Hydrogen Sulfide Monitoring at an Oil Field in Southern Illinois

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Hydrogen Sulfide Monitoring at an Oil Field in
Southern Illinois

• Kathryn Siegel, Bonnie Weinbach
• National Air Quality Conference
• Portland, Oregon
• April 9, 2008

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Outline

• History
• Citizen complaints
• About facility
• About Bridgeport
• Sources of H2S
• Enforcement case
• Monitoring Network
• Data Analysis
• Infrared Camera Survey
• Conclusion
• Thank You

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EPA began receiving complaints

• Significant odors rotten egg odors
• Headaches, vomiting, nausea, grogginess, watering
  eyes, sleeplessness, fainting, difficulty
  breathing, sinus problems, asthma, bronchitis,
  heart problems, skin rashes, allergies, and
  seizures
• Damaged equipment
• Emergency room visits

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PennTex Resources Illinois, Inc.

• Located in Bridgeport, Illinois
• Population 2,200
• 2006 marked the 100th year of oil production
• Own and operate 900 oil production wells and
  about 20 gathering facilities in Lawrence County

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Sour Gas

• At a well, as oil is produced, natural gas is
  displaced and emitted from the wellhead
• In the Lawrence Field, very little gas is
  produced
• Gas that is produced is not collected and sold
• When gas was produced, the company attempted to
  eliminate it by flare
• Gas is sour high sulfur content

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Wells
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Barrel Flare
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Tanks at Gathering Facilities
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Emergency Pits
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Loading Operations
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Oil Spill
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Oil Spill Clean-Up
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Preliminary Results
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H2S -- Health Effects Respiratory and Central
Nervous Systems

• Headache, poor attention span, impaired motor
  function
• Dizziness, nausea, poor memory, loss of sense of
  smell
• Sore throat, cough, impaired lung function in
  asthmatics
• HIGH CONC Loss of Consciousness
• (gt 500,000 ppb)

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EPA Actions

• First Consent Decree filed under the imminent and
  substantial endangerment provisions of the Clean
  Air Act (Section 303)
• Ambient Concentration Screening Level of 70 ppb
  over 30 minutes and 20 ppb over 15-day average
• H2S emissions reduced by approximately 50 Tons
  per year
• Controls installed summer 2007
• Completion of controls expected end of the year

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PennTexs Control Strategy

• Sour gas is routed from well to an elevated
  central flare
• Tanks are vented to an elevated central flare
• Implemented an automatic shutdown system,
  virtually eliminating the usage of the emergency
  pits
• Emissions from loading operations are sent to
  elevated flare
• Some emergency pits are covered

Elevated Flare
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Air Monitoring Network
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Monitoring Overview

• Began summer 2006
• 7 EPA sites
• Current Network
• 4 H2S sites
• 2 SO2 sites
• 1 met station

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Active Wells, Gathering Facilities Monitoring
Sites
MAP REMOVED FOR CONFIDENTIALITY
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Site 1 inlet
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Site 1 Trailer
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Site 3 H2S and SO2 Analyzers
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Met Station
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Data Analysis
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H2S Concentration by Time
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H2S versus Wind Speed (Site 1)
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Elevated flare installed
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Elevated flare installed
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Elevated flare installed
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Pollution Roses
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Infrared Camera Video Footage
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Receiver Tank
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Relief Valve
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Conclusion

• EPA will continue to monitor through Spring 2010
• Biggest air monitoring network and longest air
  monitoring project led by R5
• R5 purchased a new H2S ambient monitor, wireless
  modems and an Infrared Camera
• Reduced number of complaints
• Citizens are breathing cleaner air

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Thank You
Lawrence County Health Department
From U.S. EPA R5 Enforcement, Office of
Regional Counsel, Superfund, Water
Headquarters Region 7
Illinois Department of Natural ResourcesOffice
of Mines and Minerals
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H2S Health Comparisons

• ATSDR Minimal Risk Level (MRL)
• 70 ppb (Acute)
• 30 ppb (Intermediate)
• Acute Exposure Guideline Levels (AEGLs) used for
  emergency response planning.
• 330 750 ppb (10 minute 8 hour)
• EPA Chronic RfC 1.4 ppb (lifetime)
• California levels
• 30 ppb (Acute)
• 8 ppb (Chronic)