The Department of Environmental Protection (DPA) and the parents of a young man who was killed in a gas well explosion are working on getting the information they need from Chevron Appalachia, LLC in regards to their possible negligence that resulted in the man's death, as reported by the Observer-Reporter.
I.M., 27, was killed on February 11 in a Chevron gas well fire in Dunkard Township. His parents filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Alleghany County, naming Chevron Appalachia, LLC as the defendant. I.M.'s remains were located on February 19 by state police, and a team from Houston Texas called the Wild Well Control. The team was hired by Chevron to put out the fire located at their Lanco well pad.
I.M.'s parents, D.M. and R.M., have hired Attorney J.G. to represent then in the suit. It is the parent's contention that Chevron's negligence at the Lanco well pad resulted in the explosion and the subsequent death of I.M. The parents, by filing the suit, hope to discover what happened at the site that led to their son's death.
J.G. commented, "This was a serious situation and something obviously went wrong. Chevron has a lot of information about what went on at that well site. This suit was filed so we can get the information that we need to have from Chevron to know what was going on out there."
While the EPA's investigation is ongoing, it is known that Cameron International, a Chevron subcontractor, employed I.M. However, according to J.G., Chevron is still ultimately in charge of the well and holds all responsibility. Both Chevron and Wild Well Control worked together in the design and well intervention plan for the two wells that caught fire and resulted in the explosion. The well fire self-extinguished on February 15. Wild Well Control has since capped the two wells, doing each one about ten days apart.
According to DEP spokesman John Poister, Chevron forbade their personnel from accessing the site on the day of I.M.'s death. Chevron also refused to allow DEP emergency vehicles to enter the area, as their own vehicles were staged there already. There have been a total of nine citations issued by the DEP against Chevron following the explosion. Poister told reporters that the day after the explosion DEP Secretary Chris Abruzzo visited the site, met with Chevron officials, and more DEP staff then were allowed access.
Chevron has claimed that it was only their concern "about the stability of the..." explosion site and that's why they didn't want DEP personnel on the premises, according to Poister. Poister feels that the DEP is more than capable to handle emergency response. Additionally, the DEP was not allowed access to Chevron's joint command center. Poister commented, "We believe we should have been part of the discussions."