS OUT OF THE
      GROUND AT THE WELL. OIL COULD ALSO BE LEAKING FROM THE BASE OF THE
      CHRISTMAS TREE CALLED THE -WELLHEAD. IF THE WLLL IS 8LOWlNG OUT, A
      GEYSER OF OIL, GAS, SAND, AND WATER WILL BE EASILY VISIBLE FROM A
      DISTANCE. THE GREATER THE FORCE OF THE BLOWOUT, THE HIGHER THE
      GEYSER. THE WELL MAY HAVE CAUGHT FIRE, IN WHICH CASE THE GEYSER
      TURNS INTO A COLUMN OF FLAME, SMOKE, OR BOTH.

           SEVERAL OILFIELDS, OR PARTS OF OILFIELDS, CONTAIN OILWELIS WHICH
      MAY'BE LEAKING NOT ONLY METHANE, BUT ALSO HYDROGEN SULFIDE. THIS GAS
      IS-DEADLY AND BRIEF EXPOSURE AT SUFFICIENT CONCENTRATIONS MAY BRING
     )ABOUT RESPIRATORY AND CARDIAC PARALYSIS. IF THE WELLS IN THE SHADED
      AREAS SHOWN ON THE MAP ARE LEAKING (BUT NOT BURNING) THEN HYDROGEN
      SULFIDE WILL PROBABLY BE PRESENT. HYDROGEN SULFIDE BURNS EASILY AND
      ALSO FORMS EXPLOSIVE MIXTURES IN AIR. IF THESE WELLS CATCH FIRE, THE
H IS ALSO A
      POISONOUS GAS, BUT NOT NEARLY AS DEADLY AS HYDROGEN SULFIDE.

           OIL INDUSTRY PERSONNEL WHO WORK IN HYDROGEN-SUL FIDE CONTAMINATED
      AREAS USE A SEIEF-CONTAINED BREATHING APPARATUS. WE DO NOT KNOW IF
      THE COMMONLY-USED MILITARY PROTECTIVE MASKS ARE EFFECTIVE IN A
      HYDROGEN SULFIDE CONTAMINATED ENVIRONMENT. (U)

                          ------ -------





                            Declassified per SECARMY by CMH: 12-30-1996





                                      UNCLASSIFIED

Document 5 f:/Week-32/BX000455/INTELLIGENCE REPORTS NOV 90 DS-DS-1/map showing areas of poterntial deadly gas leaks:010297184322141
Control Fields 17
File Room = aug96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-32
Box ID = BX000455
Unit = ARCENT
Parent Organization = CENTCOM
Folder Title = INTELLIGENCE REPORTS NOV 90 DS-DS-1
Folder Seq # = 11
Subject = MAP SHOWING AREAS OF POTERNTIAL DEADLY GAS LEAKS
Document Seq # = 26
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 02-JAN-1997