Dustin Solicio, operations manager for New Mexico Gas Company’s Eastern New Mexico operations, told the Clovis City Commission on Oct. 16 that the company plans to replace a section of pipeline installed in the 1930s that runs through central Clovis and extends toward Tucumcari.

Solicio said the line ‘‘was installed in the thirties’’ and that the company regularly replaces aging mains to maintain integrity and meet modern construction standards. The segment under discussion runs through a corridor including Sycamore, north of Hillcrest Park, behind the North Plains Mall and across Prince Street near Whataburger and Walmart. Solicio said the company is exploring construction methods that minimize surface disruption, notably directional boring that ‘‘drilling underground’’ to avoid opening trenches and blocking driveways.

Solicio said the project covers about two miles of pipe, would likely take about three months and that crews would aim to work in summer months—June through August—so the line, a critical feed, is not taken out of service during winter. He said New Mexico Gas is consulting with city staff about local events at Hillcrest Park, school traffic near Yucca Middle School and commercial properties along Prince Street.

To reduce long-term development constraints, New Mexico Gas proposed alternate routing in places where the existing right of way cuts through valuable commercial parcels, naming the lot next to OfficeMax as an example. Solicio described the company’s existing rights as old ‘‘blanket township’’ easements dating to the 1930s and said the utility would request modern, dedicated corridor easements—he suggested a 30-foot easement as practical within the city while noting a 50-foot corridor is typical in some projects.

New Mexico Gas representatives introduced other project personnel at the meeting, including Gerald Racine (vice president of regulatory and external affairs), the Percheron engineering team and local construction manager John Gutierrez. City Manager Justin Hohalt and other staff attended and said the briefing was intended to start public education and to flag future easement and right-of-way requests that would come before the commission.

Commissioners encouraged New Mexico Gas to present suggested alternate alignments that avoid prime commercial areas and to continue coordination with city staff on timing and methods. No formal action or vote occurred; Solicio indicated any formal right-of-way or easement approvals would come to the commission later.