Posted on 10/24/2011 7:39:04 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
(10-24) 18:52 PDT SAN FRANCISCO -- A major Pacific Gas and Electric Co. gas transmission line serving the Bay Area ruptured during a pressure test Monday south of Bakersfield, just as the company was planning to boost gas levels on the pipeline to meet winter demand.
The 34-inch transmission line that runs from the Arizona border to Milpitas failed during a spike test at 9 a.m., blowing a crater in an alfalfa field near the town of Weedpatch (Kern County), PG&E officials said.
The line is one of two parallel transmission pipes that run to a major PG&E terminal in Milpitas and provide much of the Bay Area's natural gas, officials say. A one-mile stretch was being tested as part of PG&E's effort to assure that its gas system is safe in the aftermath of last year's deadly pipeline explosion in San Bruno.
Company officials said it was too early to tell whether gas supplies will suffer this winter as a result of the failure. They did not have a timetable for when repairs would be made and the pipe returned to service.
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
DUCK!!!
Sounds like they were aware the pipe was likely faulty clear back in the 50’s. Makes ya wonder how much other piping out there needs replacement.
/johnny
A one-mile stretch was being tested as part of PG&E's effort to assure that its gas system is safe...So, what did they find out?
Nah. It's over near Chigger Ridge.
How sure are we it was an alfalfa field?
Interesting way to test. Overpressure, stand back and see what blows. Yep, thars tha weak spot raht near Weedpatch.
Nah. It’s over near Chigger Ridge.
It’s “Chegro.”
They were pressure testing the line with water so that there was no threat of a fiery explosion, just a wet one . . . like Nancy Pelosi.
I’ve worked for Southern California Gas company over 36 years. PG&E has always played fast and loose with pipeline safety. It’s an industry-wide open secret. They are so far behind on maintenance on an ancient system that there’s no catching up!
Makes me wonder if they ran the pig through it before the test.
The “pig” BTW is an instrument that inspects the line using x-rays or ultrasound to find defects.
It blowed real good dint it?
Now you’re being Chiggardly.
Spanky & Darlene saw it.
Yeah instead of a fiery crater they just got a crater. I’m sure that would have been a significant difference if the line had popped under a house.... /s
Well, I guess they don’t have to now. I am quite sure some green eye-shade guy thought this was a cheaper, therefore better method, to find a defect.
It’s kind of terrifying, living in a PG&E service area.
“How sure are we it was an alfalfa field?”
Because according to Col. “Madman” Maddox, the Japs have secret airfields in the ones outside of Pomona.
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