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A two-month gas leak in LA residents remains unsealed
Methane has been gushing out of a well in the upscale neighborhood of Porter Ranch, California in the San Fernando Valley since at least Oct. 23, when Southern California Gas Co., or SoCalGas, detected the leak at its Aliso Canyon facility.
Although methane dissipates more quickly than carbon dioxide, it’s many times more potent in terms of its power to warm the atmosphere. The escaping gas also contains chemicals that smell like rotten eggs, which are added to detect leaks but make people feel sick. Los Angeles County health authorities say they’ve received “a substantial number of reports” from area residents complaining of headaches, nausea, and other ills. More than 2,000 families have been relocated away from the fumes.
SoCalGas, a unit of Sempra Energy, has been trying to stop the leak for weeks, so far with no success. That’s because the well, which is connected to an underground natural-gas storage facility, is more than 8,000 feet deep. So far, the company has only drilled 3,800 feet deep. On Dec. 27, it found the leaking well using special magnetic tools. Now it has to drill down further and install a relief well to reroute the gas, a process that could last until late March, the company said.
