Regulators Probe Why Williams Took More Than an Hour to Halt a Methane Leak
US pipeline regulators are investigating a giant methane leak that occurred in Idaho last year, including the operator’s response time.
A methane leak in Idaho observed by satellite.
Source: Kayrros, processed L1B image from NASA/NOAA GOES-16 satelliteWhen a farmer accidentally ruptured a pipe while using an excavator last October, it took its operator — Williams Cos. — 65 minutes to isolate the leak. By the time it did, the line had emitted methane with a short-term climate impact roughly equal to the annual emissions from 17,000 US cars.
Both Williams and the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) said the accident could have been prevented if the farmer had called a program that marks the location of underground pipes with paint or flags for homeowners prior to any excavation or digging work. But PHMSA is also examining “the time it took the operator to respond to and isolate the release” as part of an investigation into the incident.