KUAITI OIL WELL FIRES

File: 061896_cia_65092_65092_01.txt
Page: 01
Total Pages: 1
Subject: KUAITI OIL WELL FIRES

Not Finally Evaluated Intelligence







TO FACILITATE ELECTRONIC ACCESS, THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEEN

REFORMATTED TO ELIMINATE INFORMATION THAT DOES NOT PERTAIN

TO GULF WAR ILLNESS ISSUES OR THAT IS CLASSIFIED. A COPY OF

THIS REDACTED DOCUMENT, IN ORIGINAL FORMAT, IS AVAILABLE ON

REQUEST.







APR 91        DIRECTOR 617011







 4. UNITED STATES OIL WELL WORKERS HAVE BEEN SUDDENLY OVERCOME

BY ACUTE TOXIC GAS (HYDROGEN SULFIDE) RELEASE IN OIL PRODUCTION

OPERATIONS. THE HYDROGEN SULFIDE GAS COMES FROM DEEP UNDERGROUND

POCKETS OF GAS OR SULFUR COMPOUNDS DISSOLVED IN THE CRUDE OIL. IT

HAS A CHARACTERISTIC WARNING ODOR OF ROTTEN EGGS AT VERY LOW

CONCENTRATION, IT CAN BE FATAL AT HIGH CONCENTRATION. THE HAZARD IS

SUCH THAT ENVIRONMENTAL LAWS MANDATE THE PREPOSITIONING OF

RESPIRATORY PROTECTION DEVICES IN OIL WELL FIELDS AND OIL PRODUCTION

FACILITIES.

5. IN KUWAIT, IT PRESENTLY APPEARS THAT THE BURNING PROCESS

HAS REDUCED THE HYDROGEN SULFIDE HAZARD TO KUWAITI OIL WELL WORKERS

BY PRODUCING LESS-TOXIC SULFUR DIOXIDE GAS FROM THE SULFUR IN THE

CRUDE OIL. AS THE FIRES ARE EXTINGUISHED, HOWEVER, THE HYDROGEN

SULFIDE HAZARD MAY INCREASE IN THE KUWAIT OIL WELL FIELDS AND

IMMEDIATE VICINITY.







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