NATURAL GAS Storage By Dan McVey, Vice President & Chief Operating Officer — Gas Operations
Dan McVey
Did you know we store natural gas underground for future consumption? Storage fields (or depleted gas reservoirs) are the most prominent and common form of underground storage. They are typically natural gas wells that have produced all their economically recoverable gas and are readily capable of holding injected natural gas.
Attention Natural Gas Member In accordance with Federal Pipeline Safety Regulations 49 CFR, Part 192.16, the Energy Cooperative is required to inform members that the member shall be responsible for their gas service lines. What you need to know The member is responsible for the maintenance and repair of all gas piping from the gas meter to all gas appliances.
Using depleted production wells has proven to be economically attractive because start-up cost is lower when taking advantage of existing associated infrastructure such as pipeline systems and equipment. Depleted reservoirs are also attractive because their geological and physical characteristics are well known.
The member is responsible for the repair/replacement of the gas service line located on the member’s property from the buried curb valve to the inlet of the gas meter. Buried gas piping that is not maintained may be subject to the potential hazards of corrosion and leakage.
The Energy Cooperative uses three on-system storage fields to balance the seasonal requirements of natural gas for our members. The three storage fields are Perry, Zane and Muskie. Their capacity is 2 bcf (billion cubic feet) which can supply up to one-half of our system needs on a cold winter day. Our Zane and Perry fields were developed in the mid 1950’s primarily to meet the seasonal needs of our increased residential load during that time.
For your safety, all buried pipe should be periodically inspected for leaks. If the buried piping is metallic, it should also be periodically inspected for corrosion. If an unsafe condition is found, the gas piping will need to be promptly repaired. When digging near buried gas piping, the piping should be located in advance and the excavation done by hand. As a reminder, any time you are excavating, OHIO811 should be called by simply dialing 811 or 1-800-362-2764 at least 48 hours prior to digging. OHIO811 will notify various utility companies to locate utilities lines in the area.
Residential and commercial natural gas use continued to grow through the 60’s and 70’s and contributed to the need for the Muskie storage field beginning in 1973. The cooperative’s three gas storage fields are close to our pipeline infrastructure which also helps control the cost of transporting the product to our members. Typically, these facilities run on a single annual cycle; natural gas is injected during the off-peak summer months when demand is low and is withdrawn during the winter months of peak demand. This cycle allows us to buy natural gas when it when it is in low demand securing both the supply and price for our members.
Plumbing and heating contractors can assist in locating, inspecting, and repairing the member’s buried piping. The Federal Department of Transportation (DOT) requires that a DOT-qualified plumbing contractor must be used to repair or replace a member’s buried piping upstream of the meter, including the gas riser attached to the meter set. While this is not required for piping downstream of the meter, the Energy Cooperative strongly recommends a DOT-qualified plumber be used for all buried gas piping.
We closely monitor our withdrawal and injection cycles year-round to provide our members with reliable natural gas supply.
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