Exam for my energy class

1. HaroldSowards
Energy
2-26-15
Exam 1
(1) Find and summarize information on energy-related transportation accidents in
West Virginia or in another area you select, no less than five (5) and no more than
(10) accidents. Worth 25 points maximum
1. Sissonville natural gas pipeline explosion - December, 2012 –This was caused due to
corrosion and lack of recent inspections. A 20 ft section of the pipeline was blown 40
ft from where it was buried. It burned 800 ft of highway on Interstate 77, destroyed 4
houses, damaged 5 houses, and burned the sides of houses 100 ft away from the
explosion. Only 5 residents went to the hospital from smoke inhalation and it shut
down the interstate for a few days.
2. Lewisburg diesel fuel tanker truck spill - January, 2015- 4000 gallons of diesel fuel
spilled into the Greenbrier River which caused the town of Lewisburg to shut down
the town’s water treatment plant. Ran out of clean water after 2 days causing 12,000
people to be without water and forced all restaurants to close down.
3. Fayette County crude oil train derailment - February, 2015- A freight train carrying
crude oil derailed with caused an explosion of one house. Several of the train cars
spilled into the Kanawha River and caught fire which prompted an evacuation order
for a mile-and-a-half around the area and only one train car fell into the river. No
deaths were reported, while one person was injured and about 2,000 people were
without water.

2. HaroldSowards
Energy
2-26-15
4. Tyler County Frack Tank explosion- January 2, 2014- A flow-back tank on the drill
pad exploded, injuring a worker at the site and caused the spill of a “black sludge”.
No injuriesorwaterdamage.
5. Tanker accident in Putnam County- February 13, 2015- basically a tanker truck
containing propane had an accident due to icy road conditions and forced the
interstate to close for 12 hours. The driver of the truck was injured.
6. Mingo County Coal Truck accident- May 14, 2012- two high school students crashed
into a coal truck injuring themselves.
(2) Rank the accidents you selectedand summarized according how serious you believe
those accidents were (1 = most serious down to the last number = least serious). Explain the
reasons for your rankings. Worth 25 points maximum
1. Lewisburg disaster- this way my number one because it was the one that put the most people
without water.
2. Fayette county disaster- it again has to do with the damage to the water supply, this left the
second highest number of people without water.
3. Sissonville disaster- it didn’t do anything to water quality, but it forced the most income to be
spent on road repairs and sent the most people to the hospital while damaging the most property.
4. Mingo County accident- it killed two people.
5. Tanker accident- it injured one person and inconvenienced others for 12 hours.
6. Tyler County explosion- no damage to the area other than black sludge, so it is the least
serious accident I could find.

3. HaroldSowards
Energy
2-26-15
(3) Identify what, if any, improvements have been made and what, if any, safeguards have
been implemented as a result of each of those accidents. Worth 25 points maximum
1. The Sissonville pipeline explosion forced inspectors to require regular inspections of lines that
run near public highways regardless of how many people live near there. They also said that
lines near any important infrastructure should also be monitored. There was also
recommendations to change the alert system so that officials can compare data over time and
come up with a plan when needed.
2. The Lewisburg oil spill basically shut down all water treatment centers when needed and will
continue to run tests on infected areas.
3. The Fayetteville train derailment was another case with helped press increased standards
issued by the DOT. These laws are regarding the newer rail cars. This law is supposed to go
before Obama and plans to go into effect 90 days after being signed.
4. The Tyler County Frack tank incident helped with stricter water regulations regarding fracking
and helped press more public concern for water contamination.
5. The tanker accident helped the city prepare for more traffic congestion. It also helped with the
amounts of salt put on the roads. However, this one is just my opinion.
6. The Mingo County accident didn’t really do anything to start new regulations or anything. It
was just kind of sad for the people involved.
Works Cited
Bond,T. (2014, January 5). WestVirginia'sfirstoil andgasexplosionof the New YearinTylerCountyat
Jay-Bee'sLisbyPadSite.Fracking WestVirginia.Retrievedfrom:
http://frackingwestvirginia.blogspot.com/2014/01/west-virginias-first-oil-and-gas.html
Brinks,T. (2013. December11).Rememberingthe Sissonvillepipeline explosion.MetroNews.Retrieved
from:http://wvmetronews.com/2013/12/11/remembering-the-sissonville-pipeline-explosion/

4. HaroldSowards
Energy
2-26-15
Browning,M. (2013, July8).Mingo Central studentkilledincrash.Retrievedfrom:
http://www.loganbanner.com/view/full_story/18432134/article-mingo-central-student-killed-
in-crash
Cocklin,J.(2015, February17). WestVirginia rail carscarrying BakkenCrude crash,burn as fedsstudy
newregulations. ShaleDaily.Retrievedfrom: http://www.naturalgasintel.com/articles/101390-
west-virginia-crash-unlikely-to-prompt-fast-action-on-federal-rail-regulations
Fieldstadt,E.(2015, February16). Fayette County,WestVirginia,trainderailmentsparkshouse fire.
Retrievedfrom: http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/fayette-county-west-virginia-train-
derailment-sparks-house-fire-n307091
Griggs,M. (2015, February19). WestVirginiatrain, derailedMonday, isstill smoldering:Willtanksever
getsafer?Retrievedfrom: http://www.popsci.com/derailed-train-west-virginia-still-burning
Marks, R. (2014, March 10). Gas pipeline ‘wake-upcall’’. TheCharleston Gazette.Retrievedfrom:
http://www.wvgazette.com/News/201403100090
Mistich,D. (2014, March 10). NTSB determinescause of December2012 Sissonville pipeline explosion.
Retrievedfrom: http://wvpublic.org/post/ntsb-determines-cause-december-2012-sissonville-
pipeline-explosion
Molenda,R.(2015, January6). Waterintakesbackon afterdiesel spillsfoulsLewisburgwatersource.
The Charleston Gazette.Retrievedfrom:
http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20150126/GZ01/150129447
Oliver,L.(2015, January24). Latest: Watertankersarrivedso residentscanfill uptheircontainers.
Retrievedfrom: http://www.wvva.com/story/27932291/2015/01/24/diesel-fuel-in-greenbrier-
river-shuts-down-water-intake-at-lewisburg-water-plant
Ward, K. (2015, January14). Studyfindscontaminantsinnatural gaswastewater. TheCharleston
Gazette.Retrievedfrom: http://www.wvgazette.com/article/20150114/GZ01/150119643
Willisja.(2014,January15). Frack Tank ExplosioninTylerCountyShutsDownJay-Bee Pad. Marcellus
Drilling News. Retrievedfrom:http://marcellusdrilling.com/2014/01/frack-tank-explosion-in-tyler-
county-shuts-down-jay-bee-pad/
WSAZNewsEmail.(2015, February13). All lanesof I-64 back openinCabell Co.12 hours aftertanker
crash. Retrievedfrom: http://www.wsaz.com/home/headlines/I-64-West-Shutdown-After-
Tanker-Crash-Near-Barboursville-291809041.html