Restoring Trust in Pipeline Safety

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Restoring Trust in Pipeline Safety

• Carl Weimer, Executive Director
• Pipeline Safety Trust

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Pipelines 101
The energy transportation network of the United
States consists of over 2 million miles of
pipelines. That's enough to circle the earth 83
times. These pipelines are operated by more than
3,000 companies, large and small.

• The network includes
• 160,000 miles of hazardous liquid lines
• 305,000 miles of natural gas transmission
  lines
• 1,860,000 miles of natural gas distribution
  lines and
• 70,000 miles of propane distribution
  pipelines.

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How important are pipelines?
? Replacing even one modest-sized pipeline, which
might transport 150,000 barrels per day, would
require 750 tanker truck loads per day, a load
delivered every two minutes around the clock.
Source - Association of Oil Pipe Lines
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Does greater pipeline safety drive up the cost
of gas?
Currently transporting gasoline by pipeline adds
2-4 cents per gallon, so even huge increases in
safety requirements would add little to the
consumers price for gas
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Types of Pipelines

• Hazardous Liquid Pipelines carry fuels like
  gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, etc.
• Gas Pipelines carry natural gas and propane.
• Transmission Pipelines are the larger lines that
  move gas and liquids around the country
• Distribution Pipelines are the smaller lines that
  move mainly gas within communities and to our
  individual homes and businesses.
• Interstate Pipelines are lines that cross state
  or national boundaries
• Intrastate Pipelines are lines that do not cross
  state boundaries.

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Who Uses Natural Gas?
Residential Customers 90 of all Customers, Use
23 of Supply Commercial Customers 9 of all
Customers, Use 14 of Supply Industrial
Customers lt1 of all customers, Use 38 of
Supply Electrical Generation Customers lt1 of
all customers, Use 25 of Supply
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Major Crude Oil Pipelines
v
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Refined Product Pipelines - Gasoline, Diesel, Jet
Fuel, etc.
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Who Regulates Pipelines?
Safe operations maintenance of distribution intrastate pipelines Varies from state to state depending on what authority states have chosen to request. If state does not request authority, then the authority to regulate remains with U.S. Department of Transportations, Office of Pipeline Safety
Safe operations maintenance of all interstate pipelines U.S. Department of Transportations, Office of Pipeline Safety - http//ops.dot.gov/
Siting, abandonment, and related environmental issues for interstate natural gas pipelines Federal Energy Regulatory Commission http//www.ferc.gov/industries/gas.asp
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• CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS TITLE
  49--Transportation
• Subtitle B- CHAPTER 1 - SUBCHAPTER D--PIPELINE
  SAFETY
• 190 - PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAMS AND RULEMAKING
  PROCEDURES
• 191 - TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL AND OTHER GAS BY
  PIPELINE ANNUAL REPORTS, INCIDENT REPORTS, AND
  SAFETY-RELATED CONDITION REPORTS
• 192 - TRANSPORTATION OF NATURAL AND OTHER GAS BY
  PIPELINE MINIMUM FEDERAL SAFETY STANDARDS
• 193 - LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS FACILITIES FEDERAL
  SAFETY STANDARDS
• 194 - RESPONSE PLANS FOR ONSHORE OIL PIPELINES
• 195 - TRANSPORTATION OF HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS BY
  PIPELINE
• 198 - REGULATIONS FOR GRANTS TO AID STATE
  PIPELINE SAFETY PROGRAMS
• 199 - DRUG AND ALCOHOL TESTING

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Site Preparation
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Stringing the Pipe
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Trenching
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Bending the Pipe
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Welding
Each welder must pass qualification tests to work
on a particular pipeline job
Qualified technicians take X-rays of the pipe
welds to ensure the completed welds meet
federally prescribed quality standards.
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Coating the Welds
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Lowering Backfilling
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Testing
Generally, but with certain exceptions, all newly
constructed hazardous liquid and natural gas
transmission pipelines must be hydrostatically
tested before they can be placed into service.
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Site Restoration
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What causes pipelines to fail?
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Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines
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Natural Gas Distribution Pipelines
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What are the real pipeline safety issues?
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Property Damage Totals
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Property Damage/Mile of Pipe
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Main Concerns with New Pipelines Being Built
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Call Before You Dig
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Environmental Concerns withGas Pipelines

• Most concerns with natural gas pipelines are
  during the construction phase.
• - Harm to wetlands, stream/river crossings,
• habitat corridors.
• Ongoing clearing of pipeline right-of-way

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Environmental Concerns withLiquid Pipelines

• Soil contamination
• Toxic components of fuel

Contamination of aquatic resources and
drinking water
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Property Rights

• Eminent domain Property devaluation
• Loss of use of property Restoration

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Ways to Improve Safety

• Ensure adequate inspections, regulations, and
  enforcement
• Place pipelines away from populated and sensitive
  areas
• Provide adequate setbacks
• Educate Landowners Contractors
• Provide clear disclosure when property sells

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The Bottom Line

• Safe Pipelines or More Tragedies

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Please Join With Us

• 1155 North State Street, Suite 609
• Bellingham, WA 98225
• 360-543-5686
• carl_at_pstrust.org
• http//www.pstrust.org