Is There a Pipeline in Your Neighborhood?

More than 40,000 miles of gas pipelines blanket Oklahoma. Could one of them be in your backyard?

Friday, November 14th 2008, 12:18 pm

By: News 9


News9.com

OKLAHOMA CITY -- More than 40,000 miles of gas pipelines blanket Oklahoma. Could one of them be in your backyard?

Find hidden pipelinesThe National Pipeline Mapping System tracks pipelines across the country. Their public database allows users to view all the transmission pipelines, natural gas plants and breakout tanks in their county.

Being one of the largest natural gas producing states, it's no surprise Oklahoma has 40,000 miles of pipelines.

The area near SW 104 Street and Pennsylvania Avenue is scattered with businesses and large housing developments, but running through the neighborhood is an underground natural gas pipeline.

Jim Glover's lived in the area for over 10 years and never knew the pipeline was right behind his house.

"Not like it's been alerted to me," Glover said. "If there was a chance to hurt me, I would definitely be concerned."

There are signs up in neighborhoods where gaslines exist alerting residents of the potential danger these pipelines could cause.

A NEWS 9 investigation found over 130 incidents involving natural gas pipelines in Oklahoma where the US Department of Transportations' Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Division has labeled those incidents "significant."

OG&E spokesperson Gil Bryoles pointed out that only three of those incidents occurred last year, but admitted accidents happen.

"Even though there are many, many thousands of miles of pipeline, they're operated very safely. Unfortunately that doesn't mean there could never be an accident. Today was an unfortunate example of that," Broyles said.

Even though there were only three significant pipeline incidents last year, this year there have been eight incidents that were labeled as significant.

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