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File: 970313_jun96_decls1_0018.txt
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
from combustion. Flame temperatures will be about SOOOC (9320F). Just above
the flames and rising fireballs, superheated combustion gases can approach SOOOC
(14820F). These gases, which will rapidly cool as they rise in the air, would
be up to 400 meters (1200 feet) above the fire, and low-flying aircraft should
avoid this area.
iP)g- 'RiiREN@ Oil-well fires generally have flame colors that range from
very dark red (coolest) to orange/yellow (hottest) (from 570 nm (yellow] to over
610 = (rod) in the visible spectrum). For high-pressure wells, the flames will
rise almost 200 meters (600 feet) with most of the combustion well above the
ground. For low-pressure wells, the flames will rise from 100 to at most 150
meters (300 to 450 feet), with most combustion at or near ground level. The
flame height is a function of fuel composition and volatility, wellhead
pressure, fuel feed rate, and materological conditions (air temperature, air
pressure, and humidity). Due to these variable functions, flame/fireball
heights will vary from well to well. IR radiation from these massive wellhead
fires will be intense and cover a wide part of the IR and visible spectrum.
c.(U) Thermal gradients of oil-well fires on the ground are
generally a function of fuel, heat of combustion, wind, humidity, and air
pressure (see fig 3). Under calm or near calm wind conditions, a single
wellhead fire can produce lethal heat. This heat will immediately kill
tected personnel within 200 meters (600 feet) of the fire. In
this lethal zone, air temperatures exceed 1000C (2120F) and will immediately
scorch and char unprotected skin, burn hair, and scorch lungs and respiratory
tracts.
d. (U) Due to the intense heat, no troops or combat vehicles should ever
approach within 200 meters (600 feet) of the fire. In this zone, intense heat
will blister paint and will deform or malt plastics and rubbers. The applica-
tion of the M-17A gas mask in this heat will be deleterious to the wearer. The
danger in wearing a gas mask Is that it may delay the wearer's sensation of heat
and give him a false sense of security. If the wearer gets too close to the
fire, the polymers in the mask may soften, deform, or begin to smolder. Air
temperatures will be well above the flashpoints of gasolines (mogas), turbine
fuels, and diesel fuels, and an onboard fuel-fire could readily occur in this
zone.
e.(Uk-' '19960-6 4MOSON" Ranging out 200 to 600 meters (600 to 1800 feet)
from the fire Is an extreme danger zone, where over time (10 min) thermally
unprotected personnel could be killed or seriously injured through the
inhalation of hot, dry air. Air temperatures In this zone may range from 500
to almost 1000C nearest the fire (1220 to 2120F). For operations in this zone,
all personnel outside of vehicles must use thermal protective suits and
airpacks.
UNCLASSIFIED
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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