Last month, a new compressor station owned by Enbridge Inc. in Weymouth, Massachusetts, experienced two natural gas emergency releases.

Local residents protest against the compressor facility in Weymouth. Source: FRRACSAs a result, the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration is investigating, and the commissioning of the facility is on hold until the review is complete and Enbridge satisfies any corrective actions the agency cites.

The Weymouth compressor station has received its share of regional criticism, including from local and state politicians. Compressor stations are typically located in rural areas, so releases or other possible accidents risk as few lives and as little property as possible. Weymouth is a populated Boston suburb, with pollution already a concern due to its industrial history. Many were also opposed to additional infrastructure to promote fossil fuel use and its climate effects. Finally, some analysis has shown that the primary benefits of the station would be those utilities and residents of Maine and Atlantic Canada. The Weymouth station would be a transitory point for gas fracked in Pennsylvania and delivered far north.

So two emergencies before the plant is fully operational have raised additional alarm about the safety of the plant. The first occured on Sept. 11, when an O-ring gasket failure required the release of 265,000 scf of gas and 35 lb of volatile organic compounds (VOCs). Then on Sept. 30, an electrical fault prompted the release of another 275,000 scf of gas.

Enrbidge Inc. said it still plans to fully implement the facility following the PHMSA's audit, although these emergencies have done little to assuage a community that was already concerned.

Source: WBUR: The Controversial Natural Gas Compressor in Weymouth, Explained