Natural Gas Pipelines

As the development of the Barnett Shale natural gas field continues, communities throughout Tarrant County and North Texas continue to receive plans for new gas drilling sites and new gas pipelines. In North Richland Hills, natural gas wells have already been drilled at three locations and wells may be drilled at other locations in the future.

Gas gathering and distribution pipelines are necessary to carry natural gas from drilling sites to markets, and therefore gas companies are working to acquire easements and plan for their gas pipeline distribution systems. While these companies have legal rights to acquire property as a public utility, the City believes it is in everyone's best interest for gas pipeline companies to be courteous and fair in their dealings with property owners, and to limit conflicts with neighborhoods and prime commercial areas as much as possible.

On June 23, 2008, the North Richland Hills City Council approved a resolution encouraging all gas pipeline companies to:

• establishing major pipeline alignments within existing utility and roadway corridors in accordance with the City's Comprehensive Land Use Plan;
• have an open dialog with property owners and citizens for establishing pipeline easements on private properties;
• utilize direct boring where possible and bury all pipelines a minimum of 5 feet in depth throughout the city;
• establish pipeline easements away from residential neighborhoods and on the peripheries of prime commercial properties in an effort to protect the value and potential use of all properties.

Click here to view the resolution.

Pipelines on private property are regulated by state and federal laws and are not directly regulated by cities. However, the City of North Richland Hills does have the right to establish license agreements for pipelines that cross city owned properties or public roadways and rights-of-way.

On June 14, 2008 the City Council approved an agreement with Texas Midstream Pipeline Company, allowing the company access to survey city property to determine potential gas pipeline alignments. In exchange for this access, the company agreed to certain minimum standards for all pipelines within the City. Click here to review the access and survey agreement.

Answers to frequently asked questions about pipeline can found on the Texas Railroad Commission's web site. Residents can contact the Texas Railroad Commission by phone at 877-228-5740.

Metroplex Barnett Shale LLC, a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil, operates a natural gas pipeline system in the Dallas - Fort Worth metropolitan area, extending from Keller to Corsicana. In March 2007, Pipeline Safety Brochures were mailed to residents living within 1/8 mile of this pipeline. Click here to view this informational brochure.