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State agrees with federal officials that natural gas pipeline needs to be shut down and replaced

UTC safety inspectors agree with a Dec. 18, 2003 decision by federal officials ordering Williams Pipeline to reduce pressure immediately in a 26-inch natural gas pipeline that has ruptured twice this year in Western Washington, and to prepare a plan for replacing the pipe. (For more information see our press release or the federal order).

The pipeline ruptured Saturday, Dec. 13 about seven miles south of the Chehalis Compressor Station near Toledo, Washington (see photograph). This was the second failure on this line in 2003, and the ninth in the past decade.

The federal order requires Williams to reduce pressure in the line drastically over the next 30 days, analyze the section of pipe that failed, and finalize an integrity management program within 90 days. If the company wants to operate the line at higher pressure, it must prepare a plan for replacing the pipe within three years in "high consequence areas", and within 10 years in all other segments of the line.

The same Williams pipeline ruptured May 1 near Lake Tapps (Auburn) WA. At the time of the recent failure, the line was operating at pressure of 632 psig, which is near the 80% maximum operating pressure allowed under a Corrective Action Order issued following the Lake Tapps rupture. No one was injured in either line break. For latest company updates, see Williams' Northwest Pipe Notice Summary.

Since the May line failure, company officials have been testing the line using a series of tools, including internal inspection devices, under the guidance of state and federal pipeline safety officials. For more information, contact David Lykken, UTC pipeline safety engineer, 360-664-1219 .



Staff contact: David Lykken
Posted/updated: 12/16/2003