Gas pipeline under farm?

If you haven't already bought the place I'd walk away. No way would I want that on my land. Twice in our state there have been explosions. One blew a 5 acre hole in the ground and the other set fire to a creek and killed two little boys and a man. We have a 30 acre lot for sale near us with a pipeline across it. It's in an area of lovely homes but it's been on the market over 3 years and no one will touch it. I know that doesn't happen very often but I wouldn't take the chance.

We have a gas pipeline and a high tension power line across our farm. I would rather have the gas pipeline then the power lines.

The pipes are deep. Leaks are corrected as soon as they are reported. The gas company has been good to deal with.

As far as organic certification, get real. Participation in natural resource exploitation and capitalism does not disqualify land from organic standards. Yet.

Search landowners and pipelines.

The pipeline company will use eminent domain to put in the pipeline. Your only question will be how much compensation you will be paid.

Specify everything you want taken care of in an agreement.
You ought to consult with a lawyer to see your options.

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I wouldn't have an issue with a pipeline being installed unless it cut through a wooded area with an unusual micro ecology. QA/QC varies with the owner and the pipeline contractor. That should be obvious from the responses.

All of the pipeline owners are going to be super vigilant to make sure there is no possibility of leaks caused by a construction related incident. Cathodic protection is the norm. Over time the potential still exists. With the number of recent incidents, all pipeline owners know they're on a hot seat.

I would make sure the contract specified that top soil was removed first and stockpiled so it could be replaced after the pipe trench was back filled instead of it being mixed with the subsoil.

Make sure the contract also specifies the species to be seeded to avoid something being introduced that would be a problem later.

If in the future you want to sell any of the land for development - even if only one house - you will be restricted as to where you can build because of the pipeline -

Just
say
No
and walk.

It all depends on what your plans are for the property.
If it is strictly to be a hayfield, that pipeline won't bother you once it's installed. In fact, you won't even know that is it there other than possible markers along the road.
The chances of this line leaking in your lifetime is almost nil.
I wouldn't have ANY problem buying the land - just make sure the current landowner hasn't been paid.
What exactly does the addendum say? I can see letting you know ahead of time, but the price and compensation will come later.
Just be aware that you won't be able to build anything over top of it.
And when the company comes around to have you sign the agreement - make sure you have everything covered - they aren't done with the project until you are happy with the results, and any damage in the future - from them driving over it (if they ever do), you will be compensated for crop damage.

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"Everything happens for a reason."

I would not have a problem at all either. It is a hay field, and the pipe is many feet under.
And besides there are millions of miles of pipelines across the USA and have been there for many years. Another one is not going to hurt a nit in any ecological or property values.

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the pipeline co should be okay to work with. should. iwould not have a problem with the pipeline myself but you may want to talk with the pipeline co rep about any above ground structures that may be placed on row. structures of blow offs, blockgate operators, test station for cathodic protection, and rectifiers. these would be some things I would not want to look at or mow around. if you do get a rectifier it also comes with a 300 foot deep ground bed well. none of this is bad but just ugly.

I've got 27 years natural gas pipeline row /compressor sta experience. most of the time the pipeline rep wants to reach a decision that can work for everyone and keep the project moving forward.

the pipeline co should be okay to work with. should. iwould not have a problem with the pipeline myself but you may want to talk with the pipeline co rep about any above ground structures that may be placed on row. structures of blow offs, blockgate operators, test station for cathodic protection, and rectifiers. these would be some things I would not want to look at or mow around. if you do get a rectifier it also comes with a 300 foot deep ground bed well. none of this is bad but just ugly.

I've got 27 years natural gas pipeline row /compressor sta experience. most of the time the pipeline rep wants to reach a decision that can work for everyone and keep the project moving forward.

oh, I also have about 45 years of hay field experience.

I have a pipeline that runs on my western border of my property... You'd never know it was there. They had cleaned out years ago to put it in, but looking now, you can't tell... There is a ROW on it, but they never use it... Maybe some day they will need to get in there, but it wouldn't really effect me.

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We have a high pressure gas line through our property, cuts diagonally through it. Never a problem. Once a year they come by and if nothing is planted they mow over the top of it, don't want any trees coming up on top of it. When they put it in they offered us a gas hook up but it was too far away to be useful. I wish I was older and not a kid, I would have taken a hook up and filled tanks and transported them up to the house. I'm sure we could have worked something out. My father saw bubbling if the field once, called them, but it wasn't them, (a lot of small natural gas deposits around, none worth drilling for though.) They were happy we called even if it was a false alarm. They have some device they hook up and run electricity down the pipe, it checks for corrosion. So a pipe line is no problem. Unless you dig it up and break the line. Sprint Long distance did this to the same line down the street, wow to hear gas roaring out of the pipe. closed off all the streets around, wouldn't let us go home, so I went to the next street and drove through the field to my house. We were far enough away. When the line was ruptured, the guy on the bulldozer/back hoe, jumped off while it was moving, the dozer headed for a high tension line, fortunately it hit a stump and stalled and didn't hit the tower. If that gas had caught fire it would have been spectacular, and probably shattered windows in the buildings nearest.

This is what happened when a pipeline ruptured near Sissonville, WV last Dec. That's I77 in the picture. If a line ruptures and isn't burning, you don't want to operate any vehicle or electrical equipment anywhere close.

IMHO, nothing to worry about... only thing you can't do on a pipeline ROW is build permanent structures or plant trees. Hay meadow? It'll be better after the line goes in than before (make sure you have addendums added to the lease, saying the land will be returned in the condition you want it. Topsoil put on top.... lime, fertilizer, and replanted in whatever grass you want.

Upside, if you own the land before they put it in, you could make enough to buy a new tractor and all the gear to make hay, or pay off the land.

Numbers fluctuate, but ROW payments can be between 20 and 30$ a linear foot (depending on size of line, temp row, and permanent). I have four, or is it five, on my place, and never notice they're there. Was supposed to have gotten a new line in last year, following an existing row, and my payment was going to be around 80K. That would've paid for a lot of new infrastructure.

*worked as a landman, for five years*

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I don't want to hijack the thread but I'll tell a quick story.

My son bought a home in upscale neighborhood in Newburgh IN. ALL homes on his street have pools, practically all in a row-you can see looking down the back of his house.

Marathon gas has a pipeline behind these houses, not sure how many ft. away.

Son builds a pool. Marathon contacted. Marathon guy needs to be there during most of the construction, OKs it ALL.
Weeks later Marathon SUES my son, saying they don't have enuf easement in case of emergency.
They drug the lawsuit out unbearably long, thinking he would give up &take out the pool, I guess. But DS WON! After many, many days of $7500/day court/lawyer costs.

Bad news is, he got NONE of his $$ back even tho he won the suit & the judge actually said that it appeared Marathon went after the family needlessly.

Be careful, everyone.

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It reads like your son's tribulation was the result of someone in a corner office deciding to flex some muscle to make a show to impress the locals. Standing up to something like that strengthens the opposition. Marathon's punitive lawsuit might be of interest to a few law firms that would work pro bono just to teach a corporation a lesson.

pipeline would not bother me,if I was planning on a hay field!!! On a side note,everone bashes power lines-pipelines,but just rember THAT is how everybody gets cheap power and gas in this country.If nowbody allowed that kind of stuff on there property no one could afford to farm or eat or buy products,so be carful what you wish for.

Any type of easement is a pain. Having said that, we had a gas collection line go across our place from an easement agreed to by a previous owner. We got paid a nominal sum. The important thing is that the company worked with us so that the pipeline went in next to a fence line and underneath the "path" where we drive the tractor/wagons/etc to avoid compacting the field. They also agreed to double ditch so that the topsoil was placed back on top of the clay.

More recently, Chesapeake approached us about an easement for a pipeline. They are such a pain to deal with that our answer was no.

Whether or not the company can use eminent domain depends on the type of line going in. Normally, for a collection line they can't use ED. At the other end of the spectrum, they usually can for an interstate transport line.

Mike

What if country people got the true value of those easements? Just think if it saves millions its worth millions !
If that was the case I suspect generating plants would be set closer to their customers.
The Result?
Powerplants would be in the middle of cities, not inflicted on country people!
A win!
Think that's bad? You know in the middle of the city they would have watchers like Hawks , so they would be cleaner and safer!
2 more wins!
The transmission losses would be less , so less power needed and less fuel consumed and less pollution made!
2 more wins!

Yes it all boils down to a person that stay NIMBY. But they sure as heck use the electricity, they use the gas, and everyone wants check energy, no matter want form it is in. This NIMBY attitude sure shows the hypocrisy in folks.

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