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  • An aerial of the devastated desert landscape in the burning greater Al Burgan oil fields in Kuwait after the end of the Gulf War in May of 1991. The sand has been coated with oil from more than 700 wells that were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history. Firefighting equipment has been moved in to begin the process of extinguishing this burning well.
    KUW_021_xs.jpg
  • A firefighter from Safety Boss of Canada sprays foam on one of the weaker oil well fires. More than 700 wells were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history. Photo shot on July 3, 1991.
    KUW_071_xs.jpg
  • Oil well fire fighting specialists from the Texas company Boots and Coots shield themselves from the intense heat of the fire so that they can more closely direct other workers using equipment on the end of long booms attached to shielded bulldozers in the Kuwait oil fields. The company was one of those brought in to fight the Kuwait oil well fires after the end of the Gulf War. More than 700 wells were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history.
    KUW_068_xs.jpg
  • An oil well fire specialist from the Texas company Wild Well Control shields himself from the intense heat of the fire so that he can more closely direct other workers using equipment on the end of long booms attached to shielded bulldozers in the Kuwait oil fields. The company was one of those brought in to fight the Kuwait oil well fires after the end of the Gulf War. More than 700 wells were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history.
    KUW_059_xs.jpg
  • Oil well fire fighting specialists from the Texas company Boots and Coots shield themselves from the intense heat of the fire so that they can more closely direct other workers using equipment on the end of long booms attached to shielded bulldozers in the Kuwait oil fields. The company was one of those brought in to fight the Kuwait oil well fires after the end of the Gulf War. More than 700 wells were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history. Photo taken on July 3, 1991.
    KUW_066_xs.jpg
  • The Crown Prince of Kuwait visiting the oil well fires for the first time in May which were set immediately after the end of the Gulf War. The royal family fled and when they returned they finally went out to see the burning Magwa oil fields near Ahmadi, Kuwait. More than 700 wells were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history.
    KUW_060_xs.jpg
  • The burning Al Burgan oil fields in Kuwait after the end of the Gulf War in May of 1991 were covered in oil that rained down from the clouds of oil smoke and oil shooting into the air after a fire had been extinguished. More than 700 wells were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history. Here a fire fighting crew from Wild Well Control sprays water on a fire so that they can move closer with heavy equipment and attempt to stop the flow with a "stinger?. A stinger is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas.
    KUW_020_xs.jpg
  • Oil well fire fighting specialists from the Texas company Boots and Coots shield themselves from the intense heat of the fire so that they can more closely direct other workers using equipment on the end of long booms attached to shielded bulldozers in the Kuwait oil fields. The company was one of those brought in to fight the Kuwait oil well fires after the end of the Gulf War. More than 700 wells were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history. Photo taken on July 3, 1991.
    KUW_067_xs.jpg
  • Brian Krause, president of Boots and Coots, talks with Sara Akbar, development specialist for the Kuwait Oil Company, and member of the firefighting team from the company's (KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) as they prepare to extinguish the first oil well fire in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. After dousing the flames with high pressure water hoses, they sealed the spurting well of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila oil field is one of Iraq's biggest with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_126_x.jpg
  • Brian Krause, president of Boots and Coots, with Sara Akbar, development specialist for the Kuwait Oil Company and member of the firefighting team from the company's (KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) as they prepare to extinguish the first oil well fire in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. Sara is a Muslim woman and is rather surprised by the way Brian, a friendly American, reacts to a photo by putting his arm around her. The other Kuwaiti's notice this too. After dousing the flames with high pressure water hoses, they sealed the spurting well of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila oil field is one of Iraq's biggest with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_121_x.jpg
  • Aisa Bou Yabes, head of the Kuwait Oil Company firefighting team dispatched to southern Iraq to extinguish oil well fires in Rumaila oilfield. Seven or eight of the oil wells were set on fire by retreating Iraqi troops when the US and UK invasion began. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030324_487_x.jpg
  • Boots and Coots firefighters photograph each other near a raging oil gusher in Rumaila oil field, Southern Iraq. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest with five billion barrels in reserve. Boots and Coots had a team of firefighters in Kuwait ready to go into Iraq several weeks before the war began. All of their equipment (including bulldozers and trucks) was flown in from Texas on large Russian cargo planes (AN-124s). Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_047_rwx.jpg
  • Boots and Coots firefighters photograph each other near a raging oil gusher in Rumaila oil field, Southern Iraq. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest with five billion barrels in reserve. Boots and Coots had a team of firefighters in Kuwait ready to go into Iraq several weeks before the war began. All of their equipment (including bulldozers and trucks) was flown in from Texas on large Russian cargo planes (AN-124s). Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_011_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) connect hoses to water tanks and pumps by the second oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. Later in the day they failed to extinguish this fire with water and then tried to stop the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. This was also unsuccessful. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah..
    IRQ_030327_043_rwx.jpg
  • Gari of Boots and Coots takes a mid-morning break in front of one of the equipment containers near a raging oil well fire in Rumaila field, Southern Iraq. Another fire blazes in the distance. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest with five billion barrels in reserve. Boots and Coots had a team of firefighters in Kuwait ready to go into Iraq several weeks before the war began. All of their equipment (including bulldozers and trucks) was flown in from Texas on large Russian cargo planes (AN-124s). Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030328_091_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_070_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) connect hoses to water tanks and pumps by the second oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. Later in the day they failed to extinguished this fire with water and then tried to stop the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger", a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. This was also unsuccessful. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with 5 billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah..
    IRQ_030327_048_rwx.jpg
  • Sara Akbar, development specialist for the Kuwait Oil Company, makes a cell phone call before joining firefighters from the companies (KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) as they prepare to extinguish the first oil well fire in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. After dousing the flames with high pressure water hoses, they sealed the spurting well of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila oil field is one of Iraq's biggest with five billion barrels in reserve. The burning wells in the Rumaila Field were ignited by retreating Iraqi troops when the US and UK invasion began in March 2003. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030324_061_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) pray at noon by the first oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumeilah Oil Field. They did a double prayer at noon so they would not have to stop later in the day if they were at a critical phase. Later in the day they extinguished this smoky fire and the next day stopped the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger", a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. (Supporting image from the project Hungry Planet: What the World Eats.)
    KUW03_4858_xf1brw.jpg
  • Boots and Coots firefighters Bud, R., and Mike (C. covered in oil) help Halliburton pump driver (L., has company name covered with tape) connect pipes to "sting" extinguished fire with drilling mud. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe attached to the end of a long steel boom that is controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila, Iraq. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_038_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_169_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_167_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_161_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to extinguish an oil fire in the Rumeilah Oil Field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the hemoraging, flaming well. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them difficult and dangerous. (Supporting image from the project Hungry Planet: What the World Eats.)
    KUW03_4976_xf1brw.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumeilah Oil Field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them difficult and dangerous. (Supporting image from the project Hungry Planet: What the World Eats.)
    KUW03_4871_xf1brw.jpg
  • Boots and Coots team member study a gushing oil well minutes after the fire was extinguished; the ground is still smoking. The well was capped two hours later using a "stinger" a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_076_x.jpg
  • Boots and Coots team member turn a blazing inferno into a gushing oil well with high pressure water. The ground is still smoking. The well was capped two hours later using a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer (at present, there is a large rake on the boom that was used to clear debris. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila, Iraq. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_262_rwx.jpg
  • Boots and Coots prepare to attack their first oil well fire in the Rumaila Oil Field after a delay of a week due to security, sandstorms, and bureaucracy problems. They are taking a close look while shielding themselves with metal roofing pieces to block the intense heat of the fire. Rumaila is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_117_x.jpg
  • Boots and Coots prepare to attack their first oil well fire in the Rumaila Oil Field after a delay of a week due to security, sandstorms, and bureaucracy problems. They are taking a close look while shielding themselves with metal roofing pieces to block the intense heat of the fire. Rumaila is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_115_x.jpg
  • Boots and Coots prepares to attack their first oil well fire in the Rumaila Oil Field after a delay of a week due to security, sandstorms, and bureaucracy problems. They are taking a close look shielding themselves with metal roofing pieces that block the intense heat of the fire. Rumaila is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_075_x.jpg
  • Boots and Coots team members study a gushing oil well minutes after the fire was extinguished. The ground is still smoking. Well capped two hours later using a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_046_rwx.jpg
  • Mike of Boots and Coots after getting covered with oil while running a backhoe. The gusher was capped two hours later using a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_031_rwx.jpg
  • One of the oil wells set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops in the southern Iraq Rumaila oil field The wells were set on fire with explosives placed by retreating Iraqi troops when the US and UK invasion began. Seven or 8 wells were set ablaze but at least one other was detonated but did not ignite. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030324_112_rwx.jpg
  • Boots and Coots team members direct a backhoe clearing debris away from a gushing oil well minutes after the fire was extinguished (the ground is still smoking). The well was capped two hours later using a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, was pumped through the "stinger" into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_286_rwx.jpg
  • Boots and Coots prepare to attack their first oil well fire in the Rumaila Oil Field after a delay of a week due to security, sandstorms, and bureaucracy problems. They are taking a close look while shielding themselves with metal roofing pieces to block the intense heat of the fire. Rumaila is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_251_rwx.jpg
  • Boots and Coots prepare to attack their first oil well fire in the Rumaila Oil Field after a delay of a week due to security, sandstorms, and bureaucracy problems. They are taking a close look while shielding themselves with metal roofing pieces to block the intense heat of the fire. Rumaila is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_249_rwx.jpg
  • Boots and Coots prepare to attack their first oil well fire in the Rumaila Oil Field after a delay of a week due to security, sandstorms, and bureaucracy problems. They are taking a close look while shielding themselves with metal roofing pieces to block the intense heat of the fire. Rumaila is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_246_rwx.jpg
  • Boots and Coots prepare to attack their first oil well fire in the Rumaila Oil Field after a delay of a week due to security, sandstorms, and bureaucracy problems. They are taking a close look while shielding themselves with metal roofing pieces to block the intense heat of the fire. Rumaila is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_121_x.jpg
  • Mike of Boots and Coots after getting covered with oil while running a backhoe. The gusher was capped two hours later using a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_068_x.jpg
  • Boots and Coots team members study a gushing oil well minutes after the fire was extinguished. The ground is still smoking. Well capped two hours later using a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_053_rwx.jpg
  • Mike of Boots and Coots trudges along a dike surrounding an oil gusher and pond after getting covered with oil running a backhoe. The gusher was capped two hours later using a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_006_rwx.jpg
  • Boots and Coots prepares to attack their first oil well fire in the Rumaila field after a delay of a week due to security, sandstorms, and bureaucracy problems. They are taking a close look shielding themselves with metal roofing pieces that block the intense heat of the fire and working under a water spray. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030328_025_rwx.jpg
  • Boots and Coots prepares to attack their first oil well fire in the Rumaila field after a delay of a week due to security, sandstorms, and bureaucracy problems. All of their new equipment (including bulldozers and trucks) was flown in from Texas on large Russian cargo planes (AN-124s). The men and equipment were in place waiting in Kuwait months before the US invasion in March. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030328_014_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Boots and Coots oilwell firefighting company (owned by Halliburton) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030328_096_rwx.jpg
  • In Kuwait on July 3, 1991, a Boots and Coots oil well firefighting specialist guides a stinger that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A stinger is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them difficult and dangerous. More than 700 wells were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history.
    KUW_028_xs.jpg
  • An aerial of the devastated desert landscape in the burning greater Al Burgan oil fields in Kuwait after the end of the Gulf War in May of 1991. The sand has been coated with oil from more than 700 wells that were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history. Firefighting equipment has been moved in to begin the process of extinguishing this burning well.
    KUW_017_xs.jpg
  • General Crear of the Army Corps of Engineers talks with Larry Flak of Boots and Coots near a burning oil well just extinguished by Boots and Coots in Iraq's Rumaila Oil Field. Flak headed the 1991 firefighting effort in Kuwait that extinguished more than 700 oil well fires placed by retreating Iraqi troops. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_027_rwx.jpg
  • Aisa Bou Yabes, head of the Kuwait Oil Company firefighting team dispatched to southern Iraq inspects damage to oil well heads in Iraq's Rumaila field. The wells were set on fire with explosives by retreating Iraqi troops when the US and UK invasion began. Seven or eight wells were set ablaze. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030324_4603_x.jpg
  • The Kuwait Oil Company firefighting team dispatched to southern Iraq extinguished their first oil well fire in Iraq's Rumaila field. The wells were set on fire with explosives by retreating Iraqi troops when the US and UK invasion began. Seven or eight wells were set ablaze. Here the ground is still smoking and oil boiling as the well still spurts some oil. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030324_105_rwx.jpg
  • Aisa Bou Yabes, head of the Kuwait Oil Company firefighting team dispatched to southern Iraq smiles ever so slightly after his team extinguished their first oil well fire in Iraq's Rumaila field. The wells were set on fire with explosives by retreating Iraqi troops when the US and UK invasion began. Seven or eight wells were set ablaze. Here the ground is still smoking and oil boiling as the well still spurts some oil. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. The burning wells in the Rumaila Field were ignited by retreating Iraqi troops when the US and UK invasion began in March 2003. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030324_099_rwx.jpg
  • A firefighting oil well worker employed by Safety Boss of Canada cools off in a tank of seawater in July 1991 during efforts to cap a well during the Kuwait Oil Well Fires. Ambient temperatures in the July desert exceeded 120 degrees F and often went much higher. More than 700 wells were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history.
    KUW_026_xs.jpg
  • The military public relations team moved in as soon as the oil field were secure to herd a bus load of journalists so that they could report on the firefighting effort by Boots and Coots, Rumaila oil field, southern Iraq. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_057_rwx.jpg
  • Aisa Bou Yabes, head of the Kuwait Oil Company firefighting team dispatched to southern Iraq inspects damage to oil well heads in Iraq's Rumaila field. He is holding a wire used by retreating Iraqi troops to detonate explosives and set this oil well on fire in the southern Iraq Rumaila oil field. The wells were set on fire when the US and UK invasion began. Seven or 8 wells were set ablaze but at least one other was detonated but did not ignite. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030324_165_rwx.jpg
  • An armed guard in a food warehouse. The port was looted after a firefight the night before, resulting in the deaths of dozens of people. Mogadishu, war-torn capital of Somalia. March 1992.
    SOM_01_xs.jpg
  • Boots and Coots firefighters photograph each other near a raging oil well fire in Rumaila field, Southern Iraq. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest with five billion barrels in reserve. Boots and Coots had a team of firefighters in Kuwait ready to go into Iraq several weeks before the war began. All of their equipment (including bulldozers and trucks) was flown in from Texas on large Russian cargo planes (AN-124s). Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030328_104_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_105_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_083_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) connect hoses to water tanks and pumps by the second oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. Later in the day they failed to extinguished this fire with water and then tried to stop the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. This was also unsuccessful. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah..
    IRQ_030327_028_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. A sudden wind shift after a sandstorm caused the oil to blow back on the workers and equipment, causing a very dangerous situation because the oil and gas could have easily ignited. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. This well is of relatively low volume. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah..
    IRQ_030325_055_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) pray at noon by the first oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. Later in the day they extinguished this smoky fire and the next day stopped the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger", (a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas). The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. The burning wells in the Rumaila Field were ignited by retreating Iraqi troops when the US and UK invasion began in March 2003. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030324_176_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters preparing a burning oil well so that the damaged well head can be capped in the Magwa field near Ahmadi, Kuwait. More than 700 wells were set ablaze by retreating Iraqi troops creating the largest man-made environmental disaster in history.
    KUW_033_xs.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) pray at noon by the second oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030401_154_x.jpg
  • For five days in a row, Kuwait firefighters attempted without success to kill an oil well fire in the Rumaila field placed by retreating Iraqi troops. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030401_113_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) pray at noon by the second oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with 5 billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030401_096_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_157_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_147_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah..
    IRQ_030327_067_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) connect hoses to water tanks and a replacement pumps near the second oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. Later in the day they failed to extinguished this fire with water and then tried to stop the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. This was also unsuccessful. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah..
    IRQ_030327_026_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) connect hoses to water tanks and a replacement pumps near the second oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. Later in the day they failed to extinguished this fire with water and then tried to stop the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. This was also unsuccessful. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_025_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) connect hoses to water tanks and a replacement pumps near the second oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. Later in the day they failed to extinguished this fire with water and then tried to stop the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. This was also unsuccessful. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah..
    IRQ_030327_023_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) pray at noon by the first oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil Field. They did a double prayer at noon so they would not have to stop later in the day if they were at a critical phase. Later in the day they extinguished this smoky fire and the next day stopped the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a stinger, a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.. (Supporting image from the project Hungry Planet: What the World Eats.)
    IRQ_030327_019_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) connect hoses to water tanks and a replacement pumps near the second oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. Later in the day they failed to extinguished this fire with water and then tried to stop the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. This was also unsuccessful. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah..
    IRQ_030327_013_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) connect hoses to water tanks and pumps near the second oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. Later in the day they failed to extinguish this fire with water and then tried to stop the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. This was also unsuccessful. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_002_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) pose for group picture at Rumaila Oil Field in southern Iraq. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. This well was of relatively low volume. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030325_097_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. A sudden wind shift after a sandstorm caused the oil to blow back on the workers and equipment, causing a very dangerous situation because the oil and gas could have easily ignited. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. This well is of relatively low volume. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah..
    IRQ_030325_064_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. A sudden wind shift after a sandstorm caused the oil to blow back on the workers and equipment, causing a very dangerous situation because the oil and gas could have easily ignited. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. This well is of relatively low volume. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah..
    IRQ_030325_061_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. A sudden wind shift after a sandstorm caused the oil to blow back on the workers and equipment, causing a very dangerous situation because the oil and gas could have easily ignited. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. This well is of relatively low volume. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.     .
    IRQ_030325_052_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) pray at noon by the first oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil Field. Later in the day they extinguished this smoky fire and the next day stopped the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger", a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest with 5 billion barrels in reserve. The burning wells in the Rumaila Field were ignited by retreating Iraqi troops when the US and UK invasion began in March 2003. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030324_154_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) pray at noon by the first oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil Field. Later in the day they extinguished this smoky fire and the next day stopped the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger", a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest with 5 billion barrels in reserve. The burning wells in the Rumaila Field were ignited by retreating Iraqi troops when the US and UK invasion began in March 2003. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030324_151_rwx.jpg
  • Burning oil well in the Rumaila Oil Field in southern Iraq. The wells were ignited by retreating Iraqi troops when the US and UK invasion began in March 2003. Firefighters from the Kuwait Oil Company (called KWWK: Kuwait Wild Well Killers) pray at noon by the first oil well fire they were working on in Iraq's Rumaila Oil field. Later in the day they extinguished this smoky fire and the next day stopped the flow of gas and oil with drilling mud using what is called a "stinger," a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030324_037_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to extinguish an oil fire in the Rumaila Oil Field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the flaming well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them difficult and dangerous. Rumaila, Iraq. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030401_203_x.jpg
  • For five days in a row, Kuwait firefighters attempted without success to kill an oil well fire Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous..They used a huge bell-shaped steel chamber to move the heat of the fire further away from the ground so that it would be easier to extinguish with high-pressure water hoses. They ran out of water, however, before they could finish. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030401_163_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil well fire in the Rumaila field by dousing it with high pressure water hoses. Then they will guide a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. A wind shift after a sandstorm covered many of the men and machines in oil, a dangerous shift. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Rumaila, Iraq. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030329_064_rwx.jpg
  • Two Kuwaiti Oil Company firefighters shelter themselves from the intense heat of an oil well fire in a spray of water, behind a piece of metal roofing as they guide a "stinger" on the end of a long boom that will pump drilling mud into the gushing well at high pressure to stop the fire and flow of gas and oil. Rumaila oilfield, southern Iraq. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest with 5 billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_112_x.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah.
    IRQ_030327_085_rwx.jpg
  • Firefighters from the KWWK (Kuwait Wild Well Killers) attempt to kill an oil fire in the Rumaila field by dosing the fire with water while guiding a "stinger" that will pump drilling mud into the damaged well. A "stinger" is a tapered pipe on the end of a long steel boom controlled by a bulldozer. Drilling mud, under high pressure, is pumped through the stinger into the well, stopping the flow of oil and gas. The Rumaila field is one of Iraq's biggest oil fields with five billion barrels in reserve. Many of the wells are 10,000 feet deep and produce huge volumes of oil and gas under tremendous pressure, which makes capping them very difficult and dangerous. Rumaila is also spelled Rumeilah..
    IRQ_030327_033_rwx.jpg

Peter Menzel Photography

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