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Spudm

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High pressure natural gas transmission lines running through their property?
Are you concerned about it?
I have two lines, one is 22 inch, the other is 30 inch diameters. Plans are now being made by the pipeline co to expand the right of way to 300 feet, and add a third high pressure line. This one I am told will be 42 inches in diameter. Earlier this month, the 22 inch diameter ruptured during the middle of the night. Looking at the damage that was done, it was scary to say the least! Family farm, not much I can do about it though...
 
Some williams company is trying to put a big pipeline through our county. People are throwing a big fit about it. There is another pipeline not far from me. The company decided to clear all vegatation higher than 4 feet off of it. People have trees in their backyard that are 50 ft high that have been there for 30 years. Too bad, they are all coming down...
 
E. T. Rover pipeline co. is in the process of surveying for a proposed 42 inch line that will run through our farm. Not very happy about it, but not sure if we can do anything to stop it. This is in Livingston county Michigan
 
so, in over 50 years, a total of 14 people died. Pretty good odds, don't you think? Much better than autos, which I drive daily. And, I do have a gas line crossing our place.
 
Back in the 80s they put the Northern Border Pipeline in this country,E SD. Think it is 30", not sure. They pressure tested it with water. Blew out about six miles from here. Fixed it and no trouble since. Have a jet engine powered booster station on that line 4 miles from here. They are pumping natural gas thru it and the booster engines are powered with the gas.
 
The surveying for the expanded right of way, and new pipeline here, is to begin in a couple of weeks. a 42 inch, high pressure line is HUGE!
 
When the pipeline blew here earlier this month, a TransCanada Official told me the psi was at 700. Maximum is 850. You wouldn't believe the damage that was done, not too mention a 30 ft section of pipe blown from the ground, leaving behind a HUGE crater, that has turned into a sink hole.
 
Yep, they say it's the safest mode of transportation for this stuff. If you ever seen one of these lines rupture or explode, it may change your mind.
 
We've had a 12"as line about 1/4 mile from my farm for about 20 years--no problems so far, and it's inspected regularly. We also have a 36" gas line crossing the county which will be done this year. Gas lines have a lot less chance of pollution as the oil one near us in Marshall, MI but the fire danger is much higher--not sure which one is worse.
 
The overall safety record of pipelines is a lot better than any other means of transport, or so I'm told. May be the least of evils.
 
When I was a kid- late 30s, we had 2 12inch lines running through our place. One blew out. They hauled dirt for months to fill the hole in.
 
In Lancaster county PA, two pipelines, WW2 emergency project originally 20 and 24 inch diameter (25 feet apart, 75 foot right-of-way). 20 inch was for refined products, the 24 inch was for crude oil. After the war, both were privatized and converted to natural gas. In 1989 the 24 inch was replaced with a 36 inch diameter - don't know what the presure is. Once a long time ago, one of the pipes blew up during the water pressure test. No other problems other that permanently devalued property and the top soil being at the bottom of the trench. Pipeline contractor have been through the farm at least twice in the last 15 years clearing trees and brush in the 75 foot right-of-way. It is long overdue for the trees in the pipe line right-of-way to be removed from the suburban properties. Saw one neighbor who is going to lose at least 30 trees.
Elsewhere in Lancaster county, a proposed 42 inch diameter new pipeline at 1200 to 1500 psi. Don't see why a multi-billion dollar project can not include a monthly check forever to property owners in the pipe line path in addition to the initial compensation for the easment and loss of use of the farm land.
 
I posted this here before and will again. It happened a couple miles northwest of me just over the Michigan border a few years ago. A young fella, apprentice was on a backhoe digging for a barn when he dug into the 24” was killed. It didn’t ignite, but was pressurized as 850 PSI, and shook windows miles to the east of me. He was killed instantly they figured. If you look closely, it uncovered another 22” pipe that those people in the picture are standing over. Those pipes run east-west between 200’ and 300’ north of me, not on my property. Now close to them across the road they are getting everyone to give them permission to run another 30” pipe parallel to those two. Its going to happen whether anyone wants it or not. These days if you say no, they have your land condemned and take it, legally (Supreme Court decision “New London Vrs Keho”).
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There's a 24-inch natural gas line about 1,200 feet behind my house. I've lived here 20 years. but I've never really worried about it. A low-flying plane cruses over it twice a week looking for problems.

Even though I don't worry, it doesn't mean I'm naive about the potential for an uh-oh, but I believe I came nearer getting killed in my now-deceased F150 than I ever will from a pipeline explosion.

I recall that back in the 60s a big pipeline came out of the ground in a small community about 50 miles south of me. It was December, and it was the middle of the night. The thing didn't ignite when it came out of the ground. The gas pumped out until it found a heater or fireplace in a cluster of homes in the little valley down below. Several people died in their beds. I remember the pipeline being described as a "giant blowtorch".
 
A 22'' line at 700 psi is exerting slightly over 1 million pounds of force, if something ruptures it there will be a big boom, although not necessarily a fire if no spark. The volume of gas required to maintain 700 psi on 22'' line is immense, the erosion from the flow of that gas cuts a lot of ditch in a hurry. The US is set to once again regain the top spot in production of petroleum liquids surpassing Saudi Arabia so there will be more pipelines to come.
 
I don't know if I would believe that. Back in the nineties a big pipeline company came along and wanted to run a methane pipeline right thru the middle of my best hay field and across a mile and a half of my land. Were going to give me nine thousand dollars for the right of way. I told them in no uncertain terms just where they could build their pipeline. Neighbors were too scared to tell them the same thing. They ended up with the line right thru their fields.
 
look, that many people died annually in bathroom falls. About 33,000 die annually in auto accidents in the US. And, think of ALL the safety stuff on cars now. It becomes wacky to say something is dangerous to someone, so it needs to not be there. Seriously. You may not want one of these near your house, but you may have gas or oil IN your house. You drive a car. Those are far more dangerous to you and you do it anyway. Fear mongering is really getting old. Every group is doing it now. "things are getting worse and we need to act now".
 
Thank you!
The "BOOM" was extremely loud, there was no fire, however the noise and vibrations lasted about three hours before the line depressurized. It was heard several miles away. Natural gas has no smell or odor which really made the area dangerous. Evacuations were made within a one mile radius.
 
Is this not called "Eminent Domain"?
A 42 inch pipeline at 850 psi? Imagine how many pounds of force would be in that pipe!
 
They also say airliners are the safest way to travel. If you ever see one of these planes crash, it may change your mind. TDF
 
The largest natural gas line in the states crosses my place. No problems, when they need to do something they generally pay real well. I have a bunch of pics somewhere of the pipe going in, was surprised to see these huge Caterpillars handling the pipe had a big boom on one side, a HUGE stack of weights on the other and NO ROPS.
 
They call it progress, with the new rules shutting down basically all the coal plants, they are all planning on switching to Natural Gas, the problem is, there is not enough supply for them all, hence all the new pipelines. It could get very, very cold for allot of us if or when the Natural Gas Supply ends up being cut short due to delivery problems, which equipment freezes up every day, so I would recommend people have a back up plan for heat if they rely on Natural Gas...
 
jeez....wrong thread! Sorry!

We have those lines to the north of us. They run right next to the neighbors home. I mean 50 feet or so away. Used to be an airplane that flew over them at low altitude twice each day and checked on them. If we so much as started digging a post hole in our yard the plane would start to circle and stay there until a truck pulled up. Guys would come right into the yard, check us out, apologize (wrong yard), explain about the pipeline...truck would leave, plane already gone. No more planes. Haven't seen one in a decade at least.
 
I had 1 42" angling across my 3 acres (66' easement) when I bought in 1984. About 13 years ago, they put a second 42' in the same easement. In order to do this, they had to repurchase the easement. In 1968, they paid $41 for the easement to cross this vacant property. By the time we were finished, I got north of $18,000 for the second main. Both lines are about 30' from the house. The answer to your question; no, I don't worry about it. If it lets go while I'm home, I probably won't even hear the boom (we're all going to die someday). If it lets go when I'm not home, just an insurance settlement.
 
Not much you can do about it. Usually there are public meetings with pipeline officials so people can express their concerns. Ultimately the Government will decide whether the pipeline gets built or not.
 
Basically what the pipeline company does is pay you fair market value for the property. In essence they are buying the land from you, but you still own it. No monthly checks, it's a one time deal. The only exception to this would be Indian Reservation land.
 
These pipes run across Mi, from In. just south of Lake Mi. and towards Port Huron & CA. And are a couple miles south of my place. A new one went in early this summer.
I well remember that accident.. They didn't call 'Miss Dig'
 
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