You can be an important addition to a pipeline company’s safety program by being alert to conditions or situations that could threaten the integrity of pipelines in your neighborhood. Here are examples of potentially dangerous situations. Please immediately contact us at during business hours at (423) 447-2919, 8:00am to 4:30pm; night and weekends at (423) 447-5555, if you encounter any of these or need any additional information.

Occasionally, a plow, post‑hole digger or other excavation equipment strikes a pipeline. While the impact may not seem significant, damage to the pipe and coating creates a concentration of stress and corrosion on that part of the pipeline. The pipeline company will inspect the damage and make any necessary repairs or maintenance

Washout of soils on the pipeline right-of-way, or along river and stream banks.  Erosion can expose a pipeline to damage from machinery or the elements. The pipeline company will take action to protect the pipeline.

There are several signs that can indicate a leak is present in a pipeline.  If you see any of the signs below, please notify the Pipeline Operator and the Pikeville Natural Gas Department will investigate the situation.

♦  Distressed or Dead Vegetation in a pipeline right-of-way.

♦  Hissing Sound or Odor of Gas in a pipleine right-of-way.

♦  Odor of Gas – Natural Gas is odorized to give it a distinct odor.  The ordorization of gas provides a means of early gas leak detection.  Workers in the natural gas industry add odorants and maintain an odorant level in the gas to make it detectable if there is a gas leak.