A FLAME of up to 10 metres in height can presently be seen along the Henty Highway just south of Hamilton while routine maintenance of the pipeline that supplies gas to the township occurs over the next couple of weeks.

Energy company APA is responsible for the maintenance of the pipeline, a process called ‘pigging’ to ensure it is working efficiently and safely.

An APA spokesperson said the T93 Codrington to Hamilton Gas Pipeline supplies the township of Hamilton, with gas transferred along the pipeline from the Iona Gas Storage Facility, located near Port Campbell.

“To depressurise the relevant section of the pipeline and ensure the scheduled, specialised maintenance work can take place safely, we will be releasing and igniting the gas in a controlled manner,” the spokesperson said.

This is called ‘flaring’ and involves expelling the gas from the pipeline and igniting it with a pilot flame, creating a tall, vertical flame and can be quite a spectacle. It also emits a load roaring sound whilst flaring.

“Flaring is common in the industry and while the flare is visible, the process is safe,” the APA spokesperson said.

“Flaring reduces greenhouse gas emissions and impact on climate change, compared to directly venting the gas into the atmosphere.

“We conduct flaring in compliance with Fire Permits Victoria … during the Fire Danger Period and Total Fire Bans.

“This includes notification to local authorities.”

Hamilton Fire Brigade have advised locals via social media of the maintenance and assured the community that the ‘flaring’ involved the use of a controlled flame to purge gas.

The ‘pigging’ process includes cleaning and inspecting the pipeline by inserting a device termed a ‘pig’ into the launching station, pushing the pig down the pipeline using pressurised gas and inspecting and cleaning the pipeline internals.

The process involves an initial survey conducted by personnel along the pipeline. These technicians leave small square loggers at test points along the route to track the progress.

APA is a leading Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) listed energy infrastructure business and owns, manages and operates a diverse portfolio of gas, electricity, solar and wind assets in every state and territory in Australia.

“The works will not impact gas supply to any homes and no roads will be closed during the works program,” the spokesperson said.

 It is anticipated the works will take approximately three weeks, subject to any weather impacts or if the works are completed sooner than planned.