Wyoming Explosion Leaves Five Gas Field Workers Injured, One Critically

An explosion in a Wyoming gas field has left five workers injured and at least one fighting for his life.

Officials are still trying to determine the cause of the blast at the Jonah gas field, where five of six condensate gas tanks exploded at the site just before 10:30 am on Friday. There were some contract welders working in the area at the time, but officials have yet to determine if they had anything to do with the blast.

The explosion left five people injured, including one worker who was taken to a hospital in Salt Lake City in critical condition. Another was taken to Idaho Falls, Idaho, in serious condition.

Two other workers were taken to hospitals and listed in stable condition, while another was treated and released.

Jonah Field is a natural gas field located in the Green River Basin in Wyoming. The field is located in the southwestern part of the state, approximately 32 miles south of Pinedale and 65 miles north of Rock Springs.

Estimates say there are 10.5 trillion cubic feet of natural gas spread across the 21,000 acres of productive area in Jonah Field, making it the seventh largest gas field in the United States.

The Wyoming explosion left a fire that was not fully extinguished until after 1 pm.

After the incident, Encana Natural Gas released a statement noting that the company was trying to determine the cause of the blast.

“We know that some welding work was being conducted on the condensate tanks on location, however the exact reason for the fire is not known at this time. We will work with the appropriate agencies to determine the exact cause,” the company noted, adding, “Our thoughts are with the individuals that were hurt today and their families.”

Federal investigators are expected to visit the site of the Wyoming explosion this weekend.