Controlled release of natural gas begins June 5
Beginning Thursday, June 5, Maritimes & Northeast Pipeline LLC plan to connect piping at the new compressor station in Eliot to the existing pipeline. Maritimes will conduct controlled releases of natural gas from valve sites located on Route 236 in South Berwick, and on Patterson Lane in Newington, New Hampshire, beginning between 3:00 p.m. and 6:00 pm. on Thursday, June 5. They expect most of the activities to be completed by 9:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 7.
According to the Portsmouth Herald:
As natural gas is released into the air, there will be a loud, rushing noise that may last approximately three hours. The noise will be accompanied by an odor resulting from the odorant, mercaptan, which is injected into the natural gas to make it recognizable for safety reasons.
Natural gas is naturally odorless and is lighter than air. It will quickly rise and dissipate into the atmosphere. The odorant may linger as minute traces will separate from the natural gas that is released.
During these releases, if people in the vicinity hear the noise or smell the odorant in natural gas, there should be no cause for alarm.
Maritimes is coordinating these activities with public safety officials, including fire, police and sheriff’s departments, which have been notified of the procedures.
Tags: announcement
June 8th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
Thank you for this … A reminder that I need to not let my visits to the diner dwindle when I get busy! We hadn’t heard and were unnerved as we traveled 236 with a toddler in the car and saw the plume, heard the hissing and smelled the odor. Signs in the area would have been nice!