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the fact that El Paso had a pipeline explosion two years ago in an older mainline pipeline outside Carlsbad NM that killed 12 persons, leads to caution in pushing gas through at full "capacity", especially when older lines are revamped and put into service to meet capacity demands.

Apparently, a pipeline company is obliged to either run its line at capacity or have that capacity reduced.

47. The record is clear that El Paso Pipeline could have operated at or near MAOP without violating the Department of Transportation’s regulations and could have made available an additional 210 MMcf/d of capacity to its California delivery points. Not doing so was a violation of El Paso Pipeline’s certificate obligation to transport 3,290 MMcf/d to the California border. The Chief Judge can understand a reluctance to run a pipeline at the allowable and expected MAOP when it has just suffered a rupture in its pipeline which resulted in deaths. At the same time, he finds that El Paso Pipeline was under a duty to maintain its pipeline in a condition that would permit operation at or close to MAOP, if necessary, to meet its certificate obligations.

The Chief Judge can understand a reluctance to run a pipeline at the allowable and expected MAOP when it has just suffered a rupture in its pipeline which resulted in deaths. At the same time, he finds that El Paso Pipeline was under a duty to maintain its pipeline in a condition that would permit operation at or close to MAOP, if necessary, to meet its certificate obligations.

Damn the torpedoes! Full speed ahead!

Thanks for the PDF link to the judge's order.

BTW, the pipeline section that ruptured was about 3 ft. in diameter and approximately 50 years old. The explosion obliterated the pipeline section and created a very large crater in the ground. Due to its configuration on an approach to a bridge over the Pecos River, it could not be pigged to determine condition. A lot of existing pipelines are similarly old, and new Congressional legislation was passed to require more inspections and testing. Due to liability issues, you can be sure EPNG and other companies are checking out their individual systems to make sure a similar accident doesn't happen again, especially near a large population area.