VIRGINIA NATURAL GAS

Incident Narrative

ON FEBRUARY 3RD, THE COMPANY RECEIVED NOTIFICATION FROM THE PUBLIC OF A POSSIBLE LEAK IN THE VICINITY OF COLUMBUS STREET AND INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD IN VIRGINIA BEACH. THE COMPANY WAS ABLE TO DETERMINE THE LEAK WAS LOCATED UNDER THE ROADWAY OF INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD. INDEPENDENCE BOULEVARD IS A HEAVILY TRAVELED ROADWAY AND A MAIN ARTERY OF THE CITY. DUE TO THE VOLUME OF TRAFFIC, THE COMPANY WAS REQUIRED TO CLOSE AN ADDITIONAL LANE WHILE PERFORMING ROAD WORK. AT ONE POINT, THE COMPANY CLOSED TWO TRAVEL LANES AND A TURN LANE IN ORDER TO STRIP BACK AND EXAMINE THE PIPE. ADDITIONALLY, THE PIPE DEPTH WAS APPROACHING 90'' AND THE SOIL CONDITIONS THAT CLOSE TO OCEAN MADE SHORING SAFETY AN IMMEDIATE CONCERN. ADDITIONALLY, OTHER UTILITIES IN THE IMMEDIATE VICINITY INCLUDED SEWER, FIBER OPTICS, AND POWER. DUE TO ALL OF THESE FACTORS, AS WELL AS PRESSURE BEING PLACED UPON THE COMPANY FROM THE LOCALITY TO REFRAIN FROM INHIBITING TRAFFIC FLOW, THE COMPANY DETERMINED THE SAFEST AND BEST OPTION WOULD BE ABANDON THE 750' SEGMENT OF PIPE AND INSTALL A NEW SECTION OF 12'' STEEL PIPE. UPON COMPLETION OF THE PIPE REPLACEMENT, THE COMPANY CONDUCTED A PRESSURE TEST TO ENSURE THERE WAS A LEAK ON THE RETIRED SEGMENT OF PIPE. THE PIPE WAS PRESSURIZED TO 130 PSIG. AND WAS MONITORED FOR 65 HOURS. AFTER COMPLETION OF THE 65 HOURS, THE COMPANY CONFIRMED PRESSURE HAD DECREASED TO 102 PSIG. THE COMPANY ALSO CONTINUES TO TAKE READINGS IN THE AREA TO ENSURE THERE IS NO RESIDUAL GAS OR ADDITIONAL LEAKS ON NEARBY PIPE.