PG&E Pipeline Tests Rescheduled to Sunday

PG&E-administered pressure tests of a natural gas pipeline in Newark have yet to start, according to officials of the gas and electric company. The tests will begin on Sunday.

The tests, which were scheduled to begin on May 31, were delayed in order to prevent disruptions during the Memorial Day holiday weekend, said Brittany Chord, a communications representative with PG&E.

Part of the test requires the removal of natural gas from a section of the pipe. This step was originally scheduled to occur during the holiday weekend, but Memorial Day events at Ardenwood Park, which is near the north end of the pipeline to be tested, prompted PG&E’s decision to push back the start date of its tests, Chord said.

The next steps involve filling up the pipe with water under higher pressure than the pipeline would see during normal operation. If the pipe holds, it will be thoroughly dried and placed back. If a leak or defect is detected, the section will be replaced.

“It’s really quite a process that’s involved. The biggest thing for us is to ensure that the city and its residents are comfortable with the work we’re doing,” Chord said.

Pre-construction for the test . As of Thursday, crews had vented the pipe of all gas, cut into the pipe and attached a test head to prepare for the hydrostatic pressure test.

The pipeline testing in Newark is part of PG&E's efforts to test approximately 150 miles of pipelines in highly populated areas that have the same characteristics and age of , Swanson said.

About a one-mile stretch of a pipeline that is 24 inches in diameter will be tested in Newark. The pipeline runs from Cedar Boulevard at Lafayette Avenue through Blackburn Drive to Cardiff Street and Chapman Avenue. The pipe was installed in 1949.

Partial road closures have been in effect on Cedar Boulevard and could continue through late June, according to detour signs. Part of Chapman Drive between Cardiff Street and Donegal Court will stay closed to through traffic for the duration of the project.

Hydrostatic pressure testing has been used by natural gas transmission industries for more than 30 years and is a commonly accepted approach to testing pipelines, according to PG&E.

For more information on hydrostatic pressure tests, visit the PG&E website here.