Personnel with corrosive gases

Field Safety. The objective of well stimulation is to use highly pressurized fluids to improve the productivity of petroleum reservoirs. This objective will not be achieved if the productivity is improved at the expense of the workers or equipment safety. The well stimulation sector of the petroleum industry is a hazardous sector that not only involves the use of highly pressurized fluids, but also includes fluids that may be flammable or corrosive or contain radioactive tracers. Foams that use compressed gas may be hazardous if the gas is allowed to expand quickly. Reservoir fluids also pose a danger to field personnel and equipment, because the fluids are generally flammable, combustible, or extremely poisonous, as is the case with H2S. 

Corrosives in contact with a poison may produce poison gases as the poison decomposes. In responding to an incident involving corrosives, the toxicity of the vapors could be much more of a concern for personnel than the corrosivity. When acids come in contact with cyanide, hydrogen cyanide gas, which is highly toxic, with a TLV of 10 ppm in air, is produced. The structure and molecular formula of phosphorous trichloride are shown in Figure 10.8. 

Hydrogen snlflde is a colorless gas, with an offensive odor and a sweetish taste. It is soluble in water, alcohol, oils, sulfur, and many other solvents. It has a specific gravity of 1.1895 with reference to air, and is considered a weak acid. Hydrogen sulfide can be dangerous to personnel on the surface as it is extremely toxic to human and animal life, and is extremely corrosive to most metals as it can cause cracking of drill pipe and tubular goods and destruction of testing tools and wire lines. 

Personnel working with anhydrous ammonia should be thoroughly familiar with safety precautions for handling a gas corrosive to human tissue, as well as measures for handling emergencies. 

Hydrogen bromide should be used in a well-ventilated area. Electrical equipment should be weather-tight to resist the corrosive effects of the gas when wet. Personnel should be equipped with chemically resistant gloves, full face shields and chemical goggles, and chemically resistant aprons. Arms and legs should be fully covered, and open or fabric shoes should not be permitted [5]. 

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