Photo from Marcellus Drilling News.

A burned out house is surrounded by charred ground and trees following a natural gas explosion at a pipeline complex on Friday, April 29, 2016, in Salem Township, Pa. The explosion caused flames to shoot above nearby treetops in the largely rural area, about 30 miles east of Pittsburgh, and prompted authorities to evacuate businesses nearby. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)

The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette ran an excellent article about the Texas Eastern pipeline that blew up one week ago today.  It says that corrosion has been found on two welds near the explosion.  It also says that while corrosion has been found, that isn’t necessarily the reason for the explosion, and that the investigation (which could take years) could determine that there was some other cause for the explosion.

It also goes into some detail about “incidents” on the Texas Eastern pipeline.  Over the 30 year life of the pipeline there have been 62 incidents, ranging from the discovery of leaks to barges and airplanes hitting the pipeline.  Accidents happen, eh?

It’s very interesting that there are two “incidents” per year on the pipeline.  That just underlines the importance of going into a pipeline negotiation with your eyes wide open.  Understand that while the money can be good, there is some risk involved.  The likelihood of an “incident” that will affect you, your loved ones, or your property is low, but if an “incident” happens it’s likely to be life altering.