Oil Pipeline in South Texas Explodes

[flashl]

Source: NY Times (AP)

McCOOK, Texas (AP) -- An oil pipeline exploded near the U.S.-Mexico border on Friday, sending flames nearly 400 feet into the air, authorities said.

Firefighters shut the flow of crude oil distillate about 10 miles down the pipeline and were waiting for the rest of the crude to burn off. Officials said it had nearly burned itself out three hours after it began.

Hidalgo County Emergency Manager Tony Pena said there were no injuries, contrary to earlier reports. The pipeline is owned by Hesco, and the cause of the explosion was under investigation.

...

Phyllis Pilarcyzk owner of the McCook Trading Post, said she knew little ''except it was a big boom.'' She described the rural farming community in northwest Hidalgo County as ''30 miles from anything.''

AP

Read more: http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/us/AP-Pipeline-Explosion.html

[redwitch]

1. Uh. oh. Gas goes up how much now?

:eyes:

[Parche]

2. This is The Work Of Al-Kida

:scared: :scared: :hi: :sarcasm: :sarcasm:

[L0oniX]

4. El-KaBomb the Mexican terrorist group attacks the father land.

:nuke:
:sarcasm:

[damntexdem]

3. Maybe they should build the Wall along the gas line.

At least there would be a more-satisfying 'boom' when it went up.

;-)

[Arctic Dave]

5. Doesn't add up.

Crude oil flammable, not combustible. If it "exploded" like they are saying something is being left out of the story. My bullshit meter is definitely picking something up.

[razors edge]

6. Thats true.

Unless a booster pump sparked it off it should not have exploded.

[Arctic Dave]

7. Even with a spark

Crude is fairly stable. What makes it bad is what they call the "light ends" benzene and the other type of zenes, etc. These are usually not in high enough concentrations to cause "explosions" just high enough to harm you physiologically. Crude itself will burn, but it will take a lot to get it going. If you have a case of insomnia look up the MSDS for Crude Oil, it will have everything you ever wanted to know about it but had too much of a life to ask.:)

[ben_meyers]

8. FTA crude oil distillate

So it might depend on what the "distillate" was. Sounds like a refined product.

[Arctic Dave]

9. aha

Did not pick that up, thanks

[razors edge]

10. I'm a petroleum refinery manager,

mainly asphalt products, got MSDSs that would scare even the bravest person.

Auto ignition is around 800F for asphalt, and somewhere around 500F for crudes, a rupture would need one hell of an ignition source to get to a flash point.

Edit: I noticed this may be a cracked crude, all bets are off on flash points but still not a normal thing to happen.

[Arctic Dave]

11. Yep

I work the upstream part of the field. Feezing my rear end off in Alaska's oilfield. I'm a Fire and Gas Lead.:hi:

[razors edge]

12. Welcome to DU Dave.

It's a little chilly hear in Toledo right now as well. Stay warm and safe. :hi:

[Arctic Dave]

13. Thanks, you too. n/t

[griffi94]

14. it's not crude

it's condensate...and that is fairly combustible...

[ConcernedCanuk]

15. What is most bothersome about this is there are experts at blowing up lines in Iraq.

.
.
.

Should that expertise get to Canada and Mexico,

They could shut down a major portion of the USA lifelines.

Thank the USA government's illegal wars in the Middle East for that.

[LifeIsSweet]

16. This was a terror attack

as others here have concluded. Of course the Bush administration would not let the truth out, as their whole platform for taking our rights and spending trillions of dollars has been based on "we haven't been attacked since 9/11"

Notice it's still under investigation, my hunch, after the new Dem. president is elected in November they'll admit it was a terrorist act, forcing the Dem. to do as the Rep. party has done the last 7 years.

[Mik T]

17. WHat kind of equipment would a terrorist need to blow up a pipeline?

Is this like something that could be done by one person with dynamite or something or would it require some kind of group effort?

[LifeIsSweet]

19. It happened on our weak borders, and involves oil

I'm not sure what it would take to blow up the pipeline, but this happens when Bush is out of the country, on our weak borders, and involves oil. Seems to many connections to think it's an ooops, don't you think?

[hunter]

18. More likely an "Oooops, we can't fulfill the contract."

If it starts to happen too often we'll know something is amiss.