SERIOUS OILFIRE GAS AND SMOKE DANGERS

File: 970313_jun96_decls1_0021.txt
Page: 0021
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-2660z-148-90
             9 January 1991


             oxygen is fatal.   The lack of oxygen can also cause air-breathing engines to
             rough idle or stall and will make engine restart for stalled vehicles
             impossible.
                 bIU)(            Near these massive flres, it is possible that pockets of
             heavy carbon dioxide gas will form near the ground. These gas pockets can cause
             troops to get severe headaches and/or black out and, at elevated concentrations,
             can kill exposed troops.

                 c. (U) It is virtually impossible to detect or identify regions of oxygen
             depletion and high levels of carbon dioxide. (There are oxygen concentration
             detectors available for use by US Air Force personnel involved in maintenance
             and inspection of aircraft fuel t@s. The use and reliability of such oxygen
             detectors on the battlefield is unknown.) These hazardous areas are a direct
             function of the size and intensity of the fire, combustion rates, and meteoro-
             logical conditions. The use of airpacks is recommended to protect troops from
             this hazard.


             6. Oil-Fire Smoke and Combustion Products (Gases) (U)

                 a. (U) Above the wellhead fire and flame/fireballs, there will be pockets
             of superheated gases, which will rise. These hot gases and smoke will generate
             some vertical convection, which could affect low-'flying aircraft. Smoke plumes
             will rise thousands of feet into the air and be carried miles downwind.

                 b. (U) The smoke generated from Kuwaiti oil-well f Lres will range in color
             from yellowish-brown (extremely acidic) to black (high in carbon and asphaltene
             particulates). The smoke is most dense nearest the fire and has the distribu-
             tion shown In table II.





















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                                               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