Oregon Pipeline FAQs
Oregon Pipeline is committed to open and honest communication with landowners and concerned citizens. The following are some answers to frequently asked questions.
Q. How will the pipeline benefit Oregon and the Pacific Northwest?
A. The combination of the proposed Oregon LNG terminal and pipeline projects will be one of the largest construction projects ever undertaken in Oregon. This construction effort will provide approximately 2,500 family-wage, full-time jobs for about 4 years during the construction phase and will later provide about 125 well-paying , full-time jobs for years to come.
Q. Is this pipeline transporting Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG)?
A. No. This pipeline is transporting natural gas (primarily methane), like other existing natural gas pipelines in Oregon, such as Williams Corporation's transmission pipelines and Northwest Natural's distribution pipelines. The natural gas will be converted to LNG at the proposed Oregon LNG facility in Warrenton, Oregon.
Q. How will the final decision be made about where the new 85-mile pipeline is built?
A. The decision will be made collaboratively, taking all points of view into account. Oregon Pipeline will work with surrounding communities to determine the best possible pipeline siting solution. This will be accomplished through a public process that includes community workshops. Community members will have the opportunity to receive information and provide input at the public workshops through direct mailings and public notices, and on this Web site.
Q. How will the route be chosen?
A. A final route has not been chosen yet. Oregon Pipeline is developing a route plan that will be safe, efficient and least intrusive to landowners. The planning and discussions for this route are centered on Oregon Pipeline’s key criteria for this pipeline project. These criteria are to:
- use existing transmission line and rail corridors whenever possible;
- ensure the project benefits both system reliability and customer needs;
- minimize impacts to farming and other landowner property uses;
- avoid, when possible, routes next to towns, housing, schools and sensitive watershed areas; and
- minimize the effects on buildings, fences, crops, water supplies, soil, vegetation, wildlife, air quality,
- noise, safety and landowner interests
Q. How will landowners be compensated for easements?
A. Landowners will be offered compensation based on the estimated value of the land needed for the easement, including improvements within the easement area. Compensation will also include any measurable loss in value to the remaining property due to the partial acquisition.
Most of the pipeline acquisitions will be easements. Owners still maintain ownership of the easement area and can use the area in ways that do not impact the pipeline. Most crop cultivation can continue on easements.
Q. How big is the pipe?
A. The proposed pipeline will be 36 inches in diameter. It will be made of welded steel, a half-inch to 0.75 inches thick, and it will have three to five feet of cover.
Q. How deep will the pipeline be buried in agricultural land?
A. In agricultural land, the pipeline will be at least five feet deep. This is two feet deeper than required by federal code. The additional depth is necessary to avoid drain tiles, irrigation piping and deep tilling practices. Exceptions to this additional depth would be for facilities such as Main Line block valves (should they be located in agricultural land).
If certain landowner practices require the pipeline to be buried deeper than these minimum depths, these situations will be considered and evaluated individually.
Q. How big of an easement is required?
A. Generally, a temporary construction easement of 100 feet is required by the pipeline contractor. There will be some areas where this 100-foot construction width will need to be increased to allow for horizontal directional drilling, horizontal boring, or areas where side slopes require more width to safely install the pipeline. Once the pipeline installation is complete and operational, the temporary construction easement, except for a permanent easement of 50 feet, is no longer needed and it can go back into whatever use the landowner chooses. A permanent easement of 50 feet is required for the life of the pipeline and it will be monitored and maintained by Oregon Pipeline. Trees greater than 15 feet in height and temporary or permanent structures cannot be within the permanent easement. Some uses of the area within the permanent easement can occur as described in the next question.
Q. What farming activities are allowed on the easement during pipeline operation?
A. Farming involving cultivated crops (e.g. corn, grass seed, etc.) can resume after the pipeline becomes operational or when construction is complete in that area. Deep-rooted crops such as filbert orchards, Christmas trees and crops that require wooden supports (such as cane berries, hops and grapes) are not permitted within fifteen feet of the pipeline centerline. The reason for this is that the easement must be easily viewed from the air and ground by maintenance personnel.
The easement must remain clear of any types of structures or vegetation (such as large trees) that would prevent Oregon Pipeline from monitoring and maintaining the pipeline. Should maintenance be required in an area where crops or supports are in the way, those areas will need to be cleared to allow maintenance to occur.
Q. How will drain tiles be handled?
A. The pipeline will be installed under drain tiles unless existing or planned drain tiles are deep enough to allow the pipeline to be installed above the drain tile with at least five feet of cover and a one-foot clearance between the tile and the pipeline.
Q. How are pipelines designed to handle earthquakes?
A. Pipelines are built from carbon steel and are inherently ductile and flexible. If the pipeline needs to cross a known fault zone, the pipeline engineer will create a specific crossing design taking predicted seismic forces into account. The pipeline engineers will follow established guidelines so that the pipeline is designed to withstand those forces.
Q. Can I get insurance if the pipeline is on my property?
A. Yes. The pipeline will be designed, installed, and maintained according to applicable codes and regulations. Easement agreements will include provisions that maintenance and responsibility for the pipeline is solely of Oregon Pipeline unless there is gross negligence by someone other than Oregon Pipeline.
A. Oregon Pipeline had a property impact study completed in March 2008 and it can be viewed on this website. A July 2007 court decision in Oregon related to diminution of value from pipelines indicated that "that overall the market does not discount properties because of the presence of a pipeline on the property." The testimony was given in a case in Washington County Circuit Court (Case No. C040775CV), and the plaintiff was Northwest Natural Gas Company.