Lost my natural gas, along with 37k other folks in the area.

[Idaho45guy]

Thankfully, I only use it for heat, and not cooking and hot water like a few of my coworkers.

I also have a supplemental electric fireplace/TV stand with a thermostat, and some extra space heaters. Bringing in one of the space heaters for a coworker to use since all of them were sold out in the region while we were stuck at work.


https://www.bigcountrynewsconnection...4124a93c0.html

[uscra112]

The contractor who breached the pipeline will surely be held liable. (And I'll bet the machine operator need a change of underwear.) It's not like nobody knows where those lines are.

But yeah, everyone should have backup. As the preppers say, "two is one and one is none".

My primary heat was wood, but when I became disabled I was darned glad I had installed some electric cove radiant in bedroom and bath for backup, at the urging of family.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Good thing it's ONLY the gas that's out. I scratched around last year and found a 19,000BTU propane/ceramic heater at Tractor Supply for under $150. (might have been closer to $100.) now I gotta remember to get the spare tank filled. I should also top off my Kerosine supply for the hurricane lanterns. Some of them give off 2,000BTU as well as light. One came with an adapter, small fry pan and a sauce pan big enough for a can of soup.

Around here it's electric we worry about.

[uscra112]

Only a little off topic - one of the stupider things the .fedgov has done to us is to force the gas pipeline operators to replace their gas-fueled internal-combustion powered compressors with electric. So when the grid goes down, the gas supply will too, which didn't used to be the case.

I suppose they could repurpose those big compressor engines to run standby generators, but will they? It would be spendy.

[uscra112]

I'd love to have a safe way to burn kerosene in my wood furnace. During WW2 some AAF guys in England rigged up a system that dripped avgas into a coal stove when they couldn't get coal, but it was gravity-fed, and I doubt it was foolproof against tent fires.

[Mk42gunner]

I'd love to have a safe way to burn kerosene in my wood furnace. During WW2 some AAF guys in England rigged up a system that dripped avgas into a coal stove when they couldn't get coal, but it was gravity-fed, and I doubt it was foolproof against tent fires.

When I was stationed on Adak, AK, I had one of the GI kits that was supposed to be safe (??) with diesel fuel, or a mix of lube oil and gasoline. The fuel supply ran from a five gallon jerry can.

Even in my drinking days it didn't seem very safe to me. When we decommissioned the base, it got turned into supply so it is either in a landfill on Adak or it is still in the Navy's supply system.

Robert

[BLAHUT]

Good thing it's ONLY the gas that's out. I scratched around last year and found a 19,000BTU propane/ceramic heater at Tractor Supply for under $150. (might have been closer to $100.) now I gotta remember to get the spare tank filled. I should also top off my Kerosine supply for the hurricane lanterns. Some of them give off 2,000BTU as well as light. One came with an adapter, small fry pan and a sauce pan big enough for a can of soup.

Around here it's electric we worry about.

I grew up with no amenity's; no electricity, no gas; all wood heat and for cooking; want running water ? tip the jug; it can still be done; my house up north of here, does not have any amenity's and is still live able; just takes a little planning; I do miss the air-conditioning though.

[uscra112]

Whom did you have to piss off to get stationed on Adak?

[uscra112]

Many. many years ago I worked for a machine tool rebuilder in Rhode Island. We got a substantial order from Colt's. Seems they had an early EDM machine that ran some flammable oil or other as the dielectric fluid, and had a gravity system that kept the tub full. The inevitable happened and "burned out half an acre of machine shop", as one of our guys put it. Have kept that in mind ever since.

[MUSTANG]

When I was stationed on Adak, AK, I had one of the GI kits that was supposed to be safe (??) with diesel fuel, or a mix of lube oil and gasoline. The fuel supply ran from a five gallon jerry can.

Even in my drinking days it didn't seem very safe to me. When we decommissioned the base, it got turned into supply so it is either in a landfill on Adak or it is still in the Navy's supply system.

Robert

We used those in Korea, Norway, and the Mountain Warfare Training Center. Diesel was the "Fuel of Choice" because it was less prone to a fire hazard. When temps dropped into the Teens to -30 Range, we would modify the 5 Gallon cans of Diesel with a specific amount of Gasoline based on a Chart that told us how the Gas to Diesel Ratio in the 5 Gallon Can to keep the fuel where it would still flow to the Stove.

Back in the Clinton Era; Her Highness decided to go visit "Gorillas in the Mist" lady in Africa. Our Battalion was participating in a Korean Exercise; and her Highness trip diverted all the C140's to Africa that were scheduled to haul our equipment from Korea back to Okinawa. Adding to the problem, there were no US Amphb ships or Commercial Carrier ships available to transport our Equipment back to Okinawa. So my C.O. had me take a detachment of 120 Marines and all the Battalion assets that were located in Korea up to the DMZ area where another Exercise was to be held in 8 months. So myself and the 120 Marines Wintered over. We set up 3 GP Tents joined Long Wise and had our Communications Center with HF, terrestrial Radio Systems and Satellite Radio Systems all butting into the GP Tents. One evening about 2100, it was about 17 degrees outside, I was in my Tent reading and heard a bunch of yelling; so I ran out and the Comm Center Tents had a portion on fire. Some of the "On the Ball" Sergeants began cutting the ropes and dropping all the canvas (They only save about $75 Million of equipment - value far greater in todays dollars). The fire was started - not by a malfunction of the Stoves MK42Gunner was citing; rather the feed system from the 5 Gallon cans. One young PFC had been assigned to check and refill all of the 5 Gallon Fuel cans for the night. When his battery flashlight went dark; he used his INITIATIVE; and was checking each of the 5 Gallon Fuel cans for how much fuel was in them - Using his cigarette lighter.

Until the Young Marine rotated back to the US - He was known as PFC Fire Starter by all. Good news was that we only lost about 1/3rd of one tent - which Korean Tent Maintenance personnel from the US Army repaired in the field in a single day.

[MUSTANG]

I have belt, suspenders, and rope for heat at the Montana House. Wood Stove, Propane Heat and Propane Kitchen Stove (Battery Ignition), and Electricity/Heat Pump.

[pete501]

You're lucky to have access to natural gas. Communities are passing laws to outlaw natural gas for New Construction. The thinking is that electricity will produce less greenhouse gasses. Not sure they know how the electricity is generated.

[uscra112]

Not sure they know how the electricity is generated.

I knew a woman, back in the '70s. graduated Summa Cum Laude from Radcliffe, who seriously said "I don't believe in electricity. It has to be a form of magic."

This has to be the same thought mode that makes people accept electric vehicles.

Electric service here in my part of the upper Ohio Valley is very reliable. We're a co-op, and most of the generating plants are close by, (and coal fired). The distribution infrastructure is well maintained. Next county to the south of us, not so much. They're not part of the co-op.

[Ithaca Gunner]

I grew up with no amenity's; no electricity, no gas; all wood heat and for cooking; want running water ? tip the jug; it can still be done; my house up north of here, does not have any amenity's and is still live able; just takes a little planning; I do miss the air-conditioning though.

If we would loose power for an extended time, I still have a dug well I can draw water, a coal/wood stove in my shop and one I can hook up on the porch. An interesting item I inherited from a neighbor is a galvanized tub with a chimney and flu. It's factory made with instructions on the side. From what I remember it uses used motor oil as fuel. He bought it decades ago to heat his garage. It's hard to describe without photos, it's like a wash tub with a cover and chimney, it's about six feet high when assembled. I don't know as I would use it in a non-vented area though.

A/C-I can't sleep without it in the summer!

[elmacgyver0]

I have plenty of natural gas, I think it is a biproduct of old age.

[WILCO]

I have plenty of natural gas, I think it is a biproduct of old age.

Thanks for the laugh!

[Idaho45guy]

Supposedly going to get service back by next Tuesday. Doing just fine with my electric heaters with house holding at 67 degrees.

I talked to a friend of mine today that said he is really good friends with the farmer that caused the leak. The farmer was in his field installing drain tile with a system similar to this...



The gas pipeline was installed in 1952 and was steel. 18" and 800psi of gas pressure. The farmer swears that the gas line markers were off by a few feet and that his drain tile digger was set at 3' down while the actual pipeline was much deeper. Furthermore, he said that the pipeline ruptured while his tractor was directly on top of the pipeline and that the digger hadn't even touched the pipeline when it blew. He claims that the pipeline had been so weakened by 70 years of being in the ground, that just the soil around it being disturbed was enough to cause it to fail.

The farmer claims he is completely innocent in this incident.

What I've seen stated in the news by the gas company is much different...

https://dnews.com/update-at-4-59-p-m...1929d5c7.html?

The natural gas outage affecting the region started when a landowner pulling a plow through a field as he was installing a drainage pipe hit and ruptured the natural gas pipeline north of Pullman near U.S. Highway 195 on Wednesday afternoon.

The incident led to 37,000 Avista customers in southeastern Washington and north central Idaho to lose service.

Scott Rukke, director of the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission, said it appears utility location services were not requested prior to the incident.

“They did not utilize 811. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to call 811 two days before you dig.”

In this case, Rukke said it is likely representatives from Williams, the company that owns and maintains the pipeline, would have insisted on being onsite during the work.

He said the plow tore a large diameter hole in the 12.75 inch steel pipeline that was 41 inches deep at the site of the rupture.

“It had adequate depth. The legal depth would probably be about 30 inches.”

The agency sent two investigators to the rupture site Wednesday. He said they are on their way back to the commission's headquarters in Lacey, Wash., and will write a report on the incident.

[Idaho45guy]

Actual drone footage of the incident seems to back up the farmer's assertion...

[Half Dog]

We have electric heat. Our governor says we won’t be without electricity.

[MUSTANG]

I grew up in the Panhandle of Texas - middle of the Oil Patch as they used to say. I believe the Farmer could be correct in that the Pipe "Just Blew" as he was deep plowing. The weight of the Surface soil could have kept a rusted section of pipe intact until it was disturbed. Worked some in the Oil Field summers as a 2nd/3rd job in Junior High School and High School years; and one would be amazed at some of the rust on products in the oil fields back then. Maintenance costs were expensive back then and has not decreased - deferred maintenance runs rampant.