Mariner East 2: What are natural gas liquids, and what happens if they leak?
In 2017, about 1,000 gallons of natural gas liquids leaked from the Mariner East 1 in Morgantown, Berks County. It was discovered by a resident who noticed discolored grass.
This story originally appeared on StateImpact Pennsylvania.
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As part of the “Mariner East 2: At what risk?” series, this StateImpact Pennsylvania video examines the natural gas liquids that flow through the pipeline and what happens if they leak — something that could be caused by:
- Welding failures
- Material defects
- Corrosion
- Shifting land exposing the pipe
In 2017, about 1,000 gallons of natural gas liquids leaked from the Mariner East 1 in Morgantown, Berks County. It was discovered by a resident who noticed discolored grass. The leak did not result in an explosion.
In September 2018, a leak from a gathering line carrying a mixture of hydrocarbons including methane, ethane and butane resulted in an explosion, with one house burning to the ground. No one was injured.
The Mariner East 1 pipeline has experienced three leaks since 2014. Those leaks did not result in any explosions.
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