Weather phenomenon behind smell of gas in Charlotte

Table Of Content

• Experts testify about Black maternal health crisis
• hospitalized after carbon monoxide leak at Sam’s Club
• A Chinese ship remains the focus of the investigation into Baltic Sea gas pipeline damaged last year
• ‘Inadequate inspections’ likely caused deadly news helicopter crash in south Charlotte
• NTSB releases final report on fatal WBTV helicopter …
• ‘Wake-up call’: pipeline leak exposes carbon capture safety gaps, advocates say
• Strong foul odor in Charlotte caused by ‘destruction of mercaptan tanks’: Piedmont Natural Gas

According to Piedmont Natural Gas, there are no natural gas leaks on its system. It said the widespread odor was caused by a local company destroying mercaptan tanks that were “mistakenly reported empty.” A source told Channel 9 that Legacy Environmental was the company that caused the smell. In a tweet, Piedmont Natural Gas said the smell was due to an unintentional release of mercaptan, which is added to natural gas to give it the distinctive smell of rotten eggs, making it easy to detect. Piedmont Natural Gas said mercaptan poses no threat to the community and no natural gas leaks were detected in their system. Piedmont confirmed the leak was caused by an environmental company near Uptown Charlotte destroying mercaptan tanks that were mistakenly reported as being empty. A weather phenomenon called an inversion made the smell more exaggerated across Charlotte, Brad Panovich confirmed.

Experts testify about Black maternal health crisis

According to Gas Buddy’s Patrick De Haan, 71% percent of gas stations are out of fuel in the Charlotte metro area. Charlotte-Mecklenburg police has asked people to not call 911 regarding the weather inversion, unless they are feeling sick or having a medical emergency. Monday said that Thursday’s weather is not causing the smell of gas to show up, but it does make it more pronounced.

‘Why does it smell like onions in my car?’: Odor around Charlotte caused by additive to natural gas, officials say - WBTV

‘Why does it smell like onions in my car?’: Odor around Charlotte caused by additive to natural gas, officials say.

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hospitalized after carbon monoxide leak at Sam’s Club

The Charlotte Fire Department first confirmed they were responding to Sharon Commons Lane near Sharon Road just after 5 p.m. WCNC Charlotte viewer Sarah Smilowitz sent in a video of crews tackling the flames. Her video shows the flames erupting as crews try to spray water on the affected area. Mercaptan does not pose a danger to the community or require evacuation, according to Piedmont Natural Gas.

A Chinese ship remains the focus of the investigation into Baltic Sea gas pipeline damaged last year

The odor also prompted emergency alerts to be sent out across the city saying don’t call 911. The smell was so overwhelming that it caused evacuations at the Mecklenburg County Courthouse and several other businesses. Chopper 9 Skyzoom flew over large groups of people seen standing outside buildings, and even hotels. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, “olfactory fatigue may occur” for mercaptan.

Finnish maritime authorities said at the time of the incident, they failed to establish radio contact with Newnew Polar Bear’s captain despite several attempts. Finnish investigators haven’t said whether they believe the damage allegedly caused by the Chinese vessel was done intentionally or whether it was caused by incompetent seafaring, as suggested by some experts. The pipeline, which runs across the Gulf of Finland between the Finnish town of Inkoo and the Estonian port of Paldiski, was reopened this week after multimillion-euro repair work. Exxon is requited to submit an incident report to PHMSA, a federal agency within the US Department of Transportation, within 30 days. PMHSA is responsible for investigations into the root cause and any compliance issues, but is not obliged to publish its findings. The Biden administration is counting on CCS to meet its climate goals – despite compelling evidence that the technology is inefficient and will probably prolong the use of fossil fuels.

Our dedicated emergency team is available 24/7 to respond to emergencies, ensuring the safety and well-being of our customers. Don’t hesitate to call us in case of an emergency — we’re here to help when you need us most. They pose serious risks to your health and safety, as well as to the integrity of your property. If you suspect a gas leak in your Charlotte, NC, home, it’s crucial to act swiftly and decisively.

Couple whose home was damaged during Ballantyne house explosion sues State Farm - WSOC Charlotte

Couple whose home was damaged during Ballantyne house explosion sues State Farm.

Posted: Tue, 12 Jul 2022 07:00:00 GMT [source]

NTSB releases final report on fatal WBTV helicopter …

If life was endangered, we would have evacuated,” a firefighter who attended the incident said. A shelter-in-place order – not an evacuation order – was issued for residents within a 0.25-mile radius of the leak and the road closed off for several hours, news of which circulated on social media and a local news channel. Thanks to the windy dry conditions, the leaked CO2 in Sulphur appears to have dispersed without causing any harm to humans or animals.

The company added crews were responding to all emergency calls in the area to make sure there were no real leaks. "There is no need to report this order. Unless you have a medical emergency or believe the gas is coming from your home or building - please call 911," the fire department said on Twitter. Because natural gas is colorless and odorless, mercaptan acts as an odorant, making it easier to detect. City officials received so many calls about the smell that an emergency alert was issued to cellphones in the Charlotte area asking people not to call 911. City officials received so many calls about the smell that an emergency alert was issued to cellphones in the Charlotte area asking people to not call 911.

Strong foul odor in Charlotte caused by ‘destruction of mercaptan tanks’: Piedmont Natural Gas

When warm air rises, air under the inversion can’t escape because it is cooler than the air above causing smoke and pollution – and in this case, smell – to get trapped. The National Weather Service said inversions are stable masses where cooler air is near the earth’s surface and warmer air is on top. The air masses are “inverted” from their normal temperature zones. According to information from Charlotte-Mecklenburg County, a weather phenomenon known as an inversion kept the odor close to the surface, making it easy to smell.

Wells Fargo notified employees that they would be allowed to work from home for the remainder of the day Thursday. Interviews by the Guardian suggest that no pipeline operator was on site at the pump station where the leak occurred – and the camera monitoring the facility was not working. Exxon staff located 50 miles away in Beaumont, Texas, learned about the leak after it was reported to emergency services, the Guardian understands.

Charlotte city officials received so many 911 calls Thursday that an emergency alert was issued to cellphones in the area advising people to not report the smell. Consultants at Newmark estimate that by the end of this decade, the electricity needed to power new data center facilities will reach 35 gigawatts, nearly double the 2022 level. Additionally, a report from investment bank Tudor Pickering Holt & Co. suggests that up to 8.5 billion cubic feet a day (Bcf) of gas in the United States by 2030 could be required to meet the rising demand from AI data centers. This is a significant number in a market where total gas demand stands at around 90 Bcf daily. Then it flows through many different types of pipes through your home, supplying appliances such as furnaces and water heaters. Because your home contains a complex system of different kinds of valves, fittings and more there are several places where a problem can occur which will make gas leak repair necessary.

Novant Health said it temporarily paused operations at Presbyterian Hospital due to concerns of the smell. Telecom cables connecting Finland and Estonia, as well as Sweden and Estonia, were also damaged at the same time as the Balticconnector pipeline. Finnish and Estonian authorities believe both incidents may be connected to the Chinese vessel.

Jackson says said people started getting headaches and others vomited as a result of the stench. She said they did not evacuate after learning the smell and chemical, mercaptan, were harmless. Jake Ellis was at his condo just one mile outside of Uptown when he smelled the odor. At first he thought it was coming from his home or neighboring units. Erika Jackson was attending the national UPS convention on Thursday at the Charlotte Convention Center when the smell forced its way inside the building.

The smell of gas spread around the city through a weather event called "inversion," which is trapping air close to the ground. Piedmont Natural Gas said it found the source of the smell that spread around Charlotte Thursday morning. A company destroyed tanks of mercaptan, the chemical used to add the sour smell to odorless natural gas, PNG said. The smell was reported in NoDa, Uptown and South End, among other parts of the city. Multiple buildings in Uptown Charlotte were evacuated due to the possibility of a gas leak.

Shortly after 11 a.m., Piedmont Natural Gas confirmed the smell wasn't a gas leak, but a leak of the smell additive mercaptan. Mercaptan is a pungent gas that is added to natural gas to give it an odor so it's easier to detect in the case of a leak. Piedmont Natural Gas said the widespread odor stemmed from the destruction of mercaptan tanks by a company in Charlotte. No further information was provided regarding the destruction of the tanks.

It took more than two hours for an operator to arrive at the facility and fix the leak, according to the local fire department. (WBTV) - A busy south Charlotte road is closed due to a natural gas leak on Friday afternoon. If you ever need any sort of gas leak repair we can take care of yours quickly so your home is once again safe and sound. We back all of our work with guarantees that no other plumbing company can top. (WBTV) – A natural gas odor throughout the city of Charlotte led to a high number of 911 calls, officials said Thursday. Charlotte Fire said a crew at the construction site hit a 4-inch gas line and caused the natural gas leak.