High Pressure Natural Gas Pipeline Compressor Station Planned for South Conroe; A Cause of Concern for Many Nearby Business/Residents Alike

CONROE, TX -- The location of the Blackfin Pipeline in southern Conroe, reportedly operated by WhiteWater Midstream, is a major natural gas pipeline compressor station that is generally located in an out of the way area, on acreage of generally 25 acres or more, so in the event of an incident there is a buffer zone. The company has several in the area. The pipeline for Conroe, located at 12024 I-45 is set to be 48-inches, on a property less than seven acres, right next to furniture stores, cars on I-45, as well as near new homes in Grand Central Park. Sarah Bartholet Gwin, whose family owns Bartholet Home Furnishings, right next to the intended compressor station, is very concerned should an incident occur.

“My family has owned and operated Bartholet Home Furnishings for over 22 years and has been part of the furniture industry in Conroe for nearly 60 years,” said Gwin. “That’s why I feel a moral obligation to speak out about an industrial project that we believe could have serious consequences for the health, safety, and livability of our community.”

One incident involving a pipeline happened in Pearland, on the south side of the Brazoria-Harris County line. On October 24, 1978, a 30-inch gas pipeline exploded there killing five and injuring more than fifty people. It was so hot that the first emergency response vehicles arriving melted, and for those living in the town at the time, it could be heard in the middle of the night, and light from the fires could be seen for miles. The Houston Oilers were returning from a Monday Night game at the time and reported seeing the explosion happen.

The heat from pipeline explosions is very intense considering the damage done in Pearland, and the increased diameter of the pipeline in Conroe with no buffer zone would be a disaster in all directions should an incident become apparent. There is no doubt that more than five lives would be lost, whether it be passing cars passing by on I-45, or the lives in the buildings that would be affected in the furniture district, or perhaps in homes in nearby Grand Central Park.

How this project could slide underneath the radar of City of Conroe and Montgomery County officials is only partially understood. It was Gwin who started sending out a ‘Call for Action’ in late July and early August, alerting the media, City and Montgomery County officials. Besides local coverage television, social media, and some print media, the word is getting out. Even Forbes.com wrote a piece. Some speculate that the lack of city and county zoning ordinances caused due to the watery nature of the land which is not ideal for habitation due to its location to the nearby San Jacinto River, but quality businesses have made a successful go in the area, one even built up to the point of avoiding flooding to a key building during high water periods. Montgomery County and the City of Conroe, have approved easements for the pipeline, but there is still some confusion in exactly what the entities were approving and their intended outcomes. So far city officials have stated that they were not aware of an above ground compressor station. The Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, or TCEQ, is still reviewing the permit for the project.

MCN placed a call to WhiteWater Midstream and Blackfin Pipeline asking for the clarification on which they based their confidence to start a project in such a confined space, but they didn’t respond to our request. Several lawsuits have been filed against the Blackfin Pipeline. Bartholet Home Furnishings, located at I-45 south and River Plantation Dr, filed suit in late July, seeking a temporary restraining order, deathly concerned over the placement of the compressor site, being in the direct line of fire should any incident happen. In a Conroe City Council workshop in mid-August, members were blindsided by the progress of the project. When they approved of the easement to Blackfin Pipeline in summer 2024, they were completely unaware of an above ground compressor station, which pushes the natural gas onto the next station located up to 100 miles away. A hearing began in the 457th State District Court of Judge Vince Santini on August 29th, and will continue on Thursday, September 4th, at 1:30pm.

The City of Conroe has retained outside counsel to fight Blackfin, and Mayor Coon and City Council Members have shown unity in supporting the Bartholet’s fight for safety.

“We stand with you,” said Mayor Duke Coon, consoling the Bartholets’. “This is our community, and we understand the risks involved with the compressor station.”

Although Blackfin released a statement noting the City of Conroe actions could cause an economic effect on the oil and gas industry, they maintained the City of Conroe had already approved easements. Blackfin’s website under Environmental & Safety notes their commitment to community safety:

“We are committed to being good neighbors and considering feedback from all relevant stakeholders on both the proposed route and the project’s overall design.”

While there should be no concern over Blackfin’s planning, construction, and operational methods, the pictures associated with the document show rural settings, which provides a buffer separate from close quarters businesses, roads, and residences, where the company wants to place its newest compressor station in Conroe, in an area three-times smaller than the average rural site. The Bartholet’s have stressed they are not against the pipeline.

“The compressor station location is the issue,” said Gwin. “They are designed for remote locations, and not near the heart of the city.”

As noted with the 1978 Pearland 30-inch pipeline explosion, and the 20-inch pipeline explosion in Deer Park in 2024, any incident will cause evacuation zones for multiple days causing havoc with travel along I-45, and the pipeline is almost equal in size to both Pearland and Deer Park. Of course there is no guarantee of safety with operations, and fire is not the only concern, but such a volatile site located next to the area’s primary transportation route, will cause many more scenarios for bad versus good. A compressor station site plan shows an intimidating intended operation as shown against the Bartholet store footprint.

“We deeply respect and support Texas’ vital oil and gas industry,” said Todd Bartholet, owner of the home furnishings company in a statement. “And we are gravely concerned that the proposed Blackfin compressor station in Conroe presents an unacceptable public safety risk due to its location, not the industry itself.”