Marcellus Well Pad During Fracking

New study shows gas workers could be exposed to dangerous levels of benzene

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From an Article by Susan Phillips, NPR StateImpact-PA, August 28, 2014

A new study out this month reveals unconventional oil and natural gas workers could be exposed to dangerous levels of benzene, putting them at a higher risk for blood cancers like leukemia. Benzene is a known carcinogen that is present in fracking flowback water. It’s also found in gasoline, cigarette smoke and in chemical manufacturing. As a known carcinogen, benzene exposures in the workplace are limited by federal regulations under OSHA. But some oil and gas production activities are exempt from those standards.

The National Institute of Occupational Health and Safety (NIOSH) worked with industry to measure chemical exposures of workers who monitor flowback fluid at well sites in Colorado and Wyoming. A summary of the peer-reviewed article was published online this month on a CDC website. In several cases benzene exposures were found to be above safe levels.

The study is unusual in that it did not simply rely on air samples. The researchers also took urine samples from workers, linking the exposure to absorption of the toxin in their bodies. One of the limits of the study includes the small sample size, only six sites in two states.

Dr. Bernard Goldstein from the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health says the study is the first of its kind. Goldstein did not contribute to the study’s research, but he has conducted his own research on benzene. And he’s treated patients exposed to the carcinogen. “These workers are at higher risk for leukemia,” said Goldstein. “The longer, the more frequently they do this, the more likely they are to get leukemia particularly if the levels are high.”

The study looked at workers who use a gauge to measure the amount of flowback water that returns after a frack job is initiated. A spokeswoman for NIOSH says none of their studies draw any conclusions about exposures to nearby residents, but focus specifically on workers.

But Dr. Goldstein says it shows that there could be potential risks to residents as well. “We’re not acting in a way to protect the public who are at high risk,” said Goldstein. “And we can’t even tell you who is at high risk. Yet we’re rushing ahead in a situation where all of the data are telling us that there are risks.” He urges a similar study should take place in Pennsylvania.

“These are the kind of studies that should be done,” said Goldstein. “It should have been done a long time before this. They’re first being done now. They must be done in Pennsylvania.”

A spokeswoman for an industry group says there is always room for improvement if toxic exposures exist. “[The study represents] a small sample size,” said Katie Brown with the group Energy In Depth. “It is limited in that respect. I think that’s the whole reason for this partnership is to study it and see how [drillers] can improve.”

Authors of the NIOSH benzene study said that more research with larger sample sizes should be done, especially since there was so much variation in the levels observed at different times and well sites. The researchers also listed a number of recommendations for industry to take to reduce benzene levels on the job site. These include changing tank gauging procedures, training workers, limiting exposure times, carrying gas monitors, using respiratory and hand protection, and monitoring exposure levels.

Off Gases in Deep Valley Near Residences

WV-DEP issues air quality Notice of Violation to Jay-Bee Oil & Gas

Public Announcement from WV DEP via Email, March 2, 2014

The WV Department of Environmental Protection — Division of Air Quality has issued a Notice of Violation (NOV) to Jay-Bee Oil & Gas Inc. for operating storage tanks on its Lisby Well Pad without the proper permits.

The natural gas drilling site is located in the Big Run area of Tyler County and the Lisby Pad includes four Marcellus wells that are in the initial production phase. Because six storage tanks at the site are used to collect natural gas liquids and can produce vapors, air quality permits are required.

The NOV, issued late Tuesday, requires Jay-Bee to provide dates when the tanks were installed and when each was put into operation; the amount of natural gas liquids produced at the site from commencement of operations until present; the potential emissions from all other sites not permitted by the DAQ; and a detailed explanation of the remedial measures taken to address the causes of non-compliance.

Inspectors from the WV-DEP’s Office of Oil and Gas and Division of Air Quality were dispatched to the Lisby Pad early Friday after receiving a complaint of a strong odor late the night before. The inspectors determined the likely cause of the odor was a nighttime inversion created by atmospheric conditions that trapped the gas vapors coming from the tanks. The WV-DEP worked with the operator to implement measures to decrease emissions. Also, the operator plans to implement a secondary recovery system on the tanks to capture the gas vapors.

The WV-DEP continues to monitor the situation and requested assistance from the agency’s Emergency Response section to monitor air quality at the site. The air monitoring equipment, which indicates the presence of volatile organics, detected no dangerous levels. Air monitoring equipment on site and mobile equipment operated by local emergency officials also detected no explosive levels – even last Thursday night when the odor was at its strongest.

To view the official order letter,  click here .

Contact: Kelley Gillenwater, WV-DEP, Charleston, WV