Williams Partners closes Opal gas processing facility after fire

Williams Partners has closed its Opal natural gas processing facility in Wyoming, US, following an explosion and fire.

The explosion is reported to have affected TXP-3, one of the five cryogenic processing trains that comprises the Opal facility. It has also forced a temporary stop in natural gas gathering from surrounding producing wells. Williams Partners is evaluating alternatives so that natural gas production can restart as early as possible.

The company said there were no reported injuries or damage to property outside the facility, and all personnel were safely evacuated. The fire forced the evacuation of an area including Opal town. It also closed Highway 30, which is near to the facility.

Located in Lincoln County, Wyoming, the Opal facility processes natural gas collected from wells in the area in order to prepare it for interstate natural gas pipeline transport. The facility, which also produces natural gas liquids (NGLs) from the natural gas, has an inlet capacity of 1.5 billion cubic feet of natural gas a day.

Williams Partners is engaged in natural gas transportation, gathering, treating, and processing, storage, NGL fractionation, and oil transportation. The company holds interests in three major interstate natural gas pipelines that, combined, deliver 14% of the natural gas consumed in the US.