WELD COUNTY, COLORADO
Crews are investigating and monitoring the situation after a large gas explosion happened in Weld County just after 3 p.m. Thursday.
The ruptured pipeline that exploded Thursday on Wells Ranch about 17 miles northeast of Greeley continued to burn residual natural gas Friday under the supervision of energy industry and fire officials, according to a news release from Williams Midstream.
Williams, the company that operates the pipeline, said a contractor conducting trenching work for a third-party pipeline company hit Williams' Lucerne Lateral – a 6-inch or 12-inch natural gas liquids pipeline in Weld County.
When the pipeline was hit, it broke and sparked a fire.
Weld County Office of Emergency Management and Platte Valley Fire Department worked with Williams during the incident to secure the site and prevent grassfires.
There were no injuries reported, and no homes or property were in danger.
Williams employees notified the appropriate regulatory agencies and an inspector from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration was on site Thursday evening and Friday morning.
A small, controlled fire under the trenching equipment continued to burn residual product Friday.
Williams personnel and contractors are monitoring the air downwind of the explosion site to ensure no public impacts.
Personnel will be on site 24 hours a day monitoring the situation and developing a repair plan for the Lucerne Lateral.
The third-party pipeline company and Williams will participate in a full investigation together.
The Lucerne Lateral is shut down at this time, and the Denver-Julesberg (DJ) Lateral continues to flow gas liquids from Wattenberg area of the DJ Basin north to the mainline of Overland Pass Pipeline.
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Wells Ranch line continues to burn residual gas, in-house investigation pending
Kelsey Brunner/ kbrunner@greeleytribune.com | Smoke billows from an exploded gas line on Thursday east of Galeton.
The ruptured pipeline that exploded Thursday on Wells Ranch about 17 miles northeast of Greeley continued to burn residual natural gas Friday under the supervision of energy industry and fire officials, according to a news release from Williams Midstream.
The explosion occurred about 2:15 p.m. Thursday on Wells Ranch near the intersection of Weld County roads 61½ and 66, just south of Colo. 392 about 10 miles southeast of Galeton. A contractor working for an unnamed third-party pipeline company was digging a trench when an excavator hit the 6-inch natural gas liquids pipeline, causing the explosion, the release stated.
No injuries were reported, but the excavator was destroyed by the subsequent fire. Williams Midstream will not release the names of the contractor or the third-party pipeline company, said Sara Delgado, spokeswoman for Williams.
Platte Valley firefighters responded to the call and monitored the scene along with company officials until about 7:30 p.m. Thursday, said agency spokeswoman Stephanie Cooke. The scene was turned over to the Galeton Fire Department at that time. Calls to the Galeton Fire Department for a status update about the fire were not immediately returned.
However, Williams personnel and, presumably, Galeton firefighters continued to monitor what the release described as a small, controlled fire fueled by residual natural gas that remained in the ruptured line. An inspector from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration also visited the site Thursday night and Friday morning. The ongoing fire is not threatening homes or property, the release stated.
The pipeline that was compromised encompasses a section of the Lucerne Lateral line, which is operated by Williams. The Lucerne Lateral ties into the 12-inch Denver-Julesberg Lateral line in the Wattenberg area of the Denver-Julesberg Basin, Delgado said. The Denver-Julesberg Lateral connects to the larger Overland Pass Pipeline system, which transports natural gas liquids from Opal, Wyo., to Conway, Kan., where it is separated into other products such as butane and propane, Delgado said.
The Overland Pass Pipeline encompasses 760 miles in the Piceance and Denver-Julesberg basins. It is designed to transport about 245,000 barrels of natural gas liquids per day, according to Williams’ web site.
Williams does not anticipate any air quality impacts as a result of the explosion, but personnel and contractors were monitoring the air downwind of the incident site to ensure public safety, the release stated. Williams personnel will be on site 24 hours per day monitoring the scene and developing a repair plan for the Lucerne Lateral.
Williams and the third-party pipeline company will conduct a joint, in-house investigation of the incident, Delgado said.
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Weld County Incident Update
(Posted 3:30 p.m. Mountain Time, August 7)
Yesterday afternoon, a contractor conducting trenching work for a third-party pipeline company unrelated to Williams, struck Williams’ Lucerne Lateral, a 6-inch natural gas liquids pipeline in Weld County, Colorado. There were no injuries related to this incident.
Today, a small, controlled fire under the trenching equipment continues to burn residual product. No homes or property are in danger.
Williams-operated Lucerne Lateral connects to the 12-inch DJ Lateral and is part of the Overland Pass Pipeline system that transports natural gas liquids. While the Lucerne Lateral is shut down at this time, the DJ Lateral continues to flow product from the Wattenberg area of the DJ Basin north to the mainline of Overland Pass Pipeline.
Williams personnel notified appropriate regulatory agencies and an inspector from the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration was on site Thursday evening and Friday morning.
While we do not anticipate any impacts, Williams personnel and contractors are monitoring the air downwind of the incident site to ensure no impacts to the public.
Williams operations personnel worked closely with the Weld County Office of Emergency Management and Platte Valley Fire Department during the incident to secure the site and prevent grass fires.
Williams personnel will be on site 24 hours a day monitoring the situation and developing a repair plan for the Lucerne Lateral. Williams and the third-party pipeline company will participate jointly in a full incident investigation.
The company appreciates the work and collaboration with the local and county emergency response organizations.
(Posted 7 p.m. Mountain Time, August 6)
At approximately 3 p.m. Mountain Time on August 6, a 6-inch natural gas liquids pipeline in Weld County, Colorado was struck by a third-party conducting excavation work in the area causing a rupture and fire. The excavation work was unrelated to the operations of the pipeline that was struck.
There are no injuries reported as a result of the incident.
Williams, the operator of the pipeline, has shut valves along the pipeline to stop the flow of product.
Williams personnel and local emergency response agencies are at the site monitoring the situation. The site is secure. As a precaution, officials evacuated a two-mile by two-mile area, but the evacuation order has been lifted.
County Road 68 was closed for approximately two hours. The road is now open.
At this time, the company is focused on ensuring the safety of the residents in the area.
Yesterday afternoon, a contractor conducting trenching work for a third-party pipeline company unrelated to Williams, struck Williams’ Lucerne Lateral, a 6-inch natural gas liquids pipeline in Weld County, Colorado. There were no injuries related to this incident.
Today, a small, controlled fire under the trenching equipment continues to burn residual product. No homes or property are in danger.
Williams-operated Lucerne Lateral connects to the 12-inch DJ Lateral and is part of the Overland Pass Pipeline system that transports natural gas liquids. While the Lucerne Lateral is shut down at this time, the DJ Lateral continues to flow product from the Wattenberg area of the DJ Basin north to the mainline of Overland Pass Pipeline.
Williams personnel notified appropriate regulatory agencies and an inspector from the Pipeline & Hazardous Materials Safety Administration was on site Thursday evening and Friday morning.
While we do not anticipate any impacts, Williams personnel and contractors are monitoring the air downwind of the incident site to ensure no impacts to the public.
Williams operations personnel worked closely with the Weld County Office of Emergency Management and Platte Valley Fire Department during the incident to secure the site and prevent grass fires.
Williams personnel will be on site 24 hours a day monitoring the situation and developing a repair plan for the Lucerne Lateral. Williams and the third-party pipeline company will participate jointly in a full incident investigation.
The company appreciates the work and collaboration with the local and county emergency response organizations.
(Posted 7 p.m. Mountain Time, August 6)
At approximately 3 p.m. Mountain Time on August 6, a 6-inch natural gas liquids pipeline in Weld County, Colorado was struck by a third-party conducting excavation work in the area causing a rupture and fire. The excavation work was unrelated to the operations of the pipeline that was struck.
There are no injuries reported as a result of the incident.
Williams, the operator of the pipeline, has shut valves along the pipeline to stop the flow of product.
Williams personnel and local emergency response agencies are at the site monitoring the situation. The site is secure. As a precaution, officials evacuated a two-mile by two-mile area, but the evacuation order has been lifted.
County Road 68 was closed for approximately two hours. The road is now open.
At this time, the company is focused on ensuring the safety of the residents in the area.