Natural gas

pipes up in Boone
By Frank Ruggiero

While the Boone Area Chamber of Commerce’s latest Lunch & Learn didn’t exactly give diners gas, it did offer plenty information on the subject.

Natural gas was the topic du jour at the Aug. 25 luncheon, and representatives from Frontier Natural Gas were on hand to discuss the domestic energy that’s powering more and more businesses and residences in Boone.

“It’s a big issue and big potential for development,” chamber president Dan Meyer said.

LeeAnn Nixon, sales representative with Frontier Natural Gas, told how the company – a subsidiary of Montana-based Energy West – serves Ashe, Surry, Warren, Watauga, Wilkes and Yadkin counties, with its gas piped from Louisiana to Salisbury, where it’s then distributed westward to Frontier’s service area through 150 miles of distribution line, with approximately 40 miles of service lines.

Natural gas can save consumers up to 28 to 50 percent over propane or other fuel, Nixon said, and customers can pay as they go. People needn’t prepay for natural gas and house it in a storage tank, since pipes actually run to the facility for metered use.

Nixon described some of natural gas’s physical benefits, in that it is a clean and efficient burning fuel. “It has virtually no emissions, producing virtually no solid waste,” she said, adding the gas has very little impact on water quality, as there are no requirements for underground fuel tanks.

As far as safety goes, Nixon said natural gas is one of the safest fossil fuels available today. The gas is colorless, odorless, tasteless and non-toxic. Frontier adds an odor to the gas, though, so consumers can detect it should there be a leak, Nixon said, adding that the industry spends about $4 billion annually on safety.

“There are sufficient reserves for decades to come,” Nixon said, adding that a Kennesaw University study indicates a reserve of at least 70 years’ worth of natural gas for future production level. “And you’ll rest easy knowing that 99 percent of (the United States’) natural gas comes from right here, with no dependence on unstable foreign nations.”

Pricing and profits are regulated by the government, which Nixon said was a good benefit for the consumer. “The price can go up and down, but you can rest assured that you’re paying a price that’s based on the price of the gas being passed through,” she said.

Natural gas is measured in therms, which is the equivalent of 100,000 BTU (British Thermal Units). Propane and other fuels are measured by the gallon, with one gallon of propane equaling 91,600 BTU, a gallon of No. 2 fuel oil equaling 139,000 BTU, and a gallon of No. 6 fuel oil equaling 150,000 BTU.

Regarding coverage in Boone, Nixon said Frontier is continually branching out in the area, trying to serve more commercial properties, with residential and industrial uses connected along the way.

Commercial sectors typically lead the way, with surrounding properties sharing the opportunity to connect should a line cross in proximity.

“We follow that track first and then branch out into communities as we can,” Nixon said.

The Poplar Hill community is one such example. Nixon recalled when she first started with Frontier, a resident of the Poplar Hill area expressed interest in natural gas and contacted his fellow neighbors to garner their support, and Nixon said Frontier is now moving in that area.

“Once we commit to an area and have a customer that calls us (seeking service), we do not charge for a service line,” Nixon said. “We know we can run it and know we can get a return over the years, so we’ll run that line at no charge.”

Nixon said a line has been installed in the State Farm Road and Shadowline area, meaning surrounding businesses or residents could likely connect. Frontier will also furnish Watauga High School with natural gas, Nixon said, as well as numerous Appalachian State University buildings, some of which are already connected.

ASU structures serviced near West Howard Street will prove convenient, as Frontier plans to install lines during the Howard Street renovation project, which would power the downtown roadway and others at a later time. Nixon said Frontier has mailed informational letters to property and business owners on Howard Street to determine interest in natural gas, with some people having already committed.

Property owners would shoulder the cost with Frontier to provide a pipeline in that area, Nixon said, with Downtown Boone Development Association director Tuesdae Rice suggesting the alleyway between Howard and King streets as an ideal location.

Since underground utilities will be replaced during the Howard Street project, Nixon suggested using the same trench line for the pipe’s placement.

Council member Stephen Phillips noted that one of the primary problems with development in the Howard Street area is the storage of propane tanks and the space necessary for truck access. Natural gas would need neither.

Mayor Loretta Clawson asked Nixon if Frontier planned on serving the entire town of Boone, and Nixon said it’s the company’s goal to reach as many people as possible. “We want to serve along the line, but we also want to expand,” she said.

Frontier marketing manager Ernest McGuire said, “We’re coming in, hitting the big stuff like ASU, and now we’re starting to branch out. I think you’ll start seeing more of the small streets … getting picked up.”

McGuire said Frontier is committed to getting a gas line through Howard Street, but the company would need help from the chamber of commerce to encourage property owners to make the switch to natural gas.

“If we do get Howard Street, we plan on jumping across to get others,” McGuire said, suggesting King Street as another option. “If we get that, we will be working the other side.”