1970 — Nov 11, premature liquid explosives, Pan American Bird Creek test oil well, Tulsa OK–9

–9 AP. “Nine Die in Explosion at Tulsa Oil Well Testing Site.” Ada Evening News, OK, 11-12-1970, 1.
–9 AP. “Tulsa Explosion Below Surface?” Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore, OK, 11-13-1970, p. 1.
–9 Curtis, Gene. “Way Back When: Today in History.” Tulsa World, 11-11-2013.
–9 Ferrara, Grace M. The Disaster File: The 1970’s. New York: Facts on File, 1979, p. 101.

Narrative Information

Curtis: “1970 – Explosion kills 9.

“Nine workers were killed in an explosion at a Pan American Petroleum Corp. testing site near Bird Creek at 66th Street North and 129th East Avenue, but no one was aware of the blast and fatalities until the bodies were found by a repair crew that was searching for the cause of a power outage. Five of the victims were employees of Pan American and four worked for Commercial Solvents, a company involved in a research project. The accident apparently happened when the crew was preparing to test a liquid explosive for underground oil formations.” (Curtis, Gene. “Way Back When: Today in History.” Tulsa World, 11-11-2013.)

Ferrara: “Nine oil well workers using a secret liquid explosive to unlock underground oil pools were killed Nov. 11 in Tulsa, Okla. In an explosion that dug a 50-foot crater in solid rock. The explosion cut off electricity to three nearby communities. The victims were employed by Pan American Oil Co., a subsidiary of Standard Oil Co. of Indiana, and Commercial Solvents Co. of New York. Both firms refused to discuss the secret liquid explosive.” (Ferrara, Grace M. The Disaster File: The 1970’s. New York: Facts on File, 1979, p. 101.)

Newspaper

Nov 12: “Tulsa, Okla. (AP) – A dynamite explosion which erupted as an oil company seismograph crew was conducting an experiment killed nine men Wednesday evening. Officials of Pan American Oil Co. said five of the dead were from Tulsa, two were from Terre Haute, Ind., and the other two were not identified immediately.

“Investigating officers were trying to piece together just what caused the dynamite to go off, leaving a gaping crater 25 feet wide and 5 feet deep. They theorized the men were either lowering or getting ready to lower to bundle of dynamite charges into a test well during an experiment on a geologic feature.

“Five of the dead were listed as M. A. Millinger Sr., a research engineer; E. E. Robinson, William G. Bearden, M. J. Grothe and David K. Ellis, 26, all of Tulsa. All were Pan American employes. They said the other two identified dead were Emery Earl Toops and Wayne Denadel, both of Terre Haute and employes of Commercial Solvents Co., a New York City-based firm.

“The explosion occurred at the Pan American’s Bird Creek testing site in northeast Tulsa County. A company official said the crew was conducting an experiment on an underground geologic fracture. Pan American spokesmen said they could not determine in darkness exactly what happened.

“The blast apparently occurred shortly before 6 p.m. and shock waves were felt in a wide area. However, it was some time before the source of the explosion was discovered. A Tulsa County sheriff’s office dispatcher said the first persons on the scene were members of a power company crew looking for a broken electrical line.

“The truck, being used by the seismograph crew in drilling a test hole, was demolished. A drilling truck and a van also were ripped apart. Several sheds, some used for storage of explosives, were near the site of the blast and fear of other explosions led authorities to blockade the area for several hours.

“Dynamite is used by seismograph crews to make soundings for oil deposits.” (AP. “Nine Die in Explosion at Tulsa Oil Well Testing Site.” Ada Evening News, OK, 11-12-1970, p. 1.)

Nov 13: “Tulsa (AP) – A powerful oil field explosion that killed nine persons and blasted a 25-foot-wide crater occurred about eight feet below the surface of the ground, investigators believed today….The bundle of liquid explosives was apparently being lowered into a test well when it was ignited. What detonated the explosives isn’t known. The area is sealed off from curiosity viewers as experts comb it for clues to the blast….there were no surviving witnesses….” (Associated Press. “Tulsa Explosion Below Surface?” Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore, OK, 11-13-1970, p. 1.

Sources

Associated Press. “Nine Die in Explosion at Tulsa Oil Well Testing Site.” Ada Evening News, OK, 11-12-1970, p. 1.

Associated Press. “Tulsa Explosion Below Surface?” Daily Ardmoreite, Ardmore, OK, 11-13-1970, p. 1. Accessed 3-15-2022 at: https://newspaperarchive.com/ardmore-daily-ardmoreite-nov-13-1970-p-1/

Curtis, Gene. “Way Back When: Today in History.” Tulsa World, 11-11-2013. Accessed 3-15-2022 at: https://tulsaworld.com/way-back-when-today-in-history/article_644ce676-0b32-5861-bfe7-e1676e41bb27.html

Ferrara, Grace M. The Disaster File: The 1970’s. New York: Facts on File, 1979.