This is a report on some recent natural gas pipeline compressor station failures put together by David Badal.

1. Natural Gas Compressor and
Pipeline Failure Report
Prepared by:
David Badal
7 April 2019
Rev 2

2. Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Types of Compressors
3. Compressor Failures
4.Storage and Transportation Facilities
5. Pipeline Failures
6. Permian Highway Pipeline Route
7. References

3. Introduction
This presentation will provide an introduction to
pipeline and compressor stations that are required to
move Natural Gas from the Permian basin area to the
Katy, Texas Storage facility. It will also address the
dangers that can be introduced by failures in the
compressor and/or pipeline. Samples of such failures
will be presented herein. Also herein will be the
proposed routing of this pipeline system.

4. Types Of Compressors
• Compressor Stations are required systems that
moves natural gas from well sites to the end
users.
• As natural gas moves through the pipeline,
friction, temperature, friction and elevation
differences slows the movement of gas and
reduced the pressure.
• Compressor stations are required to provide
and maintain the pressure and gas flow.

5. Types of Compressors
“Cont”
• Some compressors are electrically powered when
there are environmental or security reasons,
otherwise, natural gas powered.
• Gas powered compressors can be either
conventional piston engines or natural gas turbine
units. Kinder-Morgan Texas Pipeline will use Natural
Gas.
• One example is the Trans-Pecos Compressor station
pipeline at WAHA near Ft. Stockton contains 11
compressors and develops 70,000 HP.

6. Compressor Failure in 2017
Enstorgas company seeks
$3Million after Explosion,
alleging due to Shoddy Work.

7. Compressor Failure in 2017
“Cont”
Failure occurred at ENSTOR Katy Storage and Transportation, L.P. in April 2017.
Damage was attributed to the replacement of a cylinder of the high speed compressor
Flange. Arkos or PCI or both replaced the part with a packing flange containing a cast-
Irion component rather than a carbon steel one, despite a service agreement requiring
carbon steel. Seven hours after the installation the unit exploded.
The catastrophic failure was the result of a packing flange. The blast affected two
other compressor units, the surrounding equipment, railing, a crane and other
Property. All equipment had to be shut down as a result of this damage.
The following chart shows the final storage location at Katy, Texas and the WAHA
Storage Hub project in the Reeves County area where the product shipment is initiated.

8. Katy Storage and Transportation Facility:
Location: Fort Bend and Waller
Counties, Texas
Working volume: 23.5 bcf
Max injection: 750,000 Mcfd
Max withdrawal: 700,000 Mcfd
Owner: ENSTOR
Storage And Transportation Facilities
ENSTOR WAHA Storage and Transportation,
L.P.
Facility Type: High deliverability
natural gas storage
Location: Reeves County, Texas
(near WAHA trading pool in West Texas.
Pipeline Access: Up to 14 pipelines
serving various trading regions of the US.
Working Capacity: Up to 10 bcf,
with high turn capacity.
Peak Injection Capacity: 450,000
Mcfd
Peak Withdrawal : 800,000 Mcfd

9. Pipeline Failure 2014
Northwestern Minnesota gas pipeline
explosion: ‘It was just hell on earth’ This
occurred on 25 May 2014.
A large pipeline exploded near Mexico, MO.
See the huge explosion and read about the
loud booming sound and the feeling of a home
shaking….. Go to Ref 2 for the web site info.

10. Pipeline Failure 2017
On February 15, 2017, a 36-inch-diameter
natural gas pipeline exploded and burned in
Refugio County, Texas. There were no injuries.
The flames were visible 50 miles away. Refugio
County Chief Deputy Sheriff Gary Wright said
the explosion occurred at an apparent weak
point in the pipeline that must have required
maintenance, but KM disputed the
issue.Residents as far as 60 miles away thought
it was an earthquake, while others described it
as "a thunder roll that wouldn’t end.”
According to the PHMSA incident listing, "the
incident was most likely caused by some
combination of stress factors on the pipeline."
The explosion and resulting fire cost $525,197
in property damage. The pipeline was installed
in 1964.

11. Pipeline Failure 2018
Aug1,2018 a series of Natural pipeline explosions in Midland County, Texas
accurred and sent five people to the hospital with critical burn injuries and
interrupted energy pipeline operations in the area.
Read more on his failure in Ref 3.

12. Pipeline Failure 2019
Pipeline failure at 3am on 3 Mar 2019 at Mexico MO. It was an explosion
and massive fire that lit up the sky…..
Ref 4 presents a You-Tube URL that can used to view the noise and
fire burning from this explosion.

13. Pipeline Failure 2019
One killed , 17 injured and one firefighter seriously injected after a gas explosion
In Durham, North Carolina on April 10, 2019.Half the block is destroyed with lots
Of injuries. Glass and debris everywhere. The blast occurred from a contractor
boring under the sidewalk hit a 2-inch gas line. What would happen if this
was a 42 - Inch natural gas pipeline?
For the fill story and pictures and the explosion damage, please go to Ref 5.

14. Route of Kinder-Morgan Permian
Highway Pipeline
The project will cross 16 counties within the state of Texas:
The counties are: Reeves, Pecos, Crane, Upton, Reagan, Crockett, Schieicher,
Menard, Kimble, Gillespie, Blanco, Hays, Caldwell, Gonzales, Lavaca and Colorado.
Within the Hays county the pipeline will enter the Hill County from Fredericksburg pass thru
the Wimberley Hill Country and proceed to Kyle and on to Katy,Texas In the Houston area.
It is believed that no Compressor Stations will be contained in Hays County. There might be
one out of Fredericksburg and not another until after I35….. .

15. References
1. Go to web “Enstor gas llc “ and find the WAHA
Storage Hub Project and the “Katy Storage Hub”
in the facilities menu for more information.
2.https://www.twincities.com/2014/05/25/northwestern-
minnesota-gas-pipeline-explosion-it-was-just-hell-on-
earth
3. Google “Natural Gas Pipeline Explosions” and
find 1 Aug 2018 explosion information.
4. You-Tube go to “Pipeline Failures 2019 MO”
5. https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/10/us/durham
-explosion-north-carolina/index.html