Commitment to Safety
Gulf South will ensure the Project's Hall Summit and Tallulah compressor station facilities are designed, built and operated with safety always paramount.
In its more than one-half century as a pipeline company, Gulf South has never wavered from its commitment to operate its pipelines and attendant compressor stations safely. Its well trained employees work hard to ensure the company complies with all rules and regulations. By building safety into every step of the process – from design to construction to final operation – interstate natural gas pipelines are the safest mode of transportation today – safer than highway, railroad, airborne or waterborne transport.
Design and Construction
Gulf South’s pipeline system, which includes its compressor stations, is designed and built in accordance with strict pipeline safety standards established by industry experts and the Department of Transportation (DOT).
Some of the safety measures included in the stations' design and will be in its construction are:
- Design. Employing numerous modern technologies and materials, safety will be built into the Project's compressor stations.
- Construction. Gulf South’s pipelines are continuously monitored by qualified inspectors during the construction process and the Haynesville Perryville Expansion Project’s compressor stations will be no exception. Before installation, the pipe for the stations will be carefully inspected to ensure that it meets quality standards mandated by the DOT. On-site construction inspectors will then ensure compliance with applicable codes and standards at all phases of the installation.
- Welding. Welded pipe joints are designed and installed to be stronger than the pipe itself. All welders on this project must have passed stringent qualification tests. All welds on the pipe will be required to pass visual and other non-destructive tests before the pipeline is placed in operation.
- Strength Testing. Before being placed in operation, the stations' pipe will be hydro tested - pressurized with water to a level that far exceeds the stress at which the pipeline will normally operate. This procedure will ensure the strength and integrity of the pipe before being placed into active service.
Safety Systems and Monitoring
Safety systems will be installed at the Project's stations, including Emergency Shutdown Systems. Once the Hall Summit and Tallulah compressor stations facilities are in operation, employees in Gas Control will monitor the flow of gas through the stations and the operation of its equipment 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Gas Control operators can react immediately to address any rare event at the stations.
Inspections
Periodic inspections of the stations will help Gulf South detect potential problems and head them off before becoming major problems. These inspections include surveys for detecting signs of leaks or other problems. Internal inspection tools will also be used in certain pipelines to physically inspect the condition of stations' pipe for integrity issues.
Operator Qualification Program
All operation and maintenance personnel must meet minimum standards for qualification. Gulf South’s operators are fully trained and capable of performing safety and maintenance tasks, recognizing abnormal operating conditions and responding to those conditions.
More Safety Information
Interstate Natural Gas Association of America www.ingaa.org
Southern Gas Association www.southerngas.org
Common Ground Alliance www.commongroundalliance.com
Department of Transportation - Office of Pipeline Safety ops.dot.gov