Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) has announced that it will upgrade or replace 50 to 60 pipeline valves in 2017 to further enhance the safety of its system. The upgraded valves will feature the latest technology that allow operators to control the valves from a remote location, or that automatically shut off the valve if a drop in pressure is detected. The new valves will allow gas control operators to respond more quickly if gas flow needs to be shut off in an emergency. The effort is part of SoCalGas’ Pipeline Safety Enhancement Plan (PSEP), a multi-billion-dollar program that tests and updates the natural gas pipeline infrastructure in Southern California.
Current technology, called Remote Control Valves (RCVs), allows valves to be opened or closed remotely by system operators from a central control location. Other new valves are equipped with a control device that automatically triggers a mechanism that shuts off gas flow in the event of a large pressure drop. These are called Automatic Shut-off Valves (ASVs).
SoCalGas uses both of these technologies throughout its pipeline system at strategic locations.
