Which Fix is Best for Your Gas Piping Situation?
It’s your job to make sure the pipelines that transfer flammable gas don’t degrade or become damaged. You cannot shirk this responsibility because doing so could lead to catastrophe!
Gas leaks and explosions cause severe damage and could cost someone their life. Between 1998 to 2017, about 15 people died because of an incident related to gas distribution in the United States!
To prevent a major incident, it’s important to keep up with pipeline maintenance and to inspect for damage at regular intervals. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know about repairing and maintaining gas piping.
Gas Pipeline Maintenance Tips
Maintenance of gas pipelines is your priority! Here are our favorite tips to keep in mind when doing maintenance checks.
- Keep the right of way clear of debris
- Do occasional hydrostatic testing
- Inspect for damage or corrosion often
- Keep meticulous records of any damage, corrosion, or repairs
The more time you spend maintaining your pipes, the less time and money you’ll spend on repairs!
How to Pick the Right Gas Piping Repair
With so many options to choose from, how can you know which pipeline repair method to use? One gas company estimated its costs for damages caused by a gas explosion in Massachusetts in 2019 at about 1.37 billion dollars! Keep these tips in mind when choosing a repair method to avoid expensive and dangerous explosions.
- If the defect affects a seam or girth weld, the repair method depends on whether the weld is ductile or brittle
- If there is any leaking, you’ll need to replace as cylinder, use a type B sleeve, or use mechanical bolt-on clamps for the leak repair
- If you can’t shut down or divert the pipeline, then you cannot replace as cylinder
- Areas with larger damage limit the repair options because they extend beyond the largest possible repairable area
- Make sure to order parts well in advance
- Pick the right crew with expertise in areas like welding if the repair calls for an expert in the field
If you plan the repair well, your team should have no problems and the repair should go off without a hitch.
Quality Means Doing the Job Right… Even When No One Is Looking!
If you keep up on maintenance, then you won’t need to spend as much time and effort on repairs. Since repairing gas pipelines comes with a degree of danger, it’s best to try and prevent the need for repairs as much as possible.
When you need to repair a pipeline, consider which method you want to use on a case by case basis. If you don’t feel confident in your team to complete the repair or if you’re at all unsure how to attack the problem, consider hiring an outside company for the repair.
We hope you enjoyed reading this article and that you learned a few things about repairing gas piping. If you have any questions about this article, or if you need piping repairs or maintenance in the Ohio area, contact us today!
