HOUSTON — A pipeline that ruptured in rural Brazoria County Thursday had many of us in the newsroom wondering how many pipelines stretched across the Houston area.
The quick answer -- a lot. And you're likely unaware that a pipeline could be right in your backyard.
"We have hundreds of thousands of miles of natural gas pipeline," said KHOU energy expert Ed Hirs.
Hirs said pipelines age, rust and corrode, so it's really easy for them to rupture.
We still don't know what caused the pipe to burst in Brazoria County, but Hirs said it wasn't as dangerous as it could have been because the rupture didn't happen in a populated area.
If it did, Hirs said this could have been significantly different.
“We do have pipes that are crisscrossing all around Houston," he said. "You know, this is the heart of the petrochemical refinery complex of America.”
We found mapping tools that will let you see if there's a pipe running through your neighborhood.
Click on the links below:
Hirs said it's just as important for homeowners to be aware of their own pipes, which can be influenced by the environment. Periods of severe weather, like rain or drought, have the tendency to stress pipelines.