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pipeline crossing

pipeline crossing

pipeline crossing

(OP)
I need to cross pipeline in county right of way, pipeline mgr is not allowing me your I don't have gas monitor, does he have that power?

RE: pipeline crossing

Yes.  The pipeline manager is as powerful as the captain of a ship plus a university professor with tenture plus at least 2 supreme court justices.

What would you be doing, if you knew that you could not fail?

RE: pipeline crossing

what kind of pipeline?
is it crossing public right of way?
is the pipeline in an easement?

what kind of electrical line and conduit?
is the electrical in an easement?

you might have some rights, but you might not...

RE: pipeline crossing

My experience is that the pipeline manager has all the power of a 6 year-old--he can whine, cry, demand, threaten, and cajole, but he has no authority beyond that.

I had a crossing once where the local manager for the pipeline owner said I could not cross him, period.  I told him that I was going to cross and he was welcome to observe but that was the limit of his authority.  He had his switchers park their trucks on the ROW to stop us.  The county sheriff informed them they were trespassing and invited them to move their trucks or have them towed.  They left.  I called the obstructionist jerk's bosses boss who was appalled that his people were treating their biggest customer like that.  The jerk was out of this area that week and I don't know of anyone with that company that has seen him since.  It doesn't pay to get nasty with someone who has played golf with your VP.

As a good neighbor, I always start with a phone call explaining what I plan to do.  The companies I call sometimes have "requirements" that I will try to meet if convenient, but if not I don't.  For example there is a 30 inch high pressure line running through the area where I used to operate a gathering system.  The 30-inch was 12 ft deep at the crossing point and sitting on a sandstone ledge.  I needed to cross it with a 6 inch fiberglass line.  The company rep said that I HAD to go under them.  Going under would have required the use of explosives under their 1,000 psig line.  I passed and said I would go 3 ft over them.  They got snarky.  I went 18 inches over them.  They threatened a law suit.  I gave them the address to serve the papers.  That was the last I ever heard of the issue.

This is in a state that does not allow exclusive-use ROW for pipelines or power lines (the BLM doesn't allow them anywhere, but some states do allow them on private and state land).

David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
www.muleshoe-eng.com

"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
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