Man dies at gas well (fracking) site in Greene County, PA

[Divernan]

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Man dies at gas well site in Greene County
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A 20-year-old man died early Friday at a natural gas well site in Franklin, Greene County.

The Greene County coroner's office said the victim, Kenny E. Duncan of Amma, W.Va., may have been electrocuted by a fuel pump. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 5:05 a.m.



Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/11204/1162405-55.stm#ixzz1SvmsAKc6

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Another out-of-state worker, this one only 20 years old, has been killed working at a fracking gas well site in PA.

When a person dies on the job, trying to make a living for himself and/or his family, it is always a tragedy. One of my grandfathers was a coal miner who helped unionize that occupation. I know he risked his life every day he went down into a mine. The young man in this report was only 20 years old. His name was Kenny Duncan. He was electrocuted, apparently by a fuel pump.

There are a lot of questions about his death - and GOP Pennsylvania Governor Corbett, the Fracking Industry's best friend, will doubtless do his bureaucratic best to protect the industry from any charges of negligence or other wrong-doing.

My questions regarding Kenny's death.

How long had he been working for his employer? How much training or education did he have for the job he was performing? How much experience did he have at the job he was performing? Does his employer even HAVE a formal training program? How much supervision was he supposed to have while working? Was there ACTUAL supervision that day?

Was he working by himself at the site? Did he die immediately? Did he die alone? Might he have survived if he had gotten immediate assistance? HE WAS PRONOUNCED DEAD AT THE SCENE AT 5:05 AM., which indicates his body was not discovered until what, 3 a.m.?

Did this company have him working a shift in the dark? Highly unlikely. What hours was his work shift immediately before his death? Who discovered his body? His employer? A property owner? Why did it take so long to find him? When his employer sends workers out into the field, apparently alone, don't they keep in regular communication? The electricians and plumbers who come to my house always call into their main office when they finish and state where they'll be headed next. If sending workers to remote parts of Pennsylvania's woods and forests, that seems a minimal safety requirement for workers' protections. Even if an employer doesn't give a damn about their employees' safety, you'd think they'd keep close track of their trucks and equipment.

At age 20, it is highly unlikely he was a licensed electrician. And in Pennsylvania there are requirements for electricians to be licensed when working in the building trades - it may vary from county to county re maintenance at businesses. The bottom line is what was this young man doing with the fuel pump? Then, the pump itself, and its maintenance/repair history should be scrutinized by an independent expert investigator - not the employer! Have there been other problems with this particular piece of equipment, or with other identical pumps used by his employer at other gas wells? Has the company been going on the cheap re purchase, maintenance and repair of such pumps? Are there other pumps of different design which are safer to operate but more expensive to purchase and maintain?

As to the employer, why is it bringing in young workers from out of state, after GOP Governor Corbett and his cronies trumpet about the jobs for Pennsylvanians which will be brought by the Fracking companies? There have been at least 4 other deaths of out of state workers this year. If this young man was a member of a union - HIGHLY DOUBTFUL! - I would have confidence there would be a thorough investigation into the material circumstances of this death. I have no confidence in Corbett's commitment to industrial safety. I'm sending my list of questions to the Post-Gazette and asking them to find the answers.

Rest in Peace young man. My deepest sympathies to your family.

[Orrex]

1. A sad story and a terrific analysis

If we're lucky, our esteemed Governor Corbett will quickly enact measures to protect us from having to learn the details of this case.

[Divernan]

2. Update: Fracking well owner had no ID on the pump/well site

I found this report which says OSHA is investigating (good!), but that "it was not immediately clear who owns and operates the well". That is outrageous. There have been explosions and fires at these wells, and pipes bursting and massive amounts of lethal fracking fluids spewed. Every site should have emergency contact information posted on fireproof signage - I mean, raised metal lettering on metal signs.

Further, every site should have to register with the respective county's emergency responders.

http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/Roane_County_WVa_Man_Dies_in_Pa_Gas_Drilling_Accident_126044868.html
WAYNESBURG, Pa. (AP) -- Authorities say a man from Roane County, W.Va., died early Friday morning at a gas drilling site in western Pennsylvania.

Pennsylvania State Police say co-workers and emergency medical personnel unsuccessfully tried to resuscitate 20-year-old Kerry Edward Duncan of Amma, W. Va., who was discovered unresponsive at the drilling site in Franklin Township, Greene

The Washington Observer-Reporter reports that the county coroner says Duncan may have been electrocuted by a fuel pump at the site. It was not immediately clear who owns and operates the well.

Police say the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration is investigating and an autopsy is being conducted. The police report gave no indication of the circumstances surrounding the death.

[Divernan]

3. Operator was Target Drilling: had men working at 2:30 a.m.

tearing down a site where drilling had been completed. Were these men working double shifts?

Ironically, the company claims safety of its employees is its primary goal. Words and deeds! The company talks the talk, but it doesn't walk the walk.

http://www.targetdrilling.com/

"Target Drilling Inc. (TDI) believes that our employees are our backbone. Consequently, the safety and well being of TDI’s employees, on and off the job 24/7, is, has been, and always will be TDI’s primary goal. Satisfying TDI’s goal, TDI can then safely provide a superior and cost effective service and product to its clients, day in and day out, while continuing to develop mutually beneficial long-term relationships."


http://www.observer-reporter.com/or/localnews/07-23-2011-well-site-death

The well, about a mile and a half north of Waynesburg, had been drilled by Target Drilling of Smithton. A company spokesman could not be reached Friday afternoon for comment.

Rohanna said that only three people were working at the drilling site early Friday. Drilling had been completed, he said. "They were tearing down the site. They were done," Rohanna said.

Duncan was found unresponsive in the work area by co-workers, said state police, who listed the incident as an accidental death. The co-workers attempted to resuscitate Duncan but were unsuccessful.

An ambulance was called to the site for a man suffering from an electrical shock at 2:54 a.m., according to Greene County 911.

[plumbob]

4. I can answer some of your questions. I grew up in and still live in the Permian

Basin, one of the largest oil and gas fields in the world. Like everyone who grew up here, I worked in the business for 14 years, so I'm giving you a ground eye view.

First, these wells operate 24 hours a day. They cannot be shut down, or the loss in columnar pressure will cause the wellbore to collapse. This company is either operating two or three shifts a day. During "regular" times, when labor is plentiful, there are three shifts - daylight, evening, and morning tower. Depending on the age and automation of the rig, there are 3 to 6 roughnecks working with one driller at all times. Others who come and go are the various suppliers, the company man, and mud loggers.

Second, he was not alone. Drilling is never a one man operation, and circulation must be maintained, so there was a crew there.

Third, the rig itself is electric, powered by huge diesel generators, and the fuel pump in question would be a 240 volt rating to pump the volume required at the site. The drill site itself is a wet mess, once you get off the rig floor, with fluids and mud everywhere, and I would guess that no ground or an improper ground had been made there, which would make the fuel pump irregular, in which case the driller might have asked the roughneck to walk around to it and look at the control panel, which is really a box with exposed wires. If there was not a ground, getting close to the box itself would be enough to electrocute him.

Fourth, there will be no maintenance or repair log for the pump or any other piece of equipment involved in drilling. Roughnecks do casual field maintenance any time there is a slow down - circulating waiting for a wellhead component, waiting for the mud loggers, and so on. Experienced drillers make sure their hands get some actual training, but when things are busy, like they are now, too many really inexperienced drillers and roughnecks out there.

Next, I notice that company in question here has only been in business since 1995, and they actually build their own rigs. Homemade stuff may be cheaper initially, but it's unlikely that a company like this has the expertise of someone like Parker, in business for more than 70 years.

Here's a link to their website: http://www.targetdrilling.com/

I am saddened by the death of this young man, but drilling has an extremely high injury and death rate, and the industry gets real hands-off treatment by the few regulators assigned to it. I'll be glad when we have enough wind farms and solar farms to shut down drilling completely.

Sorry to be so long, but I thought maybe I could help with some generic info.

[Divernan]

5. Thank you - that information explains a lot.

Is it fair to say that the drillers and roughnecks are typically non-union?

[plumbob]

8. More than fair to say that. My grandfather came here to organize for the IWW

in 1932. He and his friend were met by industry goons who beat them with 2x4s and left them for dead. Neither died, but they spent nearly three years in bed recovering. Nearly every bone in his body was broken, including his back, cheekbones, and skull. My grandmother took in laundry to support him and their four kids, including my mom.

After that, he returned to being a carpenter.

There's also an industry organization which keeps a blacklist of everyone who has ever sued a company, win or lose. They can no longer work in the field at all.

[Divernan]

10. I just got contacted by the reporter at the Post-Gazette and gave her your

informative post for background on industry practices. So, the PG is following up on this.

Thanks for taking the time to spell things out the way you did. Could have an impact on the reporting!

[plumbob]

11. Gosh, thanks! Hopefully, PA won't have to go through a century of misery

before finding out about hard jobs, cruel hours, and no real benefits ABOVE the ground!

[Kolesar]

16. Great writing, plumbob

I learned a lot :thumbsup:

[MADem]

13. Thank you for that superb amplification/explanation--it helps round out the report. nt

[freshwest]

14. A number of my family worked as roughnecks. Know the Old Ocean field in Brazoria?

[plumbob]

15. Big gas dome. One of the first gas domes developed on the coast, I think.

We lived in Glen Flora in the early 90s, just north of Wharton. Egypt, Eagle Lake, West Columbia, Angleton. We bought the Hood-Martin building there, a three story former general store. Restored antique furniture and sold a few pieces as well. Right on the Colorado River. Nice area, lots of green, but west Texas called, and we returned.

I believe that Old Ocean is in tertiary recovery now, isn't it?

Also worked the San Juan Basin around Farmington, NM and Cortez, CO.

One thing the field will do, is get you around.

[L. Coyote]

6. Question #1. Did the fracking chemicals effect his mental state?

The chemicals used in fracking alter consciousness, in effect drugging the person.

[Divernan]

7. Hard to get to the answer to that question, since frackers won't reveal chemicals

That's a very worthwhile question. But frackers claim "trade secret" when pushed to reveal names and quantities of chemicals in the fracking fluids.

[plumbob]

9. It's all toxic stuff, but I'd bet the electrocution was due to faulty equipment

or setup.

Pennsylvania, BTW, is ahead of most other states, in getting at least some information about frac checmicals:
http://assets.bizjournals.com/cms_media/pittsburgh/datacenter/DEP_Frac_Chemical_List_6-30-10.pdf

[joanbarnes]

12. All good questions....sadly unions aren't doing much these days.

First-hand experience.