Near disaster - bomb in local city

[Andy]

So guy decides to take a bomb to a major gas line for a neighborhood in Plano, TX and it goes off prematurely (thankfully!). I don't know for sure what would have happened if his bomb had gone off and blew up the line - would all of the houses down the street exploded? Dunno, but this is a real close call.

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/crime...h-gas-main.ece

Latest:
http://crimeblog.dallasnews.com/2012...gas-main.html/

[Issachar]

Re: Near disaster - bomb in local city

If the gas is under pressure (very likely) it would make a huge fire at the breach, but it wouldn't go upstream in the pipe. There would be little to no oxygen in the line so the gas concentration would be well in excess of something called UFL and UEL (Upper Flame Limit and Upper Explosive Limit). Often when there is a well fire or pipeline fire, you will see a space between the breach and the actual flame. The flame starts where the gas has enough oxygen in it.

All that said .. I wouldn't want to be around it anyway. At work, I/we take great caution with all these things .. even with heavy duty regulations aside. We like being alive as well as healthy.

Issachar, glad the bomb was of none effect and hoping there isn't more like it .. in the pipeline so to speak.

[Guest]

Re: Near disaster - bomb in local city

Thank You Jesus! So thankful no one else was harmed.

[Andy]

Re: Near disaster - bomb in local city

Often when there is a well fire or pipeline fire, you will see a space between the breach and the actual flame. The flame starts where the gas has enough oxygen in it.

Makes perfect sense - and the method that "Red Adair" (however you spell his name) of extinguishing well fires fits right into that. He would insert dynamite just under the actual flame (just above the top of the well...in the space you mentioned) and the explosion would stifle the oxygen so the fire would go out and leave a gushing oil well.

Yeah, that does make sense...thanks for the extra education on all that.

Learned all about that watching John Wayne playing his character many years ago. Was absolutely fascinated by that. The dude was a genius (the real Adair although Wayne was a decent actor....LOL!!)!