Pipeline inspections

Since the pipeline explosion on Wednesday, there have been numerous aircraft - mainly helicopters - flying above the pipeline right-a-way.

Today there was one airplane that flew back and forth multiple times. The plane's path was both along the pipeline and also perpendicular to the pipeline.

I was able to capture the following pictures during one of the flybys.









Later in the afternoon I saw a pickup truck with the El Paso Corporation logo visit my neighbor across the road.

Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion (part 2)

Yesterday I reported on a pipeline rupture and subsequent explosion and fire that occurred a few miles away from where I live.

Several news sources have reported that the Morgan County Sheriff's Office announced this afternoon that it appears that the leak was the result of an over-pressurization or failure in the pipe or pipe weld. The explosion likely resulted from the ignition of the natural gas from a spark from debris, static electricity or nearby power transformers. The Division of State Fire Marshal and Morgan County Sheriff's Office investigation has concluded. There was no evidence of an accidental or intentional breach.

The explosion created a 30-foot-wide by 15-foot-deep crater. The blast was felt as far as 12 miles away. It was estimated that about 60 acres burned. Authorities were only able to get within about 1000 yards during the peak of the fires. Flames reported shot 200 to 300 feet in the air.

Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion

This morning there was a natural gas pipeline explosion about 6 miles to the north, northeast of where I live. The explosion and resulting fires occurred around 8:30 am. The location was just across the Athens County line in Homer Township, Morgan County, Ohio.

I was not home at the time as I was already at work in Athens. I first learned of the explosion at 9:34 am through an emergency notification service called Nixle. The service is really nice and if you haven't heard of it, I recommend that you take a look at their website to see if they have coverage in your area.

The incident was originally reported to have occurred near Robinson and Hooper Ridge Roads. Various news reports now say the explosion was near 9436 and 9500 Taylor Road. Several buildings were destroyed and one woman was taken to an area hospital.

The natural gas pipeline is owned by Tennessee Gas Pipeline. I have seen conflicting news reports on the size of the line. For example, Reuters, reported it as a 25-inch high pressure gas line. The Athens News reported it as a 36-inch gas pipeline.

Of particular interest to me is that there is a natural gas pipeline across the road from my house near the ridge top - approximately 700 feet away. If you look at the "System Map" from Tennessee Gas Pipeline, it shows what looks like one pipeline coming up through Southeast Ohio.



Topographic maps such as what is available from trails.com show several pipelines running through this part of the state. The one closest to me appears to be the one that ruptured today if you follow it northward into Morgan County.

The National Pipeline Mapping System has a public map viewer. By selecting Ohio and then Athens County, I can see that there are four Tennessee Gas pipelines within about 1 mile to the west of my house - actually two on the ridge top within 700 feet.



Those two pipelines (the two on the right) travel along together using mostly the same path into Morgan County. But there are places where they split apart briefly such as where they cross my road (Mill Creek Road).

Once in Morgan County, the pipelines split apart again for a brief while.



Based on an aerial photo of today's explosion site, it appears that it is the west branch of those two pipelines that ruptured.

It will be interesting if we ever hear what caused the leak and explosion.

Update: Thursday, November 17: The Athens Messenger reports that this was a 36-inch, carbon steel pipeline that was constructed in Southeast Ohio in 1963.