Friday, May 3, 2024

Was there a gas leak in Charlotte? 5 things to know about odor that stunk up the city

gas leak charlotte

“There is no need to report this odor unless you have a medical emergency or you feel that this odor is coming from your home or building,” according to an alert from emergency officials. Numbers we requested from PNG show work crews caused 553 gas leaks between January and August of last year. The National Weather Service has confirmed a weather inversion is making the odor easier to smell, and they are working with Piedmont Natural Gas to continue to investigate the source. Piedmont actually injects mercaptan into natural gas to give it a distinctive smell of rotten eggs, making it easy to detect. Officials say an environmental cleanup company violated Mecklenburg County’s “objectionable odor rule” when it accidentally released a chemical that caused the smell of rotten eggs to take over Charlotte.

Natural gas odor caused by destroyed mercaptan tank. Here's what it means

The odor also prompted emergency alerts to be sent out across the city saying don’t call 911. The smell was so overwhelming that it caused evacuations at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse and several other businesses. Chopper 9 Skyzoom flew over large groups of people seen standing outside buildings, and even hotels. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “olfactory fatigue may occur” for mercaptan.

North Carolina Gas Shortage: Where To Find Gas In Charlotte

“Telecommunicators are receiving a high volume of 911 calls about a strong gasoline smell across the Charlotte area. It is preventing other people with emergencies from reaching 911,” CMPD said. Although Thursday’s incident wasn’t a gas leak, officials still urged anyone concerned about a possible gas leak to leave the space where the leak may be and call 911 and their gas company immediately. According to the University of Calgary, mercaptan (also known as methanethiol) is a foul-smelling gas added to natural gas. — Piedmont Natural Gas identified the cause of a natural gas odor that had people buzzing across the Charlotte area Thursday. — Fire crews spent part of their early Tuesday evening trying to douse the flames at a natural gas line leak in Charlotte.

New satellite technology helps improve response to Piedmont Natural Gas leaks

After the initial shock of the post-Ukraine price spike, global gas markets have realigned, particularly in Europe, where the rejection of Russian pipeline gas has reshaped supply dynamics. Amidst this shifting landscape, gas markets are now in search of a catalyst. “I only found out about the leak after the shelter-in-place order was lifted. There should have been an emergency alert for the whole parish, we should have been evacuated, but we don’t have good regulations.

gas leak charlotte

About 5,000 miles of CO2 pipelines are currently operating in the US, which are predominantly for transporting the gas to oilfields where it is used to extract hard-to-reach oil – a process known as enhanced oil recovery. The pipeline running through Sulphur is part of a network stretching more than 900 miles through Louisiana, Texas and Mississippi, which ExxonMobile acquired from Denbury last year. It took more than two hours to fix the leak, which is “unacceptable”, according to Kenneth Clarkson from the Pipeline Safety Trust non-profit. Wilbanks said the leak has since been fixed and the store is expected to reopen Wednesday.

‘Wake-up call’: pipeline leak exposes carbon capture safety gaps, advocates say

The decline in prices comes as no surprise, given the downward trend in gas markets following the post-Ukraine price spike of 2022. CO2 – a greenhouse gas released by burning fossil fuels – is an asphyxiant and intoxicant, which in large quantities can cause injury or death by replacing oxygen in the air. Potent clouds of CO2 can hang in the air for hours, depending on the weather conditions. A major leak of CO2 from an ExxonMobil pipeline in Louisiana exposes dangerous safety gaps that should halt the planned multibillion-dollar carbon capture industry, environmental advocates say. The long lines and empty tanks are because people are rushing to gas stations and hoarding gasoline. Several managers at these gas stations tell WBTV if you’re on the hunt for gas, try going at off hours like at night.

gas leak charlotte

What's that smell? Natural gas odor reported across Charlotte

An inversion is when a warm layer of air just above the surface traps many things below it, like pollution, sound, fog, smoke, and even natural gas. Following damage to the gas pipeline and data cables, NATO has stepped up its patrols of the Baltic Sea. The alliance has sent minehunters, maritime patrol aircraft, and drones to the region to secure the area and detect suspicious movement near its critical undersea infrastructure. HELSINKI (AP) — A Chinese container ship remains the focus of an investigation into what caused the damage last year to a Baltic Sea gas pipeline between NATO members Finland and Estonia, Finnish authorities said Thursday. Weak natural gas prices have significantly impacted energy companies' first-quarter earnings, particularly in the United States, where benchmark Henry Hub gas prices have recently traded at less than $2 per million Btu.

According to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, the gas odor led to the evacuation of the county courthouse. The smell prompted the county to evacuate the courthouse in Uptown Charlotte, but the building has since been cleared by the fire department, according to the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office. Officials with Piedmont Natural Gas say mercaptan does not pose a danger or require evacuation. For the latest breaking news, weather and traffic alerts, download the WCNC Charlotte mobile app. More than a dozen different organizations and companies were engaged in the repairs, which were completed in just over six months. Repairing such submarine infrastructure usually takes one to two years, Estonia’s Elering said.

It has been more than six months since substantial, human-made damage that caused a major drop in pressure was first detected in the Balticconnector pipeline in Finnish economic waters on Oct. 8. Gas system operators in Finland and Estonia — Gasgrid Finland and Elering — were forced to shut it down, disconnecting a crucial link between the Nordic and Baltic gas markets for several months. Drivers can scout ahead for fuel by using online tools, such as the website and phone app Gas Buddy, which has updates on stations that still have gas supply and those that are running low. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper signed an executive order Monday declaring a state of emergency after the temporary shutdown of the Colonial Pipeline. The executive order stops some fuel regulations to help ensure there is enough fuel supply available throughout the state.

Frigidaire Gas Cooktops Recalled For Risk of Gas Leak, Fire - Food Poisoning Bulletin

Frigidaire Gas Cooktops Recalled For Risk of Gas Leak, Fire.

Posted: Mon, 04 Sep 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

From Chopper 9 Skyzoom, firefighters were seen gathered around construction equipment that looked as though it had been digging before the leak. The roads surrounding the site were blocked off as firefighters and university officials worked to stop the leak. The construction site as well as Hickory, Sycamore and Cedar Halls on campus were evacuated out of caution. Thursday it, in consultation with the National Weather Service, estimated the odor in Charlotte would “dissipate” into later Thursday afternoon. The city says please do not call 911, they are aware and there is no need to report this. Mecklenburg County Air Quality’s (MCAQ) investigation of the odor event on July 14th is still ongoing.

The Charlotte Fire Department first confirmed they were responding to Sharon Commons Lane near Sharon Road just after 5 p.m. WCNC Charlotte viewer Sarah Smilowitz sent in a video of crews tackling the flames. Her video shows the flames erupting as crews try to spray water on the affected area. Mercaptan does not pose a danger to the community or require evacuation, according to Piedmont Natural Gas.

Protect your home and loved ones with professional gas leak detection and repair services from Superior Plumbing & Drains in Charlotte, NC. Our technicians are committed to delivering superior craftsmanship and unparalleled customer service, ensuring your complete satisfaction and peace of mind. Emergency crews were on the scene of a natural gas leak at a construction site on the University of North Carolina Charlotte's campus Friday morning. Piedmont says it is bringing crews in from across the Carolinas to respond to all emergency calls they have received from this odorant leak to verify that a natural gas leak is not present.

Whatever gas pipe repair is appropriate we will handle it as quickly as possible so your home or business is once again as safe as possible. At the same time, the Biden Administration, through legislation, such as the Inflation Reduction Act, is working to discourage natural gas use in homes by promoting electrification of heating and cooking. According to Piedmont Natural Gas, the current system-wide leak rate is 0.09%. It’s the equivalent of 313,000 tons of CO2 which is like 802,390,777 miles driven by an average gas-powered vehicle, according to the EPA’s greenhouse gas calculator.

Shortly after 11 a.m., Piedmont Natural Gas confirmed the smell wasn't a gas leak, but a leak of the smell additive mercaptan, which is added to natural gas to give it an odor in the event of a leak. Mercaptan is a chemical that’s added to natural gas that causes ‘a distinct odor’ to make gas leaks easier to detect. Piedmont Natural Gas confirmed with QCN that the widespread odor was caused by the destruction of mercaptan tanks by a local company.

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