City gets updates on pipeline

There are no comments for this page [ Add Comment ]

CENTERVILLE -- City officials, residents and professionals gave positive feedback about developments on the Porcupine Ridge Pipeline during a recent City Council meeting.

Although the council has made it clear it doesn't want the pipeline coming through Centerville, a number of officials expressed appreciation for Holly Energy Partners, the company seeking to build the pipeline from eastern Utah to its Woods Cross refinery.

Pete McDonough, chairman of Utah Seismic Commission, has been working on the project since last summer and gave his seismic evaluation at the meeting. He worked for Questar for many years designing pipelines to withstand earthquakes, and continues reviewing seismic design issues for Questar on an hourly basis.

McDonough said Holly has done a good job addressing seismic concerns. In the worst-case scenario of an earthquake, he said, there was a "high degree of probability the pipeline would survive."

He said the pipeline would be made of high-grade pipe, and the safety valves would automatically shut down the flow of oil during such an emergency.

City Manager Steve Thacker said the safety valve would be monitored via satellite at Holly's central control facility in New Mexico.

Public Works Director Randy Randall and Councilwoman Sherri Lindstrom visited the Holly facility in New Mexico last week and were given a demonstration of how to shut down the pipeline in an emergency.

"Everything I saw was at the same high caliber of responsibility, strong across the board," Lindstrom said. "Holly is in this for the long haul."

Mayor Pro Tem Paul Cutler appreciated feedback from Lindstrom, Randall and McDonough, saying it made him feel better about the project as a whole. He said he was also comfortable with the pipeline's design.

Holly would continue to be liable for the pipeline after its abandonment, but the length of time Holly would continue to indemnify the city remains undetermined.

That issue is still being ironed out by attorneys on both sides and didn't find resolution at last week's meeting.

Blaine Rawson, an environmental attorney, was present in his role as legal adviser for Rocky Mountain Pipeline. Rocky Mountain Pipeline will begin meeting with Centerville officials to discuss building another crude oil pipeline through the city.

Thacker said this pipeline will come through Centerville by way of Weber Canyon. Discussions on this pipeline begin this week.

Comments

Add a comment...

Name:
Comment:
Security Code:	Type the characters to the left in the box exactly as they appear.
Your IP:	38.103.63.60 This address is recorded for security purposes.