LEWISTON, ID – Area law enforcement agencies have received several calls today regarding a large flame emanating from a tall pipe off US 12/95 just east of Lewiston. According to a statement to LC Valley News from Tulsa, Oklahoma-based company, Williams, their crews are conducting routine maintenance on its pipeline infrastructure near Lewiston.
“The maintenance process requires natural gas to be displaced intermittently through a regulatory approved method called controlled flaring. This common practice enables us to guide an inspection tool through the pipeline as part of our maintenance procedures in order to protect the safety of the public and to avoid interruption in service to customers. As part of Williams’ safety processes, the company has coordinated with local first responders,” the statement from Williams says.
The company says it expects to complete the maintenance by Friday.
“Natural gas flaring is defined as the controlled combustion of natural gas for operational, safety, or economic reasons. Venting is the direct release of natural gas into the atmosphere,” according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
“Natural gas flaring is the controlled combustion of volatile hydrocarbons and venting is the direct release of natural gas into the atmosphere, typically in small amounts. While flaring is more common than venting, both of these activities routinely occur during oil and natural gas development as part of drilling, production, gathering, processing, and transportation operations. The reasons behind both flaring and venting may be related to safety, economics, operational expediency, or a combination of all three,” the agency adds.
According to its website, The Williams Companies, Inc., is an American energy company whose core business is natural gas processing and transportation, with additional petroleum and electricity generation assets. It is a Fortune 500 company.
