IMPORTANT PIPELINE SAFETY INFORMATION

Transcription

1 IMPORTANT PIPELINE SAFETY INFORMATION FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND LOCAL PUBLIC OFFICIALS This brochure is provided specifically for emergency responders and local public officials because you have unique informational needs regarding our pipelines and related facilities. Similar information is provided to people involved in excavation-related activities and to those who live and work along our pipeline rights-of-way. Gas - EOPO

2 OPEN HERE AND READ TODAY! EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION ENCLOSED! PLEASE SHARE THIS IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION WITH YOUR TEAM IMPORTANT PIPELINE SAFETY INFORMATION FOR EMERGENCY RESPONDERS AND LOCAL PUBLIC OFFICIALS Did you know? Pipeline operators are required to submit pipeline maps for transmission pipelines to the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS), which can be accessed online at npms.phmsa.dot.gov. Public officials and emergency responders may request special access that provides greater detail on pipeline locations than the information available to the general public. However, do not rely on this information when planning to dig near any pipeline.

3 Hello. My name is Kerry Puckett. I am the vice president of operations for Enbridge s natural gas gathering and processing business. As public officials and emergency responders, your job is to protect the people who live and work in your communities. I care about the safety of those who live and work near our pipelines this is Enbridge s and my highest priority. I ask that you read and share the important safety information in this brochure. Public officials: Please share this information with professionals in your city or county/parish planning, zoning and permitting departments to help increase awareness of pipelines in your community. These professionals will often be the first point of contact for developers and builders, and it s important that information on pipelines and contact information for the pipeline operator is provided in the early days of a new development or building project. This will help avoid issues in the future. Emergency officials and responders: Is your department prepared to respond to a pipeline emergency? Do you know what you should, and should not, do when responding to a pipeline emergency? Do you participate in emergency response exercises with pipeline operators when invited? At Enbridge, we are committed to conducting regular emergency exercises with our local paid and volunteer emergency responders. We have employees based throughout Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana and welcome the opportunity to meet with you to discuss our pipelines and emergency response plans. We also invite you to participate in the emergency response exercises we plan to hold this year. We also encourage you and others in your department to attend group meetings related to pipeline emergency response when they are offered in your area. If you have questions about an Enbridge pipeline including pipe size, location or contents transported you can contact us through one of the nonemergency phone numbers listed in this brochure, or send us an at uspublicawareness@enbridge.com. Pipeline Emergency Information and Training The National Association of State Fire Marshals offers pipeline emergency response training available online at pipeline.mindgrabmedia.com.

4 ENBRIDGE OPERATED PIPELINES LEGEND Gas Pipelines Liquids Pipelines NON-EMERGENCY CONTACT: Texas Panhandle, Western Oklahoma (806) North Texas (817) East Texas/Longview (903) East Texas/Fairfield (903) Louisiana (985) Please visit us online at enbridgeus.com or on facebook.com/enbridge (click on US pipeline safety). You may also contact us via at or write to Public Awareness Manager, 1100 Louisiana, Suite 3300, Houston, TX For more general information on pipelines and natural gas, please visit pipeline101.org and naturalgas.org. Contacting Enbridge in an emergency: In case of an emergency involving an Enbridge pipeline, please find a safe place to call 911 and then call Enbridge at: The number posted on the pipeline marker, or (888) (Texas and Arkansas) (888) (Plaquemine, St. Bernard and Jefferson parishes, Louisiana) (877) (Cameron and St. Mary parishes, Louisiana)

5 Reliable, safe delivery of energy In the United States alone, more than 2 million miles of pipelines deliver petroleum products and natural gas. Pipelines are the safest, most efficient and most reliable way to transport liquid and natural gas energy resources. Keeping communities safe My name is Barry, and I m the emergency response coordinator for Enbridge in Texas, Arkansas and western Oklahoma. It s my job to maintain our emergency response plan and coordinate emergency exercises with first responders. I work closely with emergency responders to make sure they have the information they need. If you suspect a leak on a nearby Enbridge pipeline, please call us immediately at the number listed on a pipeline marker or at one of the emergency numbers listed in this brochure. Enbridge takes its responsibility for pipeline safety seriously. We have an emergency response plan in place to work promptly and effectively with local first responders. In the unlikely event of a leak, Enbridge will act swiftly to protect the public; conduct a prompt, safe and thorough repair in close cooperation with regulatory authorities; and mitigate any environmental and property damages.

6 There are pipelines in or near your community My name is Gregg. I work in Enbridge s Pipeline Integrity Department in Houston. Our team is responsible for managing a program of preventive measures to promote safe, reliable operations of our pipelines and related facilities. These measures include: High-quality pipeline materials and anti-corrosion coatings Cathodic protection (a low-level electrical charge) to inhibit corrosion of underground pipelines Pressure testing of new and existing pipelines Inspection procedures to locate pipeline features Preventive maintenance programs Around-the-clock surveillance of transmission pipeline operations Frequent aerial and periodic ground surveys of the right-of-way Enbridge representatives will notify affected residents along our right-ofway when we are planning to conduct maintenance on our pipeline. Please call us at the numbers listed in this brochure to report any unusual activity in our pipeline right-of-way or any unauthorized entry into our facilities. Properties of natural gas While you may already be familiar with natural gas and natural gas liquids, we want you to understand how these products behave and how they should be treated in the unlikely event of a pipeline emergency. Additional information is included with this brochure if the Enbridge pipeline in your area transports natural gas liquids or gas containing hydrogen sulfide, or if there is an Enbridge natural gas compressor station nearby. Consumer-quality natural gas is composed of mostly methane and ethane and is non-toxic. Untreated natural gas may contain variable amounts of many elements, including carbon dioxide, propane, butane, nitrogen, pentane, benzene, octanes, hexane and sulfurous compounds.

7 Natural gas is lighter than air. If released into an open area, it rises into the atmosphere and dissipates. In an enclosed area, natural gas will collect first near an overhead area. Suffocation can occur if the gas displaces the oxygen in an enclosed area. Should a pipeline emergency occur, contact Enbridge immediately so we can stop the flow of gas and then allow any fire that may be present to burn out. Keep the surrounding area cool with water spray and prevent further ignition of combustible material. In the event of a pipeline emergency involving natural gas liquids, evacuate all unnecessary personnel and use an approved self-contained breathing apparatus. Keep surrounding surfaces, including exposed equipment and containers, cool with a water fog or spray. Properties of Hydrogen Sulfide In several Texas counties, Enbridge does transport natural gas containing hydrogen sulfide. It is important that you have information on hydrogen sulfide, including how to respond to a pipeline emergency involving hydrogen sulfide should one occur. Hydrogen sulfide is a colorless gas at atmospheric temperature and pressure. It is flammable, toxic and heavier than air, so will settle, particularly in low-lying areas. It causes a foul odor in small concentrations, but paralyzes the sense of smell in higher concentrations. Hydrogen sulfide is also known by the following names: Sour gas Poison gas Rotten egg gas Acid gas Sulfur gas

8 The following chart is intended to serve as a guideline for incidents involving hydrogen sulfide; it does not replace the need for proper respiratory apparatus or training: PERCENT PPM PHYSICAL EFFECTS Obvious and unpleasant odor. Safe for 8 hours exposure Kills the sense of smell in 3 to 15 minutes; may sting the eyes and throat Kills the sense of smell quickly; stings the eyes and throat Dizziness sets in; breathing ceases within minutes; victim needs prompt respiration Victim becomes unconscious quickly; death will result if not rescued promptly ,000 Victim becomes unconscious at once; death occurs within minutes unless rescued. Pipeline markers for pipelines containing hydrogen sulfide are yellow and black in color, instead of the typical white markers for natural gas. The words Poison Gas can be found on these markers. As required by the Texas Railroad Commission, Enbridge conducts personal visits every two years with property owners along our pipelines that transport natural gas containing hydrogen sulfide. We provide a brochure on living near pipelines with hydrogen sulfide; beginning in 2011, information on hydrogen sulfide will be included with our pipeline safety brochures mailed annually to people who live and work, as well as emergency responders, public officials, excavators and schools, within a half-mile radius of Enbridge pipelines that contain hydrogen sulfide. If you have any questions, or would like additional response training specific to hydrogen sulfide, please contact Barry George at (903)

9 Potential pipeline hazards Because natural gas pipelines generally operate under high pressure and can transport large volumes of gas, accidents involving these pipelines can be dangerous. You should be aware of three specific hazards: Encroachment: If you notice excavation-related activity near or in a pipeline right-of-way, ask if the local One-Call Center and pipeline operator were notified. Accidental pipeline strikes caused while digging in the right-of-way are a major source of pipeline damage and leaks. Such damage may not immediately result in a pipeline break but may weaken metal or remove the corrosion-preventing coating. This may lead to a pipeline leak months or even years later. Digging without first calling 811 can also result in loss of basic utility services to a neighborhood if buried utility lines are cut. Leaks: The product transported in Enbridge s nearby pipeline may be consumer-quality natural gas, untreated natural gas or natural gas liquids. Like many fuels, natural gas can escape and be hazardous. Given our thorough maintenance, testing, training, monitoring and safety programs, a pipeline leak is unlikely. But if one were to occur, you might see, hear or smell one or more of the following: Dirt being blown or appearing to be thrown into the air Continuous bubbling in wet or flooded areas Dead or dying vegetation in an otherwise green area A dry area in a wet field Flames coming from the ground or appearing to burn above ground Liquid on the ground A roaring, blowing or hissing sound An unusual petroleum, skunk or rotten egg odor* * Natural gas is essentially odorless. An odorant is often added for safety reasons near the point of consumption, but cross-country transmission and gathering pipelines like those operated by Enbridge typically transport natural gas without an odorant. Hydrogen sulfide will also carry a rotten egg odor; additional information is included with this brochure if a pipeline near you transports natural gas containing hydrogen sulfide. Ruptures: A pipeline rupture can generate a loud roaring noise and sometimes fire. A rupture will not always lead to a fire, but if one does ignite, it can result in a large flame burning at high temperatures.

10 How you should respond to a pipeline leak If responding to the report of a suspected leak, approach the area from upwind if possible. Keep traffic away and secure the area. From a safe area, call the toll-free Enbridge emergency number that you see on a pipeline marker or in this brochure. Avoid contact with pipeline contents and associated vapors. It is important that you do not create a spark if you suspect anything abnormal along the pipeline route. Potential ignition sources include smoking materials or open flames, cell phones, pagers, flashlights, keyless entry remotes, motor vehicles, light switches, telephones or other electrical devices. Extinguishing the flame before shutting off the supply can cause the formation of explosive mixtures. Never attempt to operate pipeline valves. This could prolong or worsen an incident or even cause another leak in the pipeline. Land development As rural areas become more urbanized, housing and commercial developments are being built near pipelines and related facilities like compressor stations. Public officials can help by verifying that land developers submit plans with the accurate location of nearby pipelines and other buried utilities. Developers should work with local public officials and pipeline operators to prevent new developments from encroaching on pipeline rightsof-way. More information about our pipelines in your community is available from our Right-Of-Way Department at (713) Recommended practices for land development near existing pipeline infrastructure has have been developed through the Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA). Information is available online at primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm.

11 Call before you dig it s the law! Hello. My name is Brett, and I m a safety coordinator for Enbridge in Springtown, Texas. It s my job to promote the safety and health of our employees and of people who live and work near our operations. Digging without first calling 811 to locate buried utilities, including underground pipelines, is dangerous and can disrupt basic utility services. Dialing 811 will connect callers with their local One-Call Center, which will in turn notify Enbridge or the appropriate utility or pipeline operator. One-Call information is also available online at call811.com. Most states require that everyone notify a local One-Call Center of any proposed digging or soil-disturbing activity at least two (and sometimes three) business days before beginning any excavation. This is a free service. If we determine that the proposed work is on or near our right-of-way, we will mark our pipeline s location. While some governmental organizations may be exempt from One-Call legal provisions, Enbridge encourages anyone planning a digging project to first call 811.

12 Pipeline location The general location of an Enbridge pipeline can be determined by identifying the pipeline markers at road crossings and other points along the route. The pipeline route follows a right-of-way, which enables Enbridge workers to gain access to the pipeline for inspection, maintenance, testing or in an emergency. Our pipeline markers are located at varying intervals along the right-of-way and typically on both sides of road crossings. All pipeline markers provide a telephone number for reporting pipeline emergencies and indicate the product being transported in that pipeline. The placement of these markers indicates the relative position of the buried pipeline but should never be used as a reference for the exact location of the pipeline. The One-Call procedure must be used to properly locate pipelines and other buried utilities at a proposed excavation site. My name is James, and I work in Enbridge s Right-Of-Way Department in Houston. It is essential that our employees and contractors are able to access our rights-of-way for inspections, maintenance, testing or in an emergency. Therefore, constructing permanent or temporary buildings and planting deep-rooted shrubs and trees are prohibited in the right-of-way. For more information about right-of-way standards, please call our Right-Of- Way Department at (713) Integrity Management Plans Enbridge supplements its comprehensive maintenance procedures with Integrity Management Plans. These programs provide for greater protection in High Consequence Areas (e.g., public areas, where people live, work or play, navigable waterways or environmentally sensitive areas). We manage the integrity of our systems by identifying, assessing and mitigating the risk of a leak. For more information on our Integrity Management Plans, please visit us online at enbridgeus.com or call our local office nonemergency number listed in this brochure.

13 Enbridge Pipeline Survey The safety of people who live and work near our pipelines is a top priority for our company. We would very much appreciate your feedback through our brief pipeline survey. The information gathered will help us improve our pipeline safety communications. Please click the button below to launch the survey. Launch Pipeline Survey

14 U.S. Public Affairs 1100 Louisiana St., Suite 3300 Houston, TX Share this important safety information! For additional information on our emergency response plans, emergency drills, training or specifics on pipeline location, please contact the local Enbridge pipeline office listed in this brochure or send an to