Natural Gas Safety Tips

Awareness of Hazards: Damage to gas piping can cause a fire or explosion.

Prevention Measures Undertaken: Natural gas and propane gas companies are required by law to perform leakage tests on all jurisdictional main lines and service lines before activating them with natural gas or propane gas. Periodic leak surveys are also required as a method to locate and/or repair a leak before it becomes hazardous.

The natural gas transmission, gathering and distribution, and propane pipelines we operate and maintain are mostly not visible to the public. The pipelines are buried below ground in our right-of-ways. The approximate locations of our pipelines are identified by pipeline markers that are placed within the right-of-way. In accordance with federal regulations, our pipelines are patrolled on a regular basis to inspect for any leakage, corrosion problems, encroachment, etc. Some segments along our pipelines have been designated as “high consequence areas.” We have developed supplemental assessments and prevention plans for these highly populated areas that are near our pipelines’ right-of-way.

Natural gas and propane gas pipelines are identified by markers placed at intervals along pipeline right-of-ways. The markers display the name of the owner of the pipeline and display a 24 hour emergency telephone number. The markers are generally placed whenever needed to indicate the presence of a pipeline, such as where a pipeline easement intersects a highway, railroad, creek, or river crossing, and in heavily congested areas. The markers are used to show the approximate location of the pipeline.

Our transmission pipelines are located within four Ohio counties – Licking, Muskingum, Noble, and Perry. The pipelines are a safe and reliable source of moving natural gas within our system. The pipelines are not visible because they are buried within our right-of-ways. The pipelines are patrolled and surveyed on a routine basis for leakage, corrosion, and encroachment problems, etc. To view our transmission pipeline system go to www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov.

Remember the three ways to recognize a natural gas or propane gas leak:

• SMELL: To help you SMELL a leak from a gas line or appliance, a familiar odor like rotten eggs is added to natural gas and propane gas.
• SEE: Near a gas leak, you might SEE blowing dirt, bubbling water, or an unusual area of dead vegetation.
• HEAR: A leaking pipeline might make a hissing sound you can HEAR.

Please note that natural gas transported by gathering pipelines may not be subject to fluid protection, may have varying levels of btu content, and does not have the odorant mercaptin added, although the gas may still have a distinct natural odor.

• Don’t try to stop or repair the leak yourself or use anything that might create a spark such as a cell phone.
• Avoid using potential ignition sources such as telephones,
  doorbells, electric switches, or motor vehicles.
• From a safe distance, call 911. Never try to extinguish a gas fire or operate any pipeline valves. Then contact The Energy Cooperative immediately at 740-344-2102.

Be prepared. Practice safety drills for getting your family out of the house at night before an emergency occurs. Don’t turn lights on or off. 

• Don’t light matches or cigarette lighters.
• Don’t use a flashlight during the drill because an electric arc might ignite the gas.
• Don’t use the telephone or cell phone because an arc might ignite the gas.
• Plan what you’re going to do and move slowly and carefully.
• Practice the drill in the daylight first.

NGO Transmission operates compressor stations. Compressor stations are part of the natural gas pipeline network that moves natural gas from our transmission lines to our storage fields. Compressor stations incorporate a variety of safety systems and practices to protect the public and station employees in the event of an emergency. For example, each station is remotely monitored for abnormal operation conditions such as leaks. Our compressor stations have emergency shutdown systems (ESDs) that can automatically stop the compressor in the event of an emergency. Federal regulations require TEC to periodically test the ESDs and perform annual inspections on valves, regulators and relief valves to ensure reliability.