OILFIELDS IN KUWAIT 4 DEC 90

File: 970327_dec96_decls34_0002.txt
Page: 0002
Total Pages: 3

Subject = OILFIELDS IN KUWAIT  4 DEC 90                                   

Folder Title = 1ST MARDIV INTREPS  DEC 90  SEC 1 OF 2                                                          

Parent Organization = 2 MEF       

Unit  = 1ST MARDIV  

Box ID = BX600079

File Cabinet = Week-51 

File Room = dec96_classified    




                                   UNCLASSIFIED

                                   a    ra i 19



           TO BE BLOWN ANYWAY.

           4.-4*" IF WELLHEADS AND GOSPS/GATHERING CENTERS ARE BLOWN, THE
           PIPELINES THAT CONNECT THEM CAN GENERALLY BE CROSSED/CRUSHED WITHOUT
           WORRY OF EXPLOSION. DUE TO OIL51ELD "PHYSICS", IF EITHER THE GOSP OR
           THE WELLHEAD IS GONE, THE PIPELINE CANNOT CONTAIN OIL UNDER PRESSURE.
           IF THE TANK BATTERIES ARE INTACT, AND FULL, THERE IS SO MUCH PRESSURE
           THAT THE PIPELINES WOULD BURST UNLESS KEY VALVES WERE SHUT TO KEEP THE
           OIL OUT OF THE PIPELINES. BLOWING THE TANK BATTERIES ENSURES THAT
           THERE IS NO OIL UNDER PRESSURE IN THE PIPELINES.
           IHE MAJOR PROBLEM IN CROSSING THESE SPIDER NETWORKS OF 8 INCH
           PfPELINES--wI IHIN Alq-0TtFlELD WOULD BE-GETTrN6 ttP-ATll]r--t)VE-R--THEl-l
           (REOUIRING A VERM OR BRIDGE), AND GETTING THE PIPELINE DEBRIS OUT OF
           THE WAY IF IT WAS CRUSHED. THIS MAY NOT BE A PROBLEM IF EXISTING
           CROSS POINTS (SMALL BERMS) WERE USED, AND THE PIPELINE UNDERNEATH
           CRUSHED ANYWAY.

           o. 4Kd-)- THE: WAFRA OILFIELD IS THE LEAST DANGEROUS AS THERE IS LITTLE
           PR@FSSURE @N THE FIELD. THIS WILL REDUCE BURNING TIME, AND MAKE: F'O.9 A
           @)MAL@ Lk FUC-01E JET FROM A BURNING WELLHEAD. (SMALLER !N SHIS CA@;E PIEPINS
           A60UT lady' FEET HIGH). THIS MEANS A SAFETY STANDOFF DISTANCE OF ABOUT
           @',o@A m@:,=Rc- T-ir-RE IS ALSO A LESS DENSE CONCENTRATION OF WELLHFAllS,
           MEANING THAT THE DANGER ZONE OF BURNING WELLHEADS WELL DE LESS
           GONCEN1RATED (ALLOWING FOR LIMITED INTRA-FIELD MOBILITY).

           6.-".4-THE BURQAN OILFIELD IS UNDER PRESSURE, SO THAT BURNING
           WELLHE.ADS WOULD HAVE A LARGE FLAME JET (200-3-00 FEET), REoUIRrNcj A
           s.ARGER SAFETY STANDOFF DISTANCE (ABOUT I KM) TO STAY AWAY FROM HFAT
           AND 'FOXIC PUMES. THE BUROAN OILFIEL.D IS, HOWEVER, FAIRLY DENSE, WITH
           LOTS OF WELLS AND GATHERING CENTERS: IT IS, THEREFORE, GOING TO BE A
           CLINCENTRAYED DAr,!GER ZONE WITH SOME INTERLOCKING ZONES, SIGNIFICANnY
           LEMITING INTRA-FIELD MOBILITY.

           /. W" 7HE- AHMADI OILFIELD IS ON LOCAL HIGH GROUND, WHICH SLOPES DOWN
           TOWARD THE INDUSTRIAL CITY, AND PORT, OF AHMADI   WHEN THIS FIELD IS
           BLOWN, IT WILL RESULT IN A CATASTROPHIC FLOW OF BURNING OIL MOVING
           EASTWARD TO THE TOWN (LIKE A LAVA FLOW). GIVEN THE SIZE OF THE TANK
           BATTERIES AT AHMADI, THIS MAY BURN LONG ENOUGH TO DESTROY THE CITY AND
           PORT (AND ANY ENEMY WITHIN THE AREA). '

           6. 0@-@ THE UMM SUDAIR OILFIELD IS ALSO UNDER HIGH PRESSURE, BUT, LIKE
           BURGAN, IS FAIRLY FLAT AND SHOULD NOT FLOW OUT OF THE OILFIELD.

           g.-4-@+ THE MINAGISH OILFIELD, ALSO UNDER HIGH PRESSURE, HAS THE
           HIGHEST CONCENTRATION OF HYDROGEN SULFIDE, AND IS CONSIDERED THE MOST
           DANGEROUS OF THE OILFIELDS.-
           10. -"t#- WHILE HYDROGEN SULFIDE IS A DANGEROUS GAS THAT CAN FnSILY
           KILL, THEPE- MAY BE TOO MUCH OF A "DOOMSDAY" ATTITUDE TOWARD Jl'.
           BLOWING WELLHEr'DS WILL RESULT IM CONSUMPTION OF THE GPS. EVF-N if- THE
           WELLBEAD IS NOT BLOWN, BuT RUPTURED SO THAT GAS 15 ESCAPING, A PRUDENT




                                     UNCLASSIFIED

Document 3 f:/Week-51/BX600079/1ST MARDIV INTREPS DEC 90 SEC 1 OF 2/oilfields in kuwait 4 dec 90:03249710492735
Control Fields 17
File Room = dec96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-51
Box ID = BX600079
Unit = 1ST MARDIV
Parent Organization = 2 MEF
Folder Title = 1ST MARDIV INTREPS DEC 90 SEC 1 OF 2
Folder Seq # = 30
Subject = OILFIELDS IN KUWAIT 4 DEC 90
Document Seq # = 7
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 = 24-MAR-1997