On 12/30/2013 2:20 PM, wmorrill@montana.edu wrote:

Question - Do natural gas lines ever shut down? Are they pressurized
with
air, and if so, how reliable are the pumps?
Wendell

Natural gas is piped under pressure. High and intermediate, (IP-60psi

?) and regulated at the house, low pressure, down to something less
than 2 psi. If a pipeline were to suffer a leak, or break, it would be
shut down for the repair to be made. Back a bit, in years, natural
gas was pumped into the ground, to fill the void left from extracting
any oil --in Montana. In a manner, storing it. Nature may be the
original "pressurizer", tho, I imagine relay stations are utilized.
When out in the country, propane is delivered, under pressure, in any
amount you can afford. Then, a finer grade is used for minature camp
stoves. This, to offset that, and then something else, but I forgot
what it was! I know there is some volumn involved, --a bit like
voltage. But then again, I may have forgotten some important facts,
and I may have it all wrong. 73, Shawnr kf7yff