Leak releases chemical that gives natural gas its odor

Posted 8/26/20

An early morning leak in a tank containing the chemical mercaptan, the harmless gas that gives natural gas its distinctive odor, spread the smell across a wide swath of the Platte River Valley on Wednesday

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Leak releases chemical that gives natural gas its odor

Posted

A mercaptan tank owned by Tall Grass Energy Partners at the Guernsey Tank Farm 207 Tank Farm Road in Guernsey had a leak early this morning and it was promptly repaired.  The bad smell continued and traveled as far as Lingle, but there was “no gas, and the leak was fixed” according to Terry Stevenson, Emergency Management Coordinator for Platte County. Tall Grass Energy Partners have were unavailable for comment.

“Tallgrass called me just before 8 a.m. this morning,” Stevenson said. They had a mercaptan leak at their Guernsey Tank Farm facility. No danger, but would smell like leaking gass. I notified dispatch in case they received calls.”

According to Stevenson, “natural gas is odorless. Mercaptan is what they add to it so that leaks can be smelled. No gas leaked. Only a mercaptan storage tank. It was a small leak in a sight glass on the tank.”