Call before you dig!

deere755 · Jan 18, 2009

Makes me a little nervous as I live less then a mile from a gas pipeline.

Redneck in training · Jan 18, 2009

I was working on a compressor station somewhere in Alabama years ago. One morning when we gathered in the control room the entry door flew in and all windows out. All of us run out of the building and saw one of the large metal buildings with walls folded like a flower. Its roof flew like Frisbee several hundred feet away. There was a guy standing in the middle still with cigarette in his mouth shaking uncontrollably.
The welding contractor vacated the building and left only one guy behind just for the case. He showed up for work in the morning walked in the middle of the building and lit a cigarette. There wasn't enough gas to sustain burning but sufficient amount to explode. The flame went away from him so he was just scared sh$&less but unhurt.
Investigation found a small leak from pipeline just under the building.

tatra805 · Jan 19, 2009

Looking at the pictures i see it very possible that this was caused by the drilling.

We had a similar one back in 2004 in belgium. Liquid gas high pressure pipeline of 40" at 75bar.

(Second link contains graphic content.)

Belgian Gas Explosion Kills 15 (washingtonpost.com)

gaspipeline_belgium_2004

Only last week was a part trial of this accident. The leak was caused by a backhoe, the explosion happened at the moment the fire brigade arrived to investigate the gas-smell call from one of the workers.

The """"funny"""" thing in such a case is that the pipeline operator can not do anything but closing off the first 2 valves and wait till it burns out.

kthompson · Jan 19, 2009

Years ago saw a welder working over head using torch and arc welder. He was standing on one of those trash cans made from 55 gallon drum with the lid that is dome shaped and cone to drop the trash through. He laid his torch down after using it and picked up the welder. Seems his torch was leaking gas (probably had handle pressed open) into the trash can. Sparks from welder set it off and he was lifted up just a few feet but enough he will no doubt always remember it. I have.

Really a wonder no one was ever hurt in that shop. It has two large cutting tables and often they would have a striker issue where all torches did not auto light and it pick up inch plus steel plates when they did light. Oh the fun of that place.

J_J · Jan 19, 2009

If any of you guys think that was caused by a post hole digger , raise your hand. Where is the post hole digger, and where is the guy that was running it. The article said the cause is under investigation, so they don't know. Look at the direction of the smoke, that would be the same path the gas would flow, and it would stick close to the ground. They even said that someone had called the gas company.

hbarski · Jan 22, 2009

I'm not raising my hand....

Snopes Gas Main

JazzDad · Jan 22, 2009

Ahhh, good ole Snopes.

I was 90 miles from the Brenham explosion. I thought it was an earthquake, as the 2 story building I was in swayed. There were waves on the swimming pool.

Ridgewalker · Jan 23, 2009

J_J said:
If any of you guys think that was caused by a post hole digger , raise your hand. Where is the post hole digger, and where is the guy that was running it. The article said the cause is under investigation, so they don't know. Look at the direction of the smoke, that would be the same path the gas would flow, and it would stick close to the ground. They even said that someone had called the gas company.

JJ, me thinks everyone was kidding. You would have to have a 20' auger to hit that pipe with a PHD.

I wonder if the soil that got baked with grow anything in the spring...

J_J · Jan 23, 2009

Ridgewalker said:
JJ, me thinks everyone was kidding. You would have to have a 20' auger to hit that pipe with a PHD.

I wonder if the soil that got baked with grow anything in the spring...

Perhaps, maybe the original poster will explain. At least, put one of those faces on the right .

or

Gary Fowler · Jan 23, 2009

This is a repost someone started a few days ago with the "Call before you Dig" BS. The original explosion email was circulated last summer. People like to start rumors and take a real photo, sometimes doctor them up digitally and send them off. I am reminded of the one that was send around a few years ago saying that the Hubble telescope caught pictures of the shuttle explosion. Dont remember how many of those I got before folks realized it was a hoax which should have been an easy one since Hubble looks at the stars not at earth which is what that one was showing in the background.
By the way, I dont think I ever heard of a gas pipeline being larger than 48". Some low pressure water lines yes but that size line would have to be 4" or more thick to hold the pressure and they just dont make pipe that thick in that diameter. Standard wall thickness dont go higher than Schedule 80 after it passes 24 inch diameter. Then it is all 1/2 thick max from that point on. That is likely the reason for the rupture. The exterior corrosion coating was likely damaged during installation and not detected. It took a few to several years to rust a hole in the 1/2 thick pipe, then you have the problem. Pipeline companies are supposed to run a smart pig thru the lines are regular intervals to check for corrosion. I guess they missed this one.