"Blast at U.S. LNG Site Casts Spotlight on Natural Gas Safety"

"The [March 31] incident at Williams Co Inc's massive gas storage site is a rare safety-record blemish among the dozens of U.S. LNG plants and storage sites, including towering tanks in packed neighborhoods of New York City, and near Boston.

Energy industry experts and opponents of new LNG plants alike said it may spur debate about safe handling of gas for cities increasingly reliant on the clean-burning fuel. At least a dozen new U.S. LNG export facilities are seeking government approval, and some have faced opposition on safety grounds.

Early Monday, a 'processing vessel' at the Williams facility near the small town of Plymouth, Washington, exploded, spraying chunks of shrapnel as heavy as 250 pounds as far as 300 yards, according to local emergency responders."

Joshua Schneyer, Timothy Gardner, and Richard Valdmanis report for Reuters April 7, 2014.

SEE ALSO:

"Pipe Explodes at Williams Lng Facility in Washington State" (Reuters)