Magnolia Gas Pipeline

Index 1
I. Context
Magnolia Pipeline Index 1, built in 1927, is an interstate natural gas transmission line that
sered !allas and "arrant Counties #or de$ades proiding gas #rom the %ouisiana Monroe #ield.
Magnolia Index 1 #ueled po&er plants and industrial $ustomers during a time o# natural gas
shortages and is one o# the earliest examples o# pra$ti$al long distan$e gas transmission in 'orth
"exas. "he Magnolia pipeline sered !allas Count( #or 72 (ears be#ore being de$ommissioned in
the (ear 2))). "his appli$ation is #or a histori$al mar*er along the pipeline.
II. +erie&
Prior to 1925, the United States had only six long distance gas pipelines. Texas had only one.(1)
[t! the end o" 19#9 $one Star had %eg&n the constr&ction o" 'hat 'as then one o" the 'orld(s
longest pipelines, "ro) *ort +orth,-allas to Petrolia.. The $one Star /as pipeline to Petrolia 'as 199
)iles in length. The Petrolia "ield 'as not large eno&gh to s&pport the gro'ing needs o" Texas,
ho'e0er, so in 1911 $one Star /as expanded its %&siness into so&thern 23laho)a.. 4et'een 1915
and 1925 the co)pany con"ronted crises on three occasions 'hen ina%ility to deli0er ade6&ate gas
s&pplies nearly "orced it into recei0ership..(2) -allas 7o&nty and 8orth Texas desperately needed
additional s&pplies o" nat&ral gas.
9n the early 2#
th
cent&ry nat&ral gas ser0ice 'as considered a l&x&ry "or the a0erage ho)eo'ner. *or
the po'er plant operator nat&ral gas 'as also a l&x&ry. -allas Po'er and $ight(s /ri""in Street
/enerator Station did not %egin to &se nat&ral gas as a "&el to generate electricity &ntil 1925. The
-allas Po'er Plant, 'hich 'as the -P:$ po'er station in do'nto'n -allas at the site o" 'hat is no'
;ictory Par3, %egan &sing nat&ral gas as a %oiler "&el in 1925, 'hen a contract 'as exec&ted 'ith
-allas /as 7o)pany. *&el oil ser0ed as a stand%y alternate "or &se in e)ergencies. Prior to the &se o"
nat&ral gas, the plant &sed coal and "&el oil. Use o" nat&ral gas, 'ith oil as a stand%y, soon %eca)e
1
standard practice "or electric &tilities across the So&th'est..(<)
doption o" nat&ral gas "or &se as a residential and ind&strial "&el 'as slo'ed %y li)itations in long,
distance trans)ission and ade6&ate reser0es. =arly gas lines, and in partic&lar long,distance high,
press&re gas lines, 'ere i)practical d&e to lea3s and the di""ic&lty o" )an&"act&ring s&""icient
6&antities o" line pipe. s&ita%le "or &se 'ith high press&re. Pipeline technology o" that era 'as si)ply
not s&""icient to )eet gro'ing de)and and trans)ission to distant )ar3ets.(5) The period "ro) 1925,
19<# pro0ided a 'atershed o" technological ad0ances that per)itted the long distance trans)ission o"
nat&ral gas. These ad0ances incl&ded line pipe "a%rication techni6&es, co)pression o" nat&ral gas,
i)pro0e)ents in 'elding pipeline >oints in the "ield and the control o" corrosion.(5) 9n 1925 the "irst all,
'elded nat&ral gas pipeline 'as %&ilt %y the ?agnolia 2il 7o)pany. 9t ran "ro) Shre0eport $o&isiana
to 4ea&)ont Texas, a distance o" approxi)ately 215 )iles. ll,'elded constr&ction per)itted higher
line press&res and i)pro0ed the relia%ility o" the >oined pipe sections. (1)(@)(A)
9n late 1925 -allas,%ased ?agnolia 2il 7o)pany recei0ed an in"&sion o" cash "ro) Standard 2il.
Shortly therea"ter, the ?agnolia Pipeline 7o)pany 'as "or)ed.(9) 2ne o" ?agnolia Pipeline co)pany(s
"irst pro>ects 'as an 1A. trans)ission line to ser0e -allas 7o&nty(s gro'ing need "or electricity and
nat&ral gas.
1925,1925 also sa' the constr&ction, %y the ?agnolia /as ssociation,. o" a nat&ral gas co)pressor
station near Panola, Texas in an area later 3no'n as $aTex..(1#) -&e to lo' and &npredicta%le gas
'ell,head press&res, the $aTex co)pressor station 'as essential to distri%&te gas to distant )ar3ets.
The gro'ing 8orth Texas )ar3et "or nat&ral gas propelled the ?agnolia /as Pipeline 7o)pany, %ased
in -allas, to %&ild a line "ro) $aTex to -allasB*ort +orth. 7onstr&ction o" this line, and 'hat is
%elie0ed to %e an additional petrole&) pipeline r&nning in parallel alongside it, %egan in 1921.(11)
?agnolia 2il 7o)pany. is credited 'ith %&ilding the "irst long,distance, all,'elded, nat&ral gas
pipeline in 1925. 9n late 1925 ?agnolia 2il 7o)pany sp&n o"" its pipeline operations into the
s&%sidiary co)pany called ?agnolia Pipeline 7o)pany.. The spin,o"" co)pany(s "irst pro>ect, to
ser0e its ho)e )ar3et o" -allas, appears to ha0e %een recorded as 9ndex 1. or Syste) 8a)e 1..
2
?agnolia 9ndex 1 is a &ni6&e exa)ple "or %oth the technological ad0ances that it didn't &se as 'ell as
the ones that it did. 9ndex 1 is reported as ha0ing constr&ction %egin as early as 1921 and carrying
nat&ral gas %y pril, 192A.(15) erial photographs "ro) 19<# sho' a "&lly co0ered trench and recent
scar.(12)
The exposed ?agnolia pipeline crossing at 7ro' 7ree3 in the 4retton'oods section o" 2a3 7li""
appears to ha0e &sed electric arc,'elded line pipe predating )id,192# ad0ance)ents s&ch as=lectric
Cesistance +elded. (1925) or *lash +elded. technologies (192A). The pipeline at the 7ro' 7ree3
crossing ho'e0er appears to incorporate t'o relati0ely ne' technologies "or 1921D (1) The sections o"
pipe appear to ha0e %een electrically arc,'elded in the "ield and (2) the pipeline is coated 'ith tar to
red&ce corrosion.
Photographic exa)ination %y experts ha0e deter)ined that this pipeline(s longit&dinal (length'ise)
sea)s 'ere )ade %y electric arc,'elded, gas shielded, technology.(1<) The )an&"act&re o" line pipe
&sing electric arc 'elded longit&dinal sea)s 'as a slo' process, o"ten ta3ing a hal" an ho&r to 'eld a
single <# "oot section.(5) ltho&gh =lectric Cesistance +elded technology 'as de0eloped in 1925 to
speed line pipe prod&ction, it 'as not &sed in the section o" pipe exposed at the 7ro' 7ree3 crossing.
*lash,'elded technology, also a%le to prod&ce )ore )iles o" line pipe per day, 'as not de0eloped &ntil
192A. 9ndex 1 appears to ha0e &sed a slo'er, )ore conser0ati0e line pipe )an&"act&ring process. 9n
1921 and 192@ one o" the di""ic&lties o" constr&cting long pipelines 'as si)ply %eing a%le to o%tain
eno&gh s&pplies o" line pipe to co)plete constr&ction. 9n )id 192@ the .2. S)ith 7o)pany o"
?il'a&3ee %egan the constr&ction o" line pipe "or nat&ral gas and petrole&) trans)ission. 9n the "all o"
192@, .2. S)ith "illed a 11# )ile order "or the ?agnolia /as 7o)pany o" -allas, Texas.(5)
Eoining pipe sections in the "ield &sing con0entional acetylene gas 'elding techni6&es 'as di""ic&lt d&e
to the need "or the pipe to %e 'elded right,side &p. +elding &sing con0entional gas techni6&es in the
0ertical or &pside do'n position is 0ery di""ic&lt. /as 'elding pipe sections re6&ired the pipe to %e
rolled into position as it 'as 'elded.(5) This 'as clearly i)practical on a large scale. 9)pro0e)ents in
'elding pipe sections together 'ere re6&ired. sse)%ly o" the 192@ ?agnolia pipeline sections in the
"ield (o%ser0ed at the 7ro' 7ree3 crossing) appear to ha0e &sed electric arc 'elding, a relati0ely ne'
<
technology. =lectric arc 'elding pro0ided the 'elder the a%ility to 'eld the circ&)"erential (girth)
sea)s in all positions.. The acetylene gas,'elded pipeline, pioneered %y ?agnolia 2il 7o)pany in
the 1925 line r&nning "ro) Shre0eport to 4ea&)ont, (A) 'as a s&ccess"&l proo",o",concept that
apparently res&lted in the constr&ction o" the ?agnolia Pipeline syste) into -allas 7o&nty the
"ollo'ing year.
?agnolia Pipeline 9ndex 1 'as also one o" the "irst to ha0e protection to red&ce the e""ects o" soil on
pipe corrosion. 9ndex 1 'as coated 'ith coal tar 'hich, in the 192#s, 'as a signi"icant %rea3thro&gh.
7athodic. protection o" ?agnolia 9ndex 1, &sing an electrical c&rrent, 'as applied in a later decade
and also extended its ser0ice li"eti)e. (The parallel li6&id. petrole&) pipeline appears to ha0e %een
a%andoned decades earlier and experienced signi"icant corrosion.)
n pril 29, 192A -allas ?orning 8e's article reported that the $aTex. 7o)pany, also 3no'n as
?agnolia /as Pipeline 7o)pany, 'as ser0ing ind&strial c&sto)ers in -allasB*ort +orth.(15)
9n 19<# the pipeline assets o" the ?agnolia Pipeline 7o)pany 'ere ac6&ired %y 'hat e0ent&ally
%eca)e the United /as Pipeline 7o)pany. *ro) 19<# &ntil ?agnolia 9ndex 1 'as a%andoned in the
year 2###, it had )any o'ners.
/&l" So&th 'as created in the 19<#Fs 'hen "i0e )a>or gro&ps, representing )ore than 5# po'er, "&el
and &tility co)panies, )erged to "or) a holding co)pany na)ed the United /as 7orporation.. 9n
19<@, the corporation 'as restr&ct&red and condensed into three %asic di0isionsD prod&ction,
trans)ission and distri%&tion. The trans)ission di0ision 'as christened United /as Pipe $ine
7o)pany.. 20er the years, United /as Pipeline 'as ac6&ired %y a n&)%er o" co)paniesD PennGoil
(1915), ?id7on 7orporation (19A1), $aSalle =nergy 7orporation (19A@) and Hoch 9nd&stries, 9nc.
(1992). 9n &g&st 199<, United /as 'as rena)ed Hoch /ate'ay Pipeline, and in 2##1, Hoch
contri%&ted Hoch /ate'ay Pipeline to a >oint 0ent&re 'ith =ntergy 7orporation, re,christening the
pipeline as /&l" So&th Pipeline 7o)pany. 2n -ece)%er 29, 2##5, $oe's 7orporation p&rchased /&l"
So&th Pipeline..(15)
?agnolia 9ndex 1 ser0ed nat&ral gas c&sto)ers in -allas 7o&nty "or @2 years "ro) 192A to 2###, 'hen
it 'as a%andoned in place. d&e to red&ced co))odity "lo's.(11) The prod&ction o" locally,prod&ced
5
gas in 8orth Texas, )&ch o" it "ro) the 4arnett Shale, o%0iated the need "or the interstate trans)ission
o" gas "ro) $o&isiana. 9n their "ilings 'ith the *ederal =nergy Ceg&latory 7o))ission the o'ner o"
?agnolia 9ndex 1 also 'roteD Hoch see3s a&thority to a%andon these "acilities d&e to rising operating
and )aintenance costs, the n&)%er o" encroach)ents, and increasing n&)%er o" re6&ests to relocate
portions o" the pipeline..(1@)
,s part o# the abandonment pro-e$t almost all aboe.ground tra$es o# Magnolia Index 1 hae
been remoed.
III. /istori$al and Cultural 0igni#i$an$e
?agnolia 9ndex 1 pro0ided -allas 7o&nty "&el "or the generation o" electricity and the prod&ction
n&)ero&s ind&strial prod&cts to ser0e %oth local and glo%al c&sto)ers thro&gho&t its @2 year history.
Where the ?agnolia 9ndex 1 pipeline 'ent tells &s a lot a%o&t its c&sto)ers.
c&rrent )ap o" ?agnolia 9ndex 1 sho's that the pipeline entered -allas 7o&nty "ro) the east. (1A)(19)
lateral line headed north to ser0e the -allas Po'er and $ight Par3dale generating station %&ilt in the
195#s. The )ain line headed 'est across the so&thern portion o" -allas 7o&nty thro&gh the
4retton'oods section o" 2a3 7li"". +est o" 4retton'oods one %ranch heads north to pass %y ind&strial
concerns in 'est 2a3 7li"" %e"ore heading east to the -allas Po'er and $ight /ri""in Street /enerating
Station no' 3no'n as ;ictory Par3. ?agnolia 9ndex 1 also pro0ided "&el "or -allas Po'er and $ight(s
?o&ntain 7ree3 /enerating Station 'hich 'ent online in 19<A.
9n Tarrant 7o&nty ?agnolia 9ndex 1 also heads 'est to $a3e rlington to s&pply gas to the Iadley
generating station %&ilt in the 195#s. That sa)e line contin&es +est to the "or)er *ort +orth Po'er
and $ight ?ain Street /enerating Station.(2#)
9n -allas 7o&nty the ?agnolia 9ndex 1 right,o",'ay passed se0eral large ind&strial concerns centered
aro&nd the Texas and Paci"ic Cail'ay line near the s)all to'n o" =agle *ord and +est 2a3 7li"". The
east,'est lateral o" 9ndex 1 "ollo's the rail'ay.
5
2n 8o0e)%er 22, 1925 the -allas -aily Ti)es Ierald reported =xpect 4ig +est -allas 9nd&strial
/ro'th.. The co)%ined )an&"act&red o&tp&t o" that area 'as esti)ated to %e J25 )illion in 1925
dollars. The principle prod&cts o" that area 'ere re"ined petrole&) prod&cts, ce)ent, ce)ent prod&cts
and )etal prod&cts. The Ti)es Ierald also reported that -allas 'as expected to gro' to a pop&lation
o" 5##,### d&e to )an&"act&ring.(21) +hen ?agnolia 9ndex 1 'as co)pleted the -allas ?orning 8e's
reported, on pril 29, 192A, that the ?agnolia line has a%o&t six to'ns and ser0es )ostly ind&strial
concerns..(15)
2ne o" ?agnolia 9ndex 1(s c&sto)ers, the -allas Po'er and $ight /ri""in Street /enerating Station,
'as at the ter)in&s o" the lateral line r&nning into do'nto'n -allas. The /ri""in Street Station had
%eg&n to &se nat&ral gas as a %oiler "&el in 1925, three years earlier, and needed additional s&pplies d&e
to pre0io&s gas shortages.(1)(<) 9n the early 19<#s -allas Po'er and $ight %egan constr&ction o" a
second po'er plant to ser0e -allas located at ?o&ntain 7ree3. The ?o&ntain 7ree3 /enerating Station
did not co)e online &ntil 19<A. 9n -allas 7o&nty ?agnolia 9ndex 1 pro0ided "&el "or ?o&ntain 7ree3
and later at the Par3dale /enerating Station.
The ?agnolia 9ndex 1 pipeline "&eled -allas( early gro'th and red&ced ind&strial de)and on strained
$one Star /as s&pplies. ?agnolia 9ndex 1 pro0ided electricity to a gro'ing -allas as 'ell as ce)ent
and steel prod&cts &sed %oth locally and exported 'orld,'ide. 20er its li"eti)e it helped po'er 'ar,
ti)e prod&ction o" aircra"t at Iensley *ield 'hich later %eca)e the -allas 8a0al ir Station.
"he ele$tri$it( generation that Magnolia Index 1 #ueled lit, heated and $ooled our homes. It
po&ered our Christmas lights, ran our radios and "1s, $oo*ed our #ood and &ashed our dishes
and laundr(. +ur silent, underground, and #orgotten neighbor sered !allas Count( honorabl(
be#ore it &as retired at the age o# 72.
I1. !o$umentation
(1) rlon T&ssing and 4o% Tippee, The Natural Gas Industry: Evolution, Structure, and Economics, 2
nd
ed,
Penn+ell P&%lishing, 1995, p. A1.
(2) Ee"" Seidel, K=8S=C7I 72CP2CT928,K Handboo o! Te"as #nline,
$htt%:&&'''(tshaonline(or)&handboo&online&articles&d*e+,-, accessed #ctober ,,, .+,.( /ublished by the Te"as
State Historical 0ssociation(
1
(<) =,)ail co))&nication 'ith ?ichael Patterson, -irector o" 7o))&nications, TLU =nergy, Septe)%er 1A,
2#12.
(5) .2. S)ith Iistory,. 191# 9nternal historical )i)eographed doc&)ent o%tained "ro) 7harles +right,
-irector o" 7orporate 7o))&nications, .2. S)ith 7o)pany, ?il'a&3ee, +9, 2cto%er 2#12.
(5) Eohn *. Hie"ner and 7heryl E. Trench, #il /i%eline 1haracteristics and 2is 3actors: Illustrations !rom the
4ecade o! 1onstruction, )erican Petrole&) 9nstit&te, -ece)%er 2##1. (htt%:&&'''(a%i(or)&oil5and5natural5)as5
overvie'&trans%ortin)5oil5and5natural5)as&%i%eline5%er!ormance5%%ts&%%ts5related5!iles&6&media&!iles&oil5and5
natural5)as&%%ts&other5!iles&decade!inal(ash"), accessed #ctober ,,, .+,.(
(1) =xxon?o%il 7orporation, .+,+: The #utloo !or Ener)y : 0 7ie' to .+8+,
$htt%:&&'''(e""onmobil(com&cor%orate&!iles&ne's9%ub9eo9.+,+(%d!-, accessed #ctober ,,,.+,., %d! %( ::(
(@) To) ?eisner, History o! Gas and #il /i%elines, /i%eline ;no'led)e and 4evelo%ment,
$htt%:&&'''(%i%elineno'led)e(com&ima)es&stories&%resentations&history9o!9)as9and9oil9%i%elines(%d!-, accessed
#ctober ,,, .+,.(
(A) Eohn E. ?cHetta, Er. Encyclo%edia o! 1hemical /rocessin) and 4esi)n, ;ol 1@, 7C7 Press, 1999, p.1#<.
(9) E. $. Terrell and Ea)es . 7lar3, K?/82$9 P=TC2$=U? 72?P8M,K Handboo o! Te"as #nline
$htt%:&&'''(tshaonline(or)&handboo&online&articles&dom+,-, accessed #ctober ,,, .+,.( /ublished by the Te"as
State Historical 0ssociation(
(1#) /enealogy Trails Iistory /ro&p, TI= I9ST2CM 2* 72??U89T9=S 98 P82$ 72U8TM,.
$htt%:&&)enealo)ytrails(com&te"&%iney'oods&%anola&historyo!8(html-, accessed #ctober ,,, .+,.(
(11) $o&is StotG and lexander Ea)ison, History o! the Gas Industry, Stettiner 4ros., 19<A, p. <A@.
(12) -allas Iistoric erial Photograph, *osc&e ?ap li%rary, S?U, -allas, TL, Ia)pton Coad, /rid #<5.
$htt%:&&di)italcollections(smu(edu&cdm&sin)leitem&collection&dm%&id&,.:&rec&,-, accessed #ctober ,,,.+,.(
(1<) =,)ail co))&nication 'ith 7harles +right, -irector o" 7orporate 7o))&nications, .2. S)ith 7o)pany,
?il'a&3ee, +9, Septe)%er 21, 2#12.
(15) -allas ?orning 8e's, Te"as Gas <ines 0dd ,=+ To'ns to >+++ ?ile System in ,: ?onths, pril 29, 192A.
(15) /&l" So&th Pipeline 7o)pany Iistory, $htt%:&&'''()ul!south%l(com&0bout@s(as%"AidB8=.-, accessed
#ctober ,,, .+,.(
(11) Telephone con0ersation 'ith ?s. $inda Ia&ghton, 4oard'al3 Pipeline Partners, Septe)%er, 2#12.
(1@) *ederal Cegister, ;ol. 15, 8o. 22, +ednesday, *e%r&ary 2, 2###, $htt%:&&'''()%o()ov&!dsys&%)&325.+++5+.5
+.&%d!&++5.,>C(%d!-, accessed #ctober ,,, .+,.(
(1A), $htt%:&&)is.(rrc(state(t"(us&%ublic&-
(19) (htt%:&&'''('ayneir'ood(com&Ima)es&?a)nolia&?a%94allas91ounty92oute9,(D%))
(2#) (htt%:&&'''('ayneir'ood(com&ima)es&?a)nolia&?a%9Tarrant91ounty92oute(D%))
(21) -allas 7o&nty Texas rchi0es, $htt%:&&!ree%a)es(history(roots'eb(ancestry(com&6D'heat&'estdal(html-
,dditional resour$es in$luding maps, photographs and ex$erpts #rom man( o# the aboe.
re#eren$ed $itations ma( be ie&ed at2
httpDBB'''.'ayne3ir3'ood.co)B9)agesB?agnoliaB?agnoliaN8&)%erN1.ht)
@
rlon T&ssing and 4o% Tippee, The Natural Gas Industry: Evolution, Structure, and Economics, 2
nd
ed, Penn+ell
P&%lishing, 1995, p. A1
-allas Iistoric erial Photograph, *osc&e ?ap li%rary, S?U, -allas, TL, Ia)pton Coad, /rid #<5.
$htt%:&&di)italcollections(smu(edu&cdm&sin)leitem&collection&dm%&id&,.:&rec&,-, accessed #ctober ,,,.+,.( (9)age has %een
cropped to sho' the area o" interest.)
A
Co&te o" ?agnolia 9ndex 1 thro&gh 4retton'oods. rea is %o&nded %y So&th Ia)pton Coad, 4o&lder -ri0e, /i%%s
+illia)s Coad and +est $ed%etter -ri0e.
9
?ap, ?agnolia 9ndex 1 -allas 7o&nty Co&te. Screen capt&re "ro) Texas Cailroad 7o))ission, P&%lic /9S ;ie'er.
(htt%:&&'''('ayneir'ood(com&Ima)es&?a)nolia&?a%94allas91ounty92oute9,(D%))
1#