Although several accidents involving OCTG (oil country tubular goods) have been figured large in recent news reports, the truth is that the 2.1 million miles of linepipe in the United States represent the safest way to carry gas, oil and other energy products across the country. The public is protected by the fact that line pipes run underground. Additionally, linepipe is one of the most cost-effective ways to transport large amounts of fuel.
However, there are times when accidents involving OCTG occur; at these times, it is important to take the correct actions in order to avoid additional damage and injury. The following is a description of the emergency controls built into major linepipe systems, as well as a look at how emergency personnel operate as they respond to an incident involving line pipes.
What Line Pipes Do
Within the nation’s energy network, line pipes are a means of transporting oil and other natural resources to processing plants where they can be refined for our use. Once the fuel is ready for consumption, line pipes carry it to marketing and distribution terminals across the country. Finally, line pipes move gases into our homes and businesses. (The final step of the distribution process is slightly different for liquid products such as oil; tanker trucks are used to move liquid fuel across the country.)
Because the liquids and gases that linepipe carries are highly flammable, there are several emergency controls required by law for OCTG, as outlined below.
Linepipe Emergency Controls
Reserved right of way. To protect OCTG systems from being disturbed, they are always placed in an area called the Right of Way (ROW). Permanent structures may not be built on the ROW.
Linepipe marker signs. Wherever linepipe runs underground, you’ll find above-ground marker signs providing a basic description of where the line pipes lie. Marker signs remind those who would dig to avoid disturbing OCTG systems. Additionally, they help emergency responders assess the situation when they arrive at the scene. Marker signs generally include the product in the linepipe, the linepipe’s operator and a 24-hour emergency phone number.
National linepipe map. The U.S. Department of Transportation maintains a national map of the locations of line pipes across the country. Used regularly, this map can help contractors and others avoid accidentally hitting linepipe and causing fuel to leak into the surrounding environment. Operators and government officials may access this map at http://www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov/. Another alternative is to call the state or national one-call center to learn about line pipes running under proposed excavation sites; the national number for this service is 1-888-258-0808. Call it before you dig.
Incident command system. The Incident Command System (ICS) describes responsibilities, roles and procedures for responding to incidents involving line pipes. The Department of Homeland Security is responsible for maintaining and operating the National Incident Management System that oversees the ICS.
Linepipe control centers. Each pipeline operator is required to maintain a control center. Pipe pressure, flow, temperature and other linepipe conditions are monitored at each control center. When an incident occurs, the control center responders can immediately shut off the flow of fuel. The control center also works with local emergency personnel to zone in on the source of a leak.
Linepipe Emergency Operations
In a pamphlet titled “Pipeline Emergencies,” The Pipeline Association for Public Awareness lists four steps to take when assessing and responding to a linepipe incident:
1. Assess the situation. Approach on foot from an upwind location. Avoid rushing in; remember that gases are invisible and largely undetectable without specialized equipment. As you assess the situation, consider the weather conditions, the terrain, what emergency resources are available, who/what is at risk and if there is a vapor cloud.
2. Secure the scene. The area around a linepipe incident should be isolated. Only emergency responders and authorized persons should be able to enter into the accident zone.
3. Employ NIMS and ICS. Follow the guidelines provided by the Department of Homeland Security. The NIMS and ICS guidelines provide instructions on choosing an incident commander and establishing a command post, among other emergency response actions.
4. Identify the hazards. Next, qualified experts on the fuels carried by line pipes should identify potential hazards.
As the hazards and challenges of the incident site become clear, steps may be taken to protect the surrounding environment and communities. Once a stable situation has been created around the site, government officials, linepipe operators and emergency personnel can work together to tackle the underlying problem and get the fuel flowing once more.
[ photo by: fictures ]
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