SERIOUS OILFIRE GAS AND SMOKE DANGERS

File: 970313_jun96_decls1_0008.txt
Page: 0008
Total Pages: 35

Subject: SERIOUS OILFIRE GAS AND SMOKE DANGERS                           

Unit: VII CORPS   

Parent Organization: ARCENT      

Box  ID: BX000249

Folder Title: ENGR PLAN INTEL                                                                                 

Document Number:          9

Folder Seq  #:         84





                                               UNCLASSIFIED




                                                                                 AST-266OZ-148-90
                                                                                   9 January 1991




                                                   SECTION I


                                                        Y (U)


             (,,)Oa lispoll.al                   The danger of oil fires, toxic gas, and smoke
             in the Kuwaiti Theater of Operations (KTO) is very serious. These dangers, in
             order of decreasing severity, are as follows:

                             Associated toxic and highly flammable gas from spilled
                             raw sour crude oil from nonburairig wellheads.

                      0      Intense heat of oil-well fires, possible natural-gas wells,
                             and fire trenches.


                             Dense smoke and superheated gases from these fires.

             By far the  greatest danger Is from dissociated hydrogen sulfide gas and highly
             volatile light ends (methane, ethane, propane, butane, benzene, and toluene)
             released from wellhead blowouts that are not burning.        This gas is lethal and
             can be readily ignited, potentially forming a massive ground-level fuel-air
             *xplosion (FAE). Additionally, under cool, calm atmospheric conditions these
             toxic gases could be found in pockets at very high concentrations (10 000 to
             20 000 ppm hydrogen sulfide)--enough to quickly saturate the active-carbon
             filters in standard-issue gas masks.        Because of this toxic-gas danger, no
             personnel or vehicles should ever approach a nonburning oil-well blowout. In
             such an area, only airpacks can provide certain protection against these toxic
             gases.    Airpacks generally offer a 45-minute supply of clean, cool air,
er stress and physical exertion this air supply may last only 20 to
             25 minutes.

             (U)(S itelasm; in;liP-M---           In the KTO, the prevailing winds generally
             blow from the north-northwest southward toward Saudi Arabia.        Smoke and gases
             from Kuwaiti fires and bl@wouts most likely will be blown in the face of
             northerly advancing forces along the southern front of the KTO. The Iraqi ground
             forces generally will be upwind.      Landsat imagery of the KTO indicates these
             prevailing winds by the shapes of sand dunes, by downwind stain patterns from
             flare towers and pits, and from smoke plumes from gas-oil stabilization plants
             in southern Iraq and oil-gathering stations in Kuwait.











                                            UNCLASSIFIED

Document 35 f:/Week-24/BX000249/ENGR PLAN INTEL/serious oilfire gas and smoke dangers:0128971851472
Control Fields 17
File Room = jun96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-24
Box ID = BX000249
Unit = VII CORPS
Parent Organization = ARCENT
Folder Title = ENGR PLAN INTEL
Folder Seq # = 84
Subject = SERIOUS OILFIRE GAS AND SMOKE DANGERS
Document Seq # = 9
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 13-FEB-1997