Title

16 Natural Gas Leak

This SOP covers procedures to be performed when a natural gas leak occurs.

SOP Identification Number
SOP Identification Number:
16 Natural Gas Leak
Definitions
Definitions:

Natural gas is often informally referred to simply as "gas", especially when compared to other energy sources such as oil or coal. However, it is not to be confused with gasoline, especially in North America, where the term gasoline is often shortened in colloquial usage to gas.

Health & Safety Warnings
Health & Safety Warnings:


In order to assist in detecting leaks, a minute amount of odorant is added to the otherwise colorless and almost odorless gas used by consumers. The odor has been compared to the smell of rotten eggs, due to the added tert-Butylthiol (t-butyl mercaptan). Sometimes a related compound, thiophane, may be used in the mixture. Situations in which an odorant that is added to natural gas can be detected by analytical instrumentation, but cannot be properly detected by an observer with a normal sense of smell, have occurred in the natural gas industry.

Explosions caused by natural gas leaks can occur. Frequently, blasts are powerful enough to significantly damage a building but leave it standing. In these cases, the people inside tend to have minor to moderate injuries. Occasionally, the gas can collect in high enough quantities to cause a deadly explosion, disintegrating one or more buildings in the process. The gas usually dissipates readily outdoors, but can sometimes collect in dangerous quantities if flow rates are high enough.

Cautions
Cautions:

There are 2 gas lines at the treatment plant. One gas line is dedicated to CoGen, and the other gas line serves the rest of the plant.

Equipment, Supplies, Required Tools
Equipment, Supplies, Required Tools:

2-way communication device, such as a radio or a mobile phone.

A large crescent wrench to close the main valve on the gas line.

Procedure
Procedure:
  1. Call 911 and activate emergency response.
  2. Isolate the gas line. The main valve for the line that feeds all of the plant except CoGen is in the utility pad located in front of Sub-Station A. The main valve for the gas line that feeds CoGen is located in the desalination yard behind the Distribution Pump Station (accessed through Quinientos Street.)
  3. Use a large crescent wrench to close the main valve.
  4. Communicate with other staff and isolate the area.
  5. Contact the Gas Company.
  6. Write a Work Request for the leak.
ID
Maintenance Connect