Earthquakes and Underground Pipes

[bucktalk]

I once saw a map of how many underground pipelines are in Oklahoma -astounding!! Some pipelines carry very, very high pressured gas and others carry crude oil. My question is how in the world can anyone accurately check to see if any pipeline as lost its integrity after a earthquake? It seems like this would be a major concern for our state. Yikes!!

[ultimatesooner]

Read about this in the paper a couple of days ago. The ong person said they have the capability to monitor them remotely

[RadicalModerate]

Thank you. That is a comforting thought.
(Not to be confused with PRBS. =)

[bucktalk]

Read about this in the paper a couple of days ago. The ong person said they have the capability to monitor them remotely

But does this mean for ONG only or ALL underground pipes. Seriously - there are TONS of them running everywhere throughout the state...

[RadicalModerate]

For what it's worth . . .
I share your concern.
On every level.

Yet what are "we" actually going to do about it?

BTW: Pipes are usually measured in length/volume rather than weight ["TONS"] except when they are being hauled on flatbed trailers over decaying highways--especially bridges--and other infrastructure. Aren't they?

[ou48A]

I once saw a map of how many underground pipelines are in Oklahoma -astounding!! Some pipelines carry very, very high pressured gas and others carry crude oil. My question is how in the world can anyone accurately check to see if any pipeline as lost its integrity after a earthquake? It seems like this would be a major concern for our state. Yikes!!

Among other things they monitor the presser of the pipeline. When sensors detect an unexplained presser drop it triggers automatic alarms. In most cases valves can be shut from far away locations. Some pipelines have line break valves that automatically close independently of human action when a pressure drop is detected. Crews are then dispatched.

Other leak detecting methods include flying the path of the pipeline in an airplane and walking the pipeline, they are both done on a set schedule or as needed. Companies also run educated pigs on the inside of the pipeline and take cathodic protection precautions. Very expensive and thicker walled pipe is used in built up populated areas. The pipeline industry spends hundreds of billions on their maintence and safety. But some companies are better than others. Most of the bad ones are not US based but the bad ones tarnish the entire industry.

A steel pipeline in good condition remains fairly flexible and holds up well in all but the worst earthquakes. Californian has lots of pipelines but we don’t see that many pipeline ruptures during most of their earth quakes and when we do it usually a very old pipe that was installed well before some of the modern day standards we now see. Sometimes its human error in the installation process that caused the problem.

I have worked in the natural gas business working with high presser natural gas pipelines and associated equipment for about 14 years and been around it all my life in some way.
I have learned that its human nature to have a tendency to fear most what we least understand.
I comfortably live about 500 yards from a major high presser NG pipeline that ONG just replaced.

[SoonerDave]

Good info, ou48A. I suspected the primary monitoring tool would have to be pressure measurement, and even in the absence of earthquakes you'd have to be able to monitor the integrity of any piping network, and pressure is the first thing that came to mind.

I've been quite pleasantly surprised during our little earthquake wave to discover that Oklahoma building standards were more "earthquake aware" than I would have predicted. Amazing how far ahead we are, in general, contrasted against something like the hotels and other buildings in Turkey that essentially pancaked. We take it for granted.

My only curiosity is the degree of vulnerability for buildings under construction. I would assume most standards apply to a finished product, eg the entire structural system being in place and working together as its designed. But what about a building that's in progress, eg partially framed, roof structure not completed, things like that. Would seem as though it might be hard (well, harder) to quantify the state of a partially constructed building WRT earthquake damage.

[bucktalk]

Among other things they monitor the presser of the pipeline. When sensors detect an unexplained presser drop it triggers automatic alarms. In most cases valves can be shut from far away locations. Some pipelines have line break valves that automatically close independently of human action when a pressure drop is detected. Crews are then dispatched.

Other leak detecting methods include flying the path of the pipeline in an airplane and walking the pipeline, they are both done on a set schedule or as needed. Companies also run educated pigs on the inside of the pipeline and take cathodic protection precautions. Very expensive and thicker walled pipe is used in built up populated areas. The pipeline industry spends hundreds of billions on their maintence and safety. But some companies are better than others. Most of the bad ones are not US based but the bad ones tarnish the entire industry.

A steel pipeline in good condition remains fairly flexible and holds up well in all but the worst earthquakes. Californian has lots of pipelines but we don’t see that many pipeline ruptures during most of their earth quakes and when we do it usually a very old pipe that was installed well before some of the modern day standards we now see. Sometimes its human error in the installation process that caused the problem.

I have worked in the natural gas business working with high presser natural gas pipelines and associated equipment for about 14 years and been around it all my life in some way.
I have learned that its human nature to have a tendency to fear most what we least understand.
I comfortably live about 500 yards from a major high presser NG pipeline that ONG just replaced.

Very, very helpful info. Thanks very much!

[ou48A]

Very, very helpful info. Thanks very much!

Your welcome but I need to start reading my post before posting after I run a spell check
Presser = pressure