TPi July 2015

19 / 64

July 2015 Tube ProducTs InTernaTIonal 17
business & market news
In 1934, MAC changed nondestructive
testing forever.
More than 80 years ago,
MAC engineers
introduced the first
electromagnetic
tester and
revolutionized the
steel bar industry.
Today, MAC’s
customer-focused
principles remain the
benchmarks for
nondestructive
testing
throughout
the world.
Put Us To The Test
Nondestructive Testing Since 1928
TPI-QRT pg MACad(JULY2015).indd 1 5/12/15 5:21 PM
SoCalGas pursues expanded pipe
replacement and repair programme
Southern California Gas Co (SoCalGas)
is seeking to accelerate its pipeline
replacement and leak repair programme,
and has submitted a funding request
with the California Public Utilities
Commission (CPUC). If approved,
it would enable SoCalGas to repair
all currently identified, pending non-
hazardous leaks on the SoCalGas
system by the end of 2018 or earlier.
The company is also filing a report with
the CPUC that outlines the utility’s leak-
management practices in compliance
with Senate Bill (SB) 1371. The new
California law seeks to reduce methane
emissions from natural gas transmission,
distribution and storage systems.
It also requires utilities to report
information about leak-management
practices, new leaks, leaks being
monitored, leaks scheduled for repair
and a ‘best estimate’ of gas loss due
to leaks. “SoCalGas has a longstanding
commitment to reducing methane
emissions, and we are proud to have
one of the lowest natural gas leak
rates of any utility in the nation,” said
Bret Lane, chief operating officer of
SoCalGas. “We are working to make our
system even safer, tighter and part of the
solution to improving the environment.”
Over the past year, SoCalGas has
been working with major universities,
regulatory agencies and environmental
organisations to refine its approach in
methane detection technology and to
raise public awareness of its efforts to
reduce methane emissions.
As part of this effort, the company has
published an interactive map that allows
the public to view methane indications
and non-hazardous gas leaks located
near its pipeline system. The map can
be viewed on the company’s website,
by searching for “methane map”.
Federal regulations consider a non-
hazardous leak to be one that is far
from an ignition source and away from a
structure where the gas can accumulate
to dangerous levels. All hazardous leaks
are repaired immediately and do not
appear on the map.
With safety as a core priority, SoCalGas
focuses ratepayers’ funds toward
strategically replacing pipe as prioritised
through engineering studies. By this
infrastructure strategy, SoCalGas has
succeeded in maintaining safety and
reducing its rate of overall methane
emissions.
southern california Gas co – USA