Columbia Gas Transmission will gradually return a large natural gas pipeline to service Wednesday. The line is within 200 feet of Columbia’s pipeline that exploded last week.
“Columbia will return Line SM86-Loop into service in a slow and controlled manner, gradually increasing supply and pressure,” a company statement released Tuesday said. As part of the process, we will have a helicopter surveying the pipeline with instrumented leak detection capability as well as ground patrol monitoring the pipeline with leak detection systems throughout the entire return to service.”
The SM86-Loop is a 30-inch line, which is larger than one that ruptured and exploded in the Sissonville area. The blaze destroyed four homes and damaged five others. There were no serious injuries.
Columbia had initially asked that traffic on Interstate 77 and Route 21 be stopped as it reenergized its line but the state Division of Highways objected. Columbia has found other ways to check the line as it heads under the interstate.