Northern Natural Gas - Main Office
1111 S. 103rd St.
Omaha, NE 68103-0330
(402) 398-7000
Reliability
Northern is committed to the safe and reliable delivery of gas transportation services. Communities, factories, hospitals, power plants, businesses, and residences depend on our products and services for energy to generate heat and electricity.
Northern will use every available resource to ensure the safety and reliability of its facilities. Northern does not encourage nor support any development or encroachment that interferes with the operation or maintenance of its pipelines. In those cases where development or encroachment cannot be avoided, Northern needs your help to ensure the safety and reliability of our facilities.
Pipeline Facilities Overview
Northern owns and operates 14,600 miles of pipeline with 6.3 Bcf/day of Market Area peak transportation capacity plus 1.7 Bcf/day of field transportation capacity. Additionally Northern operates five storage facilities with storage capacity of 75 Bcf. The transmission operation includes high-pressure steel pipeline ranging in diameter from 2 to 36 inches, compressor stations, town border stations, cathodic protection equipment, valve settings, odorizers and other related facilities.
In accordance with federal regulations, Northern identifies the location of its pipeline facilities by installing permanent pipeline markers near rail, water, fence and underground utility crossings. Pipeline markers may also be strategically placed in extensive areas of open ground to delineate the location of the pipeline.
The maintenance of pipeline markers and an open, clear right of way at all times is critical to public safety. Construction or development near transmission pipelines increases the probability of excavation damage. Northern, individual landowners and contractors need to work together to ensure that all temporary and permanent pipeline markers installed by Northern are protected and maintained at all times, especially during construction. Removing or defacing a pipeline marker is a federal criminal offense.
Encroachments
Northern's philosophy is to prevent encroachments, when possible, by working with agencies and developers to design projects outside the pipeline easement. Many of Northern's easement agreements prohibit encroachments, and you should be aware that Northern will enforce applicable provisions in its easement agreements where it believes the continued safe operation and maintenance of the pipeline could be threatened.
Where Northern determines that an activity can be undertaken without jeopardy to the pipeline system, Northern will require an encroachment agreement or issue an encroachment permit depending on the type and scope of activity proposed.
The encroachment agreement will contain all pertinent conditions to be followed by the encroaching party for the planned activity and may also provide for cost reimbursement to Northern if relocation of the pipeline and/or facilities is required. Typically, Northern will seek reimbursement for relocation projects that require significant design review, engineering investigation, field inspections, legal consultation, facility modification, or pipeline construction.
The encroachment permit will contain all pertinent conditions to be followed by the encroaching party for the activity planned and is generally reviewed and issued to the encroaching party on-site.
An encroachment agreement is required when activities/works cross under or over the natural gas pipeline an/of activities/works extend into the right of way
Northern requires a minimum of 30 business days' lead-time to review preliminary residential plans for impacts to the easement and to ensure that all proposed improvements are designed in accordance with Northern's encroachment specifications.
Reimbursement Agreement
A reimbursement agreement may be required for activities proposed on the right of way requiring extensive preliminary engineering and/or field inspection services by Northern personnel.
In addition, Northern will seek a reimbursement agreement for any third-party activities that require modification to Northern's facilities. Such modifications include, but are not limited to, pipeline casing extensions, pipeline relocations or replacements and pipeline cathodic protection facility modifications.