CoServ expands gas system to keep up with growth
On the coldest winter days, CoServ Gas Customers rely on their heaters to work – it’s a matter of life or death. Safe and reliable natural gas depends on the gas pressure staying above 10 pounds per square inch, especially during the morning and evening hours when gas usage is highest.
CoServ Gas technicians take this responsibility seriously, spending chilly days and even colder nights monitoring gas regulator stations throughout the service area. They monitor system pressures remotely and are always prepared to manually increase the pressure to meet the higher demand for gas that occurs as temperatures dip into the teens.
That’s especially true in the fast-growing areas along FM 407 where low-pressure issues can occur in a small part of the gas system when temperatures drop into the teens. The area, including Flower Mound, Argyle, Lantana and Bartonville, has added nearly 1,000 new CoServ Gas Customers since 2017 so the existing pipelines are at capacity. When accounting for future residential growth in this area, gas demand has surpassed projections from as recent as five years ago.
Chris Cross, CoServ’s Director of Gas Engineering, credits CoServ’s Construction Management, System Operations, Energy Supply and Gas Engineering & System Planning teams for their hard work and dedication for ensuring that our Customers have reliable gas service every winter.
Now, CoServ Gas is working on a long-term system improvement with a new six-inch steel line and a larger regulator station that will increase gas supply pressures in the growing areas along FM 407. The project is being designed now with construction expected to begin in 2023.
Chris said the goal is to have it completed in time for the winter of 2023/2024.
“Installing new gas infrastructure is what allows us to grow and add customers in this area,” Chris said. “Our teams work hard every winter to keep our system operating reliably. This project will reduce part of their burden moving forward.”
It’s just one of many projects CoServ Gas plans in the next few years as we connect 5,000 to 7,000 new Customers to the gas system every year.
To the east in Parker and Allen, CoServ contractors are completing new natural gas distribution lines that run parallel to the Farm to Market 2551 expansion project north of Parker Road.
The finished project will upgrade the six-inch poly line to an 8-inch poly line. CoServ Gas will also add a new 6-inch steel line. A regulator station in the area will also be replaced, doubling the capacity for that part of the system.
“Continuous improvement of our gas system keeps the system pressures up during winter and overall gives us more reliable service and the growth capacity to serve new customers in the years ahead,” Chris said.
CoServ also plans to expand the natural gas distribution system to serve new growth north of U.S. 380 in the coming years.