On Wednesday Williams was still venting gas from a leaking salt cavern at its Eminence, MS, gas storage facility. The venting began at 3 p.m. CST Tuesday.

“Since 3 p.m. yesterday we’ve vented about 400 MMcf/d,” the company said Wednesday. “The flow rate is currently around 225 MMcf/d. We do not have an estimated timeline of how long the venting will take before the pressure in cavern 3 is zero.”

Some residents in the area were evacuated after it was discovered that the cavern was leaking Monday night after a drop in pressure was noticed (see Daily GPI, Dec. 29).

“We are working closely with the families who have been temporarily displaced to meet their needs,” Williams said.

The salt dome facility consists of seven caverns and serves Williams’ Transco pipeline, which officials said remains unaffected. The cause of the leak is unknown.

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