Since October, a methane storage facility located in Southern California has spewed more than 150 million pounds of methane gas into the atmosphere. Colorless and virtually invisible to the naked eye, the gigantic plume of vapor can only be seen with infrared or other spectrum-enhancing cameras. Scientists are drawing comparisons to the BP oil spill of 2010, though with a lack of visual evidence, many outside California remain unaware that it is even happening.
While it may appear as though nothing is wrong, thousands of nearby homeowners have been feeling the ill effects of the gas leak in the form of headaches, nosebleeds, and nausea. Many have left their home to get away from the gas, and two area schools have been closed. Excessive exposure to this type of gas can lead to unconsciousness and even death. Additionally, methane is highly flammable, posing hazards other than inhalation.
If the news for the locals is bad, the news for the environment is disastrous. Methane is a greenhouse gas, one that packs a far more powerful punch than carbon dioxide. Pound for pound, methane can trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere at a rate up to 25 times higher than carbon dioxide. Methane that enters the atmosphere can take up to 12 years to break down. This is shaping up to be the worst methane leak in California history, responsible for at least a quarter of the state’s total methane emissions for the year 2015.
While the Southern California Gas Company is working to plug the well, they report that they do not know the direct cause of the leak. The company has only recently pinpointed the source of the leak, which is located some 3,000 feet below the ground. With no shut off valve on this particular well, the flood of methane gas is expected to continue for months.
Featured Image from Marcin Jozwiak/Unsplash
