Shell Sparks in Erris

mayo | environment | opinion/analysis

Sunday October 15, 2006 17:22

by Shell to Sea Supporter

The enormity of a spark

Shell gas leaks and sparks

Last week the Environment Society of UL held a lively meeting on the Shell to Sea issue. In microcosm the agitation in the meeting mirrored that in any local community about to be forced to face a multinational in its midst.

One perceptive commentator insisted on the essential spark to ignite the non odorous gas. There is no shortage of sparks in Rossport and surrounds. At almost every house treading the hills around is a large heap of fresh dry turf stored for open hearth fires all through the winter. Millions of sparks on any one night so God help any wisp of escaping non odorous gas lurking around. The spark too late will be the almighty harbinger of destruction.

On the bogs of Donegal in high summer at the first sound of a roll of thunder everyone deserts the bog at once. It is known that the minerals under the peat draw the lightning leading to those creeping bog fires that crawl silently along. What if they meet a wisp of gas. There are continuous fires in the English moors. They burn for weeks. Fire is a reality on bogs.

Blacksmiths still carry on their art in Erris and is only possible with heat and the sparks that jump out of the hammers that strike iron. There are cigarette smokers and Christmas and Church candles. And big bonfires on John's night in June. Not a great place to have raw high pressure gas in proximity. Anyone grasps the danger.

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Comments (3 of 3)

see for yourself

by xina

Thu Oct 26, 2006 16:58

Take the time to look up Shell's record on Health & Safety, Environment, & Human Rights: it's all bad news

Sparks what? Its contained inside a strong steel pipe for gods sake....

by Blue David

Tue Oct 17, 2006 20:47

Sparks

by JM

Tue Oct 17, 2006 00:25

Rossport

Recent studies on pipeline accidents in the UK and America have revealed that up to 60% of gas pipeline ruptures self-ignite, due to the tremendous forces involved in flying steel and stone and the resultant air/gas mixture.

Worse than that, a delayed ignition from an external source actually results in a greater chance of fatalities, because of (1) the curiosity factor of a roaring gas rupture luring people from the relative safety of their homes and towards the rupture site, and (2) the possibility of slower gas build-up in structures frequented by people, who tend to do highly dangerous things like smoke cigarettes, turn on light switches, start cars etc.

So, very often no need for extra sparks at all... and I'm a blacksmith!

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Shell Sparks in Erris

Comments (3 of 3)