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To: Erik Latranyi
We are all aware that the environmentalists would love to have a pipeline explosion to derail future expansion.

There is not a control system on a pipeline that would be capable of causing an explosion, regardless of what commands were given through the control system.

You can shut it down, fully pack it, or release the gas to the atmosphere through the vents that are intentionally sited away from all other equipment.

But it would take a mechanical failure of more than one system to ignite the gas. It cannot be done through the control system. I have participated in several hazard analysis of natural gas pipelines. We spend days going through "what if" scenarios.

15 posted on 05/06/2012 9:35:06 AM PDT by thackney (life is fragile, handle with prayer)
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To: thackney
US software 'blew up Russian gas pipeline'

"In order to disrupt the Soviet gas supply, its hard currency earnings from the West, and the internal Russian economy, the pipeline software that was to run the pumps, turbines, and valves was programmed to go haywire, after a decent interval, to reset pump speeds and valve settings to produce pressures far beyond those acceptable to pipeline joints and welds," Reed wrote. "The result was the most monumental non-nuclear explosion and fire ever seen from space."

16 posted on 05/06/2012 11:02:43 AM PDT by Reeses
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