As promised, PG&E released information about location of major, high-priority natural gas pipelines here in California. The move comes 11 days after the deadly pipeline explosion and fire in San Bruno that killed several people and leveled dozens of homes.

Here's the link to PG&E statewide map. It has the locations listed on the map and you can drill down to a general area of the spot in question.  The San Jose Mercury News remade the map and made it a bit easier to read.

The PG&E also put out a hot line phone number:  1-888-743-7431.  Customers who call that number will be able to ask if they live within 500 feet of a current Top 100 location.  We called here at 4 p.m. and got right through to a live agent who was able to answer whether an address was within 500 feet of a Top 100 line.  The person calling has to be the person on the PG&E bill.

They also released a list of the "Top 100" pipeline segments that are being further evaluated and monitored for potential action.  The segments are located at 47 locations.

PG&E has 6,700 miles of transmission pipeline in northern and central California that includes 20,000 segments, ranging in length from 2 feet to a mile long.

Here's the link to the PG&E Top 100 (pdf)

It's worth noting that PG&E said that the segment of pipeline in San Bruno that exploded was not on the Top 100 list.

 "We were not aware of anything in this particular area that would have met the criteria to put it on that list," Johns said.  John added because PG&E still doesn't know what caused the blast, it remains to be seen whether the line should have been on the list. 

San Jose leaders were given the heads up ahead of the release that it showed two of the lines are in the north part of the city. Mayor Chuck Reed said one of the dangerous pipelines lies beneath the surface near the intersection of Tasman Drive and North First Street.

Reed said PG&E told him the Tasman/North First Street pipeline was slated for upgrades in 2012 and the other section was under review by the utility company. 

The second San Jose location is along 10 feet of pipe near Milpitas-Alviso Rd and Ranch Dr in San Jose. PG&E will determine whether is needs repair or replacement based on the current review.

The "Top 100" list was assembled from data gathered in late 2009. It's a list PG&E compiles every year based on monitoring, maintenance and construction work occurring near the line that could risk a rupture from digging.

Several Livermore locations are also listed:

• Evaluating the potential replacement of 13,835 feet of pipe between Livermore and Arroyo del Valle, due to the design materials used and the potential for ground movement. This section of L107 is located across the open hills from south Livermore to Arroyo del Valle.
• Evaluate the potential replacement of 14,730 feet of pipe between Arroyo del Valle and Foleys Crossover, south of Livermore from Arroyo del Valle to the Valecitos Valley due to the design materials used and the potential for ground movement. This segment of L107 is located across the open hills south of Livermore from Arroyo del Valle to the Vallecitos Valley.
• Evaluate the potential replacement of 7,000 feet of pipe between Vasco Rd and Dalton Crossover, located on steep slopes from the North Livermore Valley to Vasco Rd due to the potential for ground movement.
• Evaluate the potential replacement of 4,990 feet of pipeline between Ruby Hills to Foleys Crossover in Livermore due to the potential for ground movement. This pipeline is located on the steep slopes over the Pigeon Pass near Hwy 84 south of Livermore.
• Replace 1,350 feet of pipe at Calaveras Rd, Sunol due to the potential for ground movement. This segment of L131 is located on a steep 26% sloping hillside in the Sunol Valley immediately northeast of the Calaveras Fault and Road, just southeast of I-680.
• Construction is in progress in 2010.

Fremont/Milpitas locations:

• Evaluate the potential replacement of 22,363 feet of pipe between the Vargas Rd and Irvington Station due to the potential for ground movement. This section of L131 is located over the steep slopes from the Vargas Rd to Mission Blvd and through a 10-15 foot easement through central Fremont to I-880. Construction currently is scheduled for 2012.
• Replace pipe at several locations and install other facilities in order to internally inspect L132 through the urban areas between Milpitas and Crystal Springs reservoir due to the potential for ground movement. Based on this inspection, PG&E will determine whether any repair or replacement action is warranted. Construction currently is scheduled for 2012-13.

Peninsula locations:

• PG&E is conducting an engineering review of the design materials of 105 feet of pipe near Brittan Ave and El Camino Real in San Carlos. Based on this review, PG&E will determine whether any repair or replacement action is warranted.
• PG&E is conducting an engineering review of 18 feet of pipe near Dunbarton St. and Donahoe St. in Menlo Park. Based on this review, PG&E will determine whether any repair or replacement is warranted.

North Bay locations:

• PG&E is conducting an engineering review of 1,887 feet of pipe through the suburban area along Linardo St near Albert Park Ln near San Rafael. Based on this review, PG&E will determine whether any repair or replacement action is warranted.
• PG&E is conducting an engineering review of the design materials of 247 feet of pipe near Foster Rd and Saint Francis Cir near Napa. Based on this review, PG&E will determine whether any repair or replacement action is warranted.
• PG&E is conducting an engineering review of 3 feet of pipe near Redwood Blvd and Atherton Ave in Novato. Based on this review, PG&E will determine whether any repair or replacement action is warranted.
• PG&E is conducting a review of two 30-foot segments of pipe near Redwood Blvd and Atherton Ave in Novato to determine the construction history of these pipeline segments. Based on this review, PG&E will determine whether any repair or replacement action is warranted.
• PG&E is conducting an engineering review of 285 feet of pipe near Redwood Blvd and Atherton Ave in Novato. Based on this review, PG&E will determine whether any repair or replacement action is warranted.

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