Consequences of a Line Hit
Striking a buried gas line is serious. Here's how to recognise an escaping leak by sight, smell, or sound, what Rocky Gas Co-op does to make the area safe and restore service, and who is responsible for the cost of repairs.
Recognize the warning signs.
Know what happens once a line has been hit.
Spotting a leak: sight, smell & sound
Smell
Natural gas has no odour of its own, so a chemical called mercaptan is added — it smells like sulphur, or rotten eggs. That distinctive smell is there to warn you of a leak.
Sight
Natural gas is colourless, but a leak can still be visible. Watch for:
- Vapour, a plume, or “ground frosting” near a higher-pressure line
- Bubbles in wet or flooded ground
- Distinct patches of dead vegetation
- Dust blowing up from a hole in the ground
- Flames, if the gas has ignited
Sound
A hissing — or even a loud roaring, on a high-pressure line — can be the sound of gas escaping under pressure.
Open ground vs. an enclosed space
Where the gas escapes makes a real difference to the danger it poses.
In the open
Because natural gas is lighter than air, it rises and escapes up into the atmosphere. Out in a wide-open area, that reduces the potential danger of explosion or fire.
Indoors or enclosed
In an enclosed area, there is serious concern for safety, and immediate evacuation of the area may be required.
How Rocky Gas Co-op responds
To repair a damaged line and restore service safely, Rocky Gas Co-op will generally work through these steps:
Make the area safe
We identify the source of the problem and make sure the site is cleared of anyone whose safety may be at risk. That can mean evacuating nearby homes or buildings and, if necessary, shutting down the natural gas and/or electrical power to the area.
Dig down to the line
We excavate to reach the damaged section of pipe.
Stop the flow
We shut off the line upstream of the break to stop the flow of natural gas.
Repair the line
We make the repair to the line.
Restore service & re-light
Once it's safe, we restore service. If required, we'll gain access to each home or building to re-light the furnace and the pilot lights on natural gas appliances.
Depending on the nature of the line that was hit, other organisations — such as the local fire department or the appropriate government agencies — may also be involved.
Who pays to fix a damaged line
Rocky Gas Co-op investigates every line that is hit and calculates the full cost to repair it and restore service.
The person or company that caused the damage pays
To be fair to the members who dig responsibly, we collect all costs from the individual or company that caused the damage.
A few hundred to several thousand dollars
What the cost covers
- Our time and resources to respond, repair the line, and restore service to affected customers
- The cost of the natural gas that escaped
- Lost revenue while service is down
- In some areas of our franchise, fire department and other first-responder costs