[Erik Latranyi]

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

Such expansion is fundamental to tapping our natural gas resources. Without additional pipelines, the gas cannot be moved easily from the shale areas to other parts of the country.

PS: The San Bruno California pipeline explosion cause was never absolutely verified. It could easily have been environmental terrorism.

[thackney]

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.