Southern California Gas (SoCalGas) has launched a $41.2m natural gas pipeline improvement project in Ventura, California as part of its Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan (PSEP).
Image: SoCalGas takes up gas pipeline improvement project in Ventura. Photo: courtesy of supakitmod/Freedigitalphotos.net.
The gas pipeline improvement project, which is scheduled to be completed in early 2019, will involve replacement of a 7.24km portion of an existing natural gas pipeline in the Californian city.
Known as the Telephone Road pipeline replacement project, the modernization project will improve the reliability of SoCalGas’ natural gas pipeline system that caters to 13,000 homes, 750 businesses and eight critical facilities in Ventura.
Ventura Mayor Neal Andrews said: “Residents, businesses, hospitals, schools, and other facilities in Ventura will benefit from this investment in the natural gas pipeline system.
“The new pipeline installation will ensure that our communities continue to receive safe, reliable natural gas service for home heat and hot water.”
Ever since the launch of the multi-billion-dollar PSEP program in 2013, SoCalGas has carried out hydrostatic pressure tests on 151km of pipeline and installed 143km of new pipe. The company has also installed or upgraded 152 valves to be controlled automatically or remotely throughout its service territory.
PSEP’s role has been to identify various high pressure pipeline sections throughout SoCalGas’ pipeline system and schedule them to be pressure-tested and/or replaced.
SoCalGas public affairs manager Maria Ventura said: “Southern Californians prefer natural gas by a ratio of more than 4 to 1 over electricity to heat their homes and hot water.
“Modernizing our pipeline system to meet the needs of our community helps ensure we can continue to reliably provide natural gas service to our customers.”
SoCalGas, which is headquartered in Los Angeles, is among the largest natural gas distribution utilities in the US, serving natural gas service to 21.7 million customers across Central and Southern California.
The company, which is a subsidiary of Sempra Energy, claims to have invested around $6bn from 2011 to 2016 to upgrade and modernize its natural gas system to improve safety and reliability.
Earlier this year, SoCalGas announced an investment of around $17m on a gas pipeline improvement project in Gateway Area, Los Angeles.