Gas leak: Farmers face mass milk dump

Posted by Rotorua Daily Post on 26 October 2011 | 0 Comments

Tags: Rotorua, Taupo, Whakatane, gas pipeline, Maui gas field, Gas Industry Company, Fonterra,

Farmers in Rotorua, Taupo and Whakatane face emergency milk disposal after a major disruption to the gas pipeline supply network in the North Island yesterday. The line, which links the Maui gas field to the upper North Island, closed yesterday morning after gas began escaping in north Taranaki. The Gas Industry Company said there had been a notice of "immediate curtailment" of gas use by all consumers other than residential customers in the areas north of King Country and in the Bay of Plenty.

The cause of the gas leak has been identified, but workers are taking care to avoid a major explosion, says Vector. Fonterra was understood to be closing all its dairy plants in the north of the North Island - including Edgecumbe and Reporoa - because of the disruption. There was no indication of how long supplies might be out for.

Bay of Plenty Regional Council pollution prevention manager Nick Zaman said the gas disruption meant there would be large volumes of milk waste to be disposed of in the region.

Farmers needed to ensure they followed the guidelines carefully and avoided direct contamination of waterways. "Irrigation of waste milk to land is the preferred option of disposal in an emergency situation."

Mr Zaman said milk spraying may have resulted in odour issues for neighbouring properties and the council had asked for the public's understanding as gas was restored.

""This is an emergency situation so hopefully people can be tolerant of the temporary odour as they can be assured this is the best option to protect the environment,"" Mr Zaman said.

Farmers who are unable to dispose of their milk in accordance with the guide can contact council pollution prevention team leader Steve Pickles, phone (0800) 884-880.

For a guide to milk disposal, visit www.boprc.govt.nz.

Hospitals, power stations, universities and other large-scale gas users were last night urged to reduce their usage.

Vector spokesperson Simon Mackenzie said crew members have been excavating the pipeline overnight.

"At this stage it looks like a well has fractured. And that will probably require a section to be cut out of the Maui pipeline following from which they'll put a new section in and weld it in," he told Radio New Zealand.

He said a potential leak was identified on Monday, and the company then had to isolate gas on the Maui pipeline to find out where the leak was.

"It was reasonably evident given some basically bubbling to the surface of the gas. Once the gas pipe was isolated ... we then commenced excavation."

He said the "extremely challenging" excavation efforts was carefully removing gas from the lines because otherwise it could cause a major explosion.

"The key issue we are focused on at the moment is to not disrupt the land as such that it gives rise to a compounding of the problem."

He said civil aviation had been notified of the problem because the high-pressure gas gets exhausted up into the atmosphere.

He said a Vector pipeline was providing Auckland with a limited supply, and the full supply would not be back up and running "within the next few days".

The Government has offered the gas company help if needed.

The Acting Minister of Energy and Resources Hekia Parata is in New Plymouth, and was last night briefed on the incident.

Fonterra farmers, reported to be throwing away up to $20m of milk a day, are being asked to dispose of the milk in their paddocks and avoiding the waterways.

Patients at eight hospitals and two continuing care facilities are being asked to use their own pyjamas, after a ruptured gas pipeline led to a shortage of clean linen in the central and upper North Island.

Key messages for farmers

Irrigation of waste milk to land is the preferred option of disposal.

Avoid any direct discharge to waterways.

Prevent ponding of wastewater and overland flow into waterways, including drains, when irrigating.

Try to avoid irrigating near property boundaries to minimise odour potential.

Irrigate to land at a dilution of 1:10 with water to avoid damage to pasture.

Flush irrigation lines with clean water following application of milk to pasture.

No more than four days worth of milk should be discharged to your effluent pond system.