Southwest gas tests, ages pipelines 50 years before placing them underground

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) - Southwest Gas has a lab in Henderson where they make sure that customers across the valley have a safe and reliable system.

Pipes, fittings, and valves are some of the materials tested in the Southwest Gas lab.

“Basically, anything that brings that natural gas product into our system to the burner tip,” said Greg Efthemes, Supervisor of Laboratory Services.

They test materials that have been taken out of service due to malfunctions.

“Also, we can predictably model these materials and, more or less, we predictably model so we can project future behavior,” said Efthemes.

Future behavior means they can age a piece of material up to 50 years in just eight days.

“I want to know what it is going to do to my neighbor’s yard, my children’s, my grandchildren’s yard, and of course my yard,” said Efthemes. “I want to know what is going to happen in 50 years. As a plastic, when you increase the stress on a material and temperature, you can age it. This is an example. The yellow pipe is a new fitting that we are testing.”

Efthemes said that looking at the materials in different temperatures is a priority.

“We have some of the hottest and coldest regions in the United States, so with that we will actually incorporate around tests to represent the system,” said Efthemes.

Efthemes said all of the testing is important to ensure the sustainability of the system for the community so that gas works properly for all customers.

“What we want to do is make sure we have the very best materials going into our system and ensuring that we are proactive,” he said.

The lab in Henderson is the only one for Southwest Gas, and it also tests all the materials for California and Arizona.

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