Invisible disaster: Infrared images from the Environmental Defense Fund show a huge plume spewing from the ground. Two years ago today, the largest U.S. methane leak was discovered. The leak in northwest Los Angeles County focused attention on the state’s aging gas wells. Disaster snapshot The leaky well was one of 115 wells connected to a subsurface storage reservoir in the Aliso Canyon gas field. The field has been used for natural gas storage since 1973 and is the fourth largest facility of its kind in the U.S. 8,000 Approximate home evacuations to date 112 Days since gas leak was reported until it was stopped 48 Number of Aliso Canyon wells drilled before 1953 109,000 metric tons Estimated number of tons of methane leaked. Considered a large environmental disaster due to harmful emissions. Very small The risk of health effects to those exposed to the gas leak, according to […]