2019-098 Gas Transmission Lines and Compressor StationsDate: May 10, 2019 Report No. 2019-098
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL SUBJECT: Provide information about natural gas transmission lines and compressor stations.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:
Included below are council member Armintor questions concerning the monitoring of natural gas
compressor stations, and the mapping of natural gas transmission lines and compressor stations. Staff responses are provided below each question.
BACKGROUND:
1. I heard from Ed Soph that the city does not inspect or monitor the line compressor
stations that collect gas from wells and send it to its destination. Is that true? And if so, is
it the responsibility of the pipeline company or some other party?
Ordinance 2015-233 regulates the drilling and production of gas and the development of
gas well facilities. Included below is the definition of a drilling and production site.
Transmission lines and compressor stations are excluded.
Drilling and Production Site. The area dedicated to all authorized above ground gas
well drilling and production activities related to an oil and gas operation on an improved
area and containing all wells, structures, dehydrators, parking areas, security cameras,
lighting, tanks, tank battery ( or any other tank grouping area), drilling rigs, separators,
lift compressors, perimeter walls, utilities, and all other features or objects used during
and after gas well drilling or production activities, as depicted on a Gas Well
Development Plat or Gas Well Development Site Plan, but excluding pits, gathering and
transmission lines and compressor stations. Drilling and Production Site includes the
terms gas well park, gas well pad site, pad site, and drilling and production area.
Line compressors and transmission pipelines are considered parts of the distribution
system for natural gas. The Railroad Commission (RRC) regulates and permits intra-
state transmission pipelines and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)
oversees inter-state transmission pipelines. The RRC provides the location of both intra-
state and inter-state transmission lines on maps available online.
2. I'd like to request that a map of gas pipelines and compressor stations in Denton be linked
to the gas well section of the city website, since gas pipelines are a public concern
directly related to concerns about gas wells (production & transmission). Can staff
include a map in next week's Friday report and add it to the website?
Date: May 10, 2019 Report No. 2019-098
A link to the RRC map viewer has been added under the “Helpful Resources“ banner on
the gas wells inspections webpage. The RRC map includes information for the entire
state and the view could be zoomed-in to show information at the city level. The map
includes information on pipelines (gathering and transmission lines) among other
information that viewers can choose from the Visibility tab, it has an identifying tool that
provides information such as pipeline operator, permit number, pipeline mileage, etc. for
each pipeline, and the map also has query capabilities. However, RRC does not map the
location of compressor stations.
Please let me know if I can provide any additional information.
CONCLUSION:
This ISR has been provided for informational purposes. ATTACHMENT(S): None STAFF CONTACT: Deborah Viera Assistant Director of Environmental Services 940.349.7162 Deborah.Viera@cityofdenton.com