https://www.khou.com/article/news/local/pipeline-fire-spencer-highway-la-porte-texas/285-0a30fb6b-bfa7-40a6-995f-00a463372487

anybody have any info on what it is? I don't think it and NG line.

Emergency Alert. *****MAJOR FIRE*****

ALERT FROM DEER PARK POLICE DEPARTMENT:

Spencer Highway is currently closed Eastbound & Westbound East Blvd is currently closed Southbound towards Spencer Highway.

The area surrounding WalMart & H-E-B is currently blocked off to traffic. Please avoid the area and reroute.

UPDATE FROM LA PORTE OFFICE OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT:

Emergency responders are responding to a Pipeline Fire near Spencer Hwy and Summerton.

The Fire Department is recommending an evacuation between Luella and Canada.

Our office will update the community as more information is gathered.

Live stream.

What's burning?

I wouldn't think nat gas would make black smoke like that...

That's got to be pressurized NG.

I hope whoever was in the SUV on site is safe

Guy on KHOU said there are at least 4 pipelines running through the easement. There is also a high voltage overhead distribution line in the easement.

KHOU said petroleum, dry gas, ethane, and something else I can't recall...

ETA he said ethanol

Looks like a big pipeline easement running north-south from Bayport area up to the ship channel area on the west side of the Walmart on Spencer Hwy. Could be just about anything in those lines. It doesn't run in that easement, but I know back in the early 90s, about 97% of the acetylene production from Rohm & Haas on Battleground Road went to Dupont's THF unit via a 48" pipeline.

It's near property owned by CenterPoint. They said it's not any of their equipment.

Adjacent property is owned by the Coastal Industrial Water Authority, and they are saying it's not theirs, either.

Centerpoint taking that sub out of service. 1700 customers affected.

Starting to lose the houses now.

Mathguy64 said:

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Starting to lose the houses now.

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Provided everyone gets out safe, this has gotta be like winning the lotto. You know you are gonna get a new house. Sure it will suck in the short term, but man, a nice windfall for someone.

Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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Starting to lose the houses now.

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Provided everyone gets out safe, this has gotta be like winning the lotto. You know you are gonna get a new house. Sure it will suck in the short term, but man, a nice windfall for someone.

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Possibly - there was early reporting that the SUV located near the fire was the cause of the fire. If that is the case, then the company may be able to say it wasn't their fault.

Gator92 said:

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What's burning?

I wouldn't think nat gas would make black smoke like that...

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There's several hydrocarbons it could be.

I think the light aromatics will burn clean too.

Nat gas though is the likely candidate as said before, but we'll see.

My cousin and cousin-in-law live in that neighborhood, but not near their house.

I remember visiting them and asking about it. I think there might be ethylene; that's my $0.02 on what's burning. Gives off enough heat to burn things around, burns black like that and deep orange.

~egon

Edit: also is pipelined around in supercritical state (~1300 psig) so you get the flashing from "liquid" to vapor")

lunchbox said:

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Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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Starting to lose the houses now.

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Provided everyone gets out safe, this has gotta be like winning the lotto. You know you are gonna get a new house. Sure it will suck in the short term, but man, a nice windfall for someone.

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Possibly - there was early reporting that the SUV located near the fire was the cause of the fire. If that is the case, then the company may be able to say it wasn't their fault.

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I didnt catch the officials name on 740am when I was picking up lunch, but he said it was a pipeline failure.

Quote:

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It doesn't run in that easement, but I know back in the early 90s, about 97% of the acetylene production from Rohm & Haas on Battleground Road went to Dupont's THF unit via a 48" pipeline.

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That acetylene plant is no more. Been gone at least a decade.

I'm watching/listening to ABC13. They're so dramatic. Everyone is serious and acting as though we are on the edge of the apocalypse.

CDUB98 said:

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I'm watching/listening to ABC13. They're so dramatic. Everyone is serious and acting as though we are on the edge of the apocalypse.

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"It was like a nuclear explosion!"

CDUB98 said:

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htxag09 said:

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How long does it take to shut off this line? Seems like it should be able to be done fairly quick….

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Shutting off the line is easy and likely happened very quickly due to interlocks in the DCS, but it still has to burn through the product in the line.

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But the size of the fire doesn't seem to be getting smaller.....

Mathguy64 said:

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CDUB98 said:

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I'm watching/listening to ABC13. They're so dramatic. Everyone is serious and acting as though we are on the edge of the apocalypse.

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"It was like a nuclear explosion!"

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Yeah, that was the line that prompted my post.

Puja is working the 'hood hard for soundbites.

CDUB98 said:

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htxag09 said:

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CDUB98 said:

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htxag09 said:

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How long does it take to shut off this line? Seems like it should be able to be done fairly quick….

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Shutting off the line is easy and likely happened very quickly due to interlocks in the DCS, but it still has to burn through the product in the line.

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But the size of the fire doesn't seem to be getting smaller.....

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Depends on how much volume is in there. It could be a mile of 30" pipe trying to squeeze through a 4" hole.

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Especially if it is a liquid being flashed to vapor in the line by the heat of the fire. I worked a high volatile crude pipeline break that had 9 miles of line between valves with 14 bayou crossings. The heat of the sun on those crossings was enough to keep the line pressurized for days while the sun was shining.

Just reported it is Nat Gas and Energy Transfer owns the pipeline.

They also reported that a passenger car struck the valve.

ETA 20" Natural Gas Liquid

Ferris Wheel Allstar said:

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lunchbox said:

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Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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Starting to lose the houses now.

---

Provided everyone gets out safe, this has gotta be like winning the lotto. You know you are gonna get a new house. Sure it will suck in the short term, but man, a nice windfall for someone.

---

Possibly - there was early reporting that the SUV located near the fire was the cause of the fire. If that is the case, then the company may be able to say it wasn't their fault.

---

I didnt catch the officials name on 740am when I was picking up lunch, but he said it was a pipeline failure.

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The company (Energy Transfer) just said in a statement that they are aware of the reports that a passenger vehicle struck their pipeline. They also confirmed it is NG.

lunchbox said:

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Ferris Wheel Allstar said:

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lunchbox said:

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Milwaukees Best Light said:

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Mathguy64 said:

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Starting to lose the houses now.

---

Provided everyone gets out safe, this has gotta be like winning the lotto. You know you are gonna get a new house. Sure it will suck in the short term, but man, a nice windfall for someone.

---

Possibly - there was early reporting that the SUV located near the fire was the cause of the fire. If that is the case, then the company may be able to say it wasn't their fault.

---

I didnt catch the officials name on 740am when I was picking up lunch, but he said it was a pipeline failure.

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The company (Energy Transfer) just said in a statement that they are aware of the reports that a passenger vehicle struck their pipeline. They also confirmed it is NG.

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Heard it was NGL - the reporters switched back and forth.

All kinds of stuff that it could be. Dow, Shell Deer Park, Rohm and Hass and a bulk tank storage facility right upstream. Praxair has a facility that way as well and who knows what other facilities.

Lots of $$$ going up in flames though.

Gator92 said:

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Just reported it is Nat Gas and Energy Transfer owns the pipeline.

They also reported that a passenger car struck the valve.

ETA 20" Natural Gas Liquid

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Thanks for the update.

An NGL line could definitely take a while to burn off, especially if at high pressure.