Lightning may have caused North Dakota oil spill

Fuel Fix ^ | October 31, 2013 | Associated Press

[Eva]

You don’t know much about trees and the relationship to oil was just plain silly.

[IMR 4350]

Have you ever thought about taking a class in reading comprehension?

If not you should.

You make less and less sense with each comment.

[Eva]

Logic 101 would might benefit you. You made a bizarre comment, trying to connect dead trees, hit by lightning to an oil spill that may have been caused by lightning. Then you proceeded to try to explain it.

[Eva]

Wow, that is a lot of oil. Seven and a half acres. How did that go unnoticed for so long? There is no excuse for that. It makes the whole industry look bad.

[IMR 4350]

No I didn’t, which is why you need reading comprehension.

[thackney]

How did that go unnoticed for so long?

Large fields of crops are often not patrolled. With a good crop cover, it could be well hidden.

[Eva]

But, I read in another article that there were no crops in those fields. Is that not true?

I was thinking later that this new explanation of a lightning strike or some other electrical event could suggest that they suspect some kind of sabotage. Is that possible? They also mention a nearby fence, was the fence electrified?

[American Constitutionalist]

Do those pipe lines have some kind of static discharge equipment ? like a lighting rod ?
If a pipe line leaks would there be a difference in temperature ?
Is it possible to put cheap temperature monitors along the pipe lines to detect a change in temperature ?
Have they ruled out sabotage from greenies ?

[thackney]

Do those pipe lines have some kind of static discharge equipment ? like a lighting rod ?

I have been the lead Electrical and Instrumentation design engineer for multiple pipelines and associated pump/compressor stations in the US. I have never seen such connected to the pipeline itself. Those are used for above ground items associated with the pipeline like a compressor or controls building. The pipeline will have electrically isolating material where it comes out of the ground, gasket for the flanges and sleeves/washers for the bolts.

If a pipe line leaks would there be a difference in temperature ? Is it possible to put cheap temperature monitors along the pipe lines to detect a change in temperature ?

The temperature inside the pipe typically will match that outside the pipe over time.

Have they ruled out sabotage from greenies ?

I have posted what I have found. Never saw that discussed as a possibility. It is tough to sabotage a pipeline from below grade without disturbing the soil.