SERIOUS OILFIRE GAS AND SMOKE DANGERS

File: 970313_jun96_decls1_0012.txt
Page: 0012
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 II


                                        XUWAITI OIL WELLS (- iigrpQPA'@



             1. Introduction (U)
          (U)N    The purpose of this report is to provide a quick overview of the dangers
             of fires, smoke, and toxic gases in Kuwait.      The Kuwaiti battlefield will be
             *xtramely dangerous because of the availability of oil and gas In the juegion and
             represents an environment that has not recently been encountered by..         ground
             forces.    These very real hazards are further described in the following
             paragraphs.


             2. Shallow Low-Pressure Wells (U)
          (U) @S-IqefeRN WI                   Kuwait has 950 productive oil wells, which tap
             both shallow low-pressure reservoirs and much deeper high-pressure reservoirs.
             The shallow wells, which account for most of Kuwait's wells (about 800), are
             approximately 50% of Xuwait's national production (about 1 000 000 bbi/d). The
             shallow wells tap reservoirs at depths ranging from 400 to 7000 feet with
             formation pressures up to about 7000 psi.          (Formation pressure generally
             increases at a rate of 1 psi/foot of depth). For these wells, wellhead surface
             pressures generally range from 500 to 1000 psi.       These wells present only a
             moderate hydrogen sulfide gas danger because they do not tap the deeper Marrat
             structure. Because of their lower wellhead pressure and lower flow rate (oil
             flow at the wellhead may range from 1000 to 5000 bbl/d), fires at shallow wells
 wells.          Unlit shallow
             low-13ressure oil wells, however, present the greatest FAE hazard because
             flammable gases (light ends, gas condensates, and hydrogen sulfide gas) are
             released at ground-level.       Under optimum meteorological conditions (cool
             temperatures with calm or near-calm wind conditions), these heavy gases will hug
             the ground and lowlands and represent a serious danger to advancing infantry
             entering the gas-cloud area. Due to its low flashpoint (about 5000C or 9520F),
             this gas cloud can be easily Ignited and could produce a lethal shock wave (see
             fig 2).

             3. peep High-Pressure Wells (U)
          (U) 9- 40'--PM$- bi          Kuwait's 150 deep high-pressure sour wells present the
             greatest toxic-gas danger to advancing forces throughout the southern KTO.
             These wells, called the "Prime 150," together produce I 000 000 bbl/d.          They
             produce from 7000 to 10 000 bbi/d and tap the Marrat structure at a depth of


                                                            @a Val








                                                   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