Pressure surge may have caused rupture on Central Asia - Center-2 gas pipeline near Moscow
MOSCOW. Oct 20 (Interfax) - A differential in pressure could have caused the rupture on a gas pipeline in Moscow Region on Friday, a source in the regional technical oversight services told Interfax.
"Preliminarily, there was a differential in pressure. It suddenly increased dramatically, which led to the rupture of the pipe," the source said.
The Energy Ministry said the incident occurred on the 1,200-mm Central Asia - Center-2 trunk gas pipeline.
"At 5:58 a.m. on October 20 in the Lukhovitsky district there was a rupture on the Central Asia - Center-2 trunk gas pipeline with diameter of 1,200 mm (LLC Gazprom Transgaz Moskva branch Gavrilovskoye LPUMG) with subsequent combustion," the ministry said in a statement.
The ministry said the fire began as a result of the pipeline rupture and the ruptured section was shut off at 6:03 a.m.
It was reported earlier that a section of gas pipeline in Moscow Region caught fire on Friday.
"A gas pipeline rupture was reported in Lukhovitsky district. The flare is burning to a height of 15-20 meters," an emergency services source told Interfax.
Gas industry workers blocked the ruptured pipeline section. No one was hurt.