SEATTLE (Oil Monster): Authorities are investigating the cause of an explosion Tuesday at a Louisiana pipeline operated by liquefied natural gas developer Delfin LNG, Louisiana State Police confirmed to Upstream.
Reported around 11 am US Central time Tuesday, the explosion caused one minor injury and flames were visible to nearby residents, State Police Trooper Roy Jones said.
There was “no offsite impact” and no evacuations were needed, Jones said. However, Louisiana newspaper The Advocate reported that students at a school in nearby Johnson Bayou had to shelter in place.
The fire has been contained, and crews let the gas in the pipeline burn out before it was shut off, he said.
Authorities have yet to determine the explosion’s origin or how much gas was released, but Louisiana State Police will lead the ensuing investigation, Jones said.
Jones confirmed the roughly 28-mile (45-kilometre) pipeline, located in Cameron Parish in southwest Louisiana, is owned by Delfin LNG, which is developing three floating LNG vessels to be located about 40 nautical miles (74 kilometres) from the Louisiana coast.
Preliminary actions for the Delfin LNG project were being performed on the pipeline Tuesday, The Advocate reported.
Upstream has approached Delfin LNG for comment.
The three LNG vessels will be able to produce a combined 13.2 million tonnes per annum of LNG.
Before the Tuesday explosion, Delfin LNG operator Delfin Midstream said in mid-January that it was expecting to reach a final investment decision (FID) on the floating LNG development “in the next month”.
Contractors for Delfin LNG will include Samsung Heavy Industries and Black & Veatch.
Courtesy: www.upstreamonline.com
