Stay off the gas line, reminds Department of Natural Resources
Jun 19, 2019
The vehicle stuck in the sand. Photo courtesy: Wareham Department of Natural Resources
On Monday, June 17th at approximately 6 p.m., Natural Resources Officers responded to the Algonquin High-Pressure Gas Transmission line in East Wareham for a report of a vehicle that was stuck in the sand. Enbridge, the company who owns the transmission line, sent a representative from their company after their aircraft had spotted the motor vehicle.
The operator of the motor vehicle had gotten it stuck the night before while camping in Myles Standish State Forest. The operator of the vehicle had hired a private tow company to remove the vehicle from the transmission line. This required a skidsteer and a 4x4 flat-bed to remove it.
The vehicles operator and owner received a citation for various offenses.
The gas lines, as they are most commonly referred to, are a section of the Algonquin Gas Transmission line owned by Enbridge, which is 1,130 miles long. The line stretches to New Jersey where it hooks into the Texas Eastern Pipeline, and connects to the Maritimes and Northeast Pipeline in Boston. It delivers to 2 areas for smaller distribution on Cape Cod. This is a high-pressure transmission line delivering 3.13 billion cubic feet of natural gas per day.
There are various pressure relief valves on the gas line. If one of these were hit and a spark ignited the result could be devastating, reports the Department of Natural Resources. The area is posted no trespassing.
