PG&E to Conduct Helicopter Patrols in Humboldt County to Ensure Natural Gas System Safety
Starting Today, October 7, Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) will conduct routine low-level helicopter patrols to inspect natural gas transmission lines in Humboldt County, as part of our semi-annual leak survey and maintenance program. A helicopter will fly over pipelines from Arcata to Fortuna and West into Six Rivers National Forest.
PG&E patrols remote gas lines by helicopter as part of its continuing effort to ensure the safety and reliability of its natural gas system. By combining the use of LIDAR-based equipment and state-of-the-art leak detection technology with a streamlined repair process, finding and fixing leaks, if any are detected, are faster than ever before.
A spotter in the helicopter also uses a GPS-enabled tablet with mapping data to navigate the pipelines and document excavation and construction activity, or other observations that warrant follow-up. If issues or obstructions are identified, it is possible helicopters may need to fly at a lower altitude for additional inspections. Ground crews may also be sent to construction areas to verify operating conditions or anything that may limit safe access to the pipelines.
Weather permitting, flights will occur between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. PG&E will fly in a contracted helicopter, likely a Bell 206B3 Long Ranger that is blue and white, like the attached photos.
Pilots may fly as low as 300 to 500 feet when conducting inspections. Flights will be coming and going along Highway 101 from Murray Field through Tuesday.
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I sure hope the no pot growers try to shoot down the choppers. Seems like every time one is spotted all hell breaks loose. Word spreads like wild fire in the hills. With the drug cartel being involved in illegal grows they would not hesitate to open fire on a chopper. Please be safe PG&E pilots and spotters.
Anybody know how many times choppers have been shot at in Humboldt? I know more crazy hillbillies that might do that than cartel wonks trying to stay off the radar.
I haven’t heard of a helo getting shot at since the CAMP days, but it could happen.
Sounds like you are one of the crazy hillbillies. Don’t kid yourself, if the cartel is cornered I would suspect they will start unload rounds from their weapons, rather than going to jail. It is amazing how many Mexican food containers are found at different grow sites!
Lee Wilson used to enjoy flying around in copter 101.
Maybe this will lessen the likelihood of another natural disaster related to the energy sector. So Cal will be reeling from the oil spill for a few years.
For my information what is LIDAR and how does a helicopter perform leak detection on a buried gas pipeline. I understand possibly spotting surface disturbances but the leak detection from the air must be some high tech Shi….
LiDAR stands for Light Detection and Ranging. It is used to make very detailed topographical maps of an area. The LiDAR is not what is actually used to detect the leaks however, they have very sensitive thermal imaging systems on board that can detect the temperature difference from a leaking pipe. At least that is how it worked with the pilots I have spoken with in the past.
Over in Nam we had “sniffer” choppers with equipment that could actually detect the presence of human urine on the ground. Gas leaking would be a snap.