KATY MAN KILLED IN BLAST:

Katy Man Killed in Blast

By Judy Triplett

The Katy Times

June 22, 1994

A 37-year old Katy man was killed Sunday morning when a high pressure release of natural gas blasted from a wellhead during a maintenance operation at a gas storage facility south of Katy.

Fermin Aguilera J., of 1622 Clay Road, died instantly from injuries he received in the accident, Fort Bend Sheriff's Department authorities confirmed.

Aguilera was a service man for Kvaerner National Inc. The incident occurred at 10:15 a.m., June 19, at the Western Gas Resources Storage facility in the 2600 block of Greenbusch Road.  Kvaerner National is a subcontractor at the facility.

An adaptor flange failed on top of the blow-out prevention equipment of the #4 well, said Larry Krohmer, a manager at Western Gas.

The blast cut off the victim's lower abdomen and amputated his left leg, according to investigating officer Deputy Dan Deprez of the Fort Bend County Sheriff's Department.  The man died immediately.

Krohmer said the victim was attempting to release pressure from the well so routine maintenance could be performed.  When he began to bleed the well, he discovered an indication of a gas bubble under high pressure.

As he closed the valve, Krohmer said, a flange failed and the high pressure gas released, causing a blast.

Although there was a loud boom, there was no fire in the explosion and area residents were never in danger, Krohmer said.

The blowout prevention equipment on the well activated, and the affected area is now isolated and shut in, he added.

The victim had many years of experience in the "routine operation" and was "an expert in what he was performing," Krohmer said.

"It was a very freakish, very unusual accident" for the flange to disfunction, Krohmer said.  The cause of the flange failure is still under investigation.

Western Gas installed the latest technology of safety equipment and is one of the safest facilities of its kind, Krohmer said. It's like the NASA of gas storage facilities," he said.

The accident is under investigation by the Texas Railroad Commission.

The Western facility has been a source of controversy with area residents who raised safety concerns when plans for the facility were made public.

The facility stores natural gas in a depleted underground geological formation which, at the time it was discovered, held a sizable gas reservoirs [sic] in the United States. The field was depleted in the late 1960's, Krohmer said.

Aguilera was a Katy area resident for the last six months, a co-worker said.  He is survived by his two children, mother and sister, all of Abilene.  Funeral services will be held Thursday, 3 p.m. at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Abilene.  Elliot-Hammel Funeral Home, 842 Hickory, Abilene, Texas are making the arrangements.