Safety

Salt caverns are a safe method of containing natural gas below ground. Salt caverns serve as excellent containers for natural gas because, once formed, the caverns allow no gas to escape unless it is specifically extracted. Also, salt cavern walls are strong and impenetrable to gas.  The strength of the salt protects against degradation, and the impenetrable nature of the salt prohibits against gas migration from the cavern.

As the largest operator of natural gas storage in the United States, El Paso safely and successfully manages storage facilities across the United States to meet demand in major consumption areas. SNG is committed to maintaining this record during construction and operation of the New Home Natural Gas Storage Project. The project will meet or exceed all applicable local, state, and federal regulatory safety and environmental requirements. It will include state-of-the-art safety features such as remote emergency shutdown capabilities, gas-leak detection and alarms, and fire detection and alarms. This focus on safety will ensure that SNG’s New Home Natural Gas Storage project contributes to the underground gas storage industry’s 90-year history of safe operations. The industry has maintained that outstanding record over the decades due to rigorous design, construction, operation, and maintenance procedures.