Hydrogen sulphide poisoning in the Texas panhandle, big lake, Texas, and McCamey, Texas, oil fields
✍ Scribed by W.P. Yant; H.C. Fowler
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 1926
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 101 KB
- Volume
- 202
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0016-0032
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✦ Synopsis
HYDROGEN SULPHIDE is probably the most toxic gas associated with crude oil. Hydrocarbon (petroleum) vapors themselves are harmful to the human system, but hydrogen sulphide, when present, is usually more important from the standpoint of health and safety. These conclusions were reached in an investigation of the toxic gases encountered in the transportation and refining of high-sulphur petroleum. The results of that investigation are presented in Bureau of Mines Bul:letin 231. Although the writers of Bulletin 231 paid no direct attention to the production of oil in the field, they attributed to hydrogen sulphide reports of accidents caused by gas in the oil fields of Mexico. During the development of oil fields in Texas, a "poison gas " was encountered that constituted a decided health and safety hazard. An investigation of this gas was conducted by the Bureau of Mines in the Panhandle, the Big Lake, and the McCamey fields, Texas.
The work undertaken in each field included: (I) Examination of the gas coming from representative wells, also analyses of the gas-air mixtures to which the workmen were or might be exposed; (2) observation of symptoms of poisoning and severity of these symptoms; (3) observation of the conditions of exposure that produced the symptoms; and (4) study of ways and means of protection and prevention.
The whole survey was made in order to determine general conditions relative to the hydrogen sulphide hazard in the three fields rather than a detailed study of individual properties. However, representative data were gathered, and, from these findings, recommendations have been made that should help reduce the hazard in these and similar fields.