Recognizing a leak in a natural gas pipeline
Although natural gas pipelines have a very good safety record, occasionally leaks do occur. Some of the signs of a natural gas leak are as follows.
- An odor like rotten eggs
- Roaring sound like an engine
- White vapor that looks like smoke
- A hissing or whistling sound
- Fire coming from a hole in the ground
- Dirt blowing up from a hole in the ground
- An area of frozen ground in warm weather months
- Patches of dead grass or vegetation
In the event of a natural gas leak or suspected natural gas leak leave the area immediately and call 911. As a excavator there is no single way to prevent damage to natural gas or other buried facilities that is greater than to follow best practices for damage prevention including calling 811 and non-member utilities for utility markouts and potholing with vacuum or other non-destructive excavation method in the area in immediate proximity to a buried pipeline.