Messages

These are the key messages that the industry should be delivering at this time to the public throughout the country.

•	What happened in Bellingham was a tragic accident that all of us in the pipeline industry feel terrible about.  

•	It is critically important to us in the industry that we know precisely what happened so that we can learn from this tragic accident and improve all of our operations as much as possible.

•	Because the accident investigation is still underway, no one can yet know what caused it, and it is not responsible or productive for anyone to speculate.

•	The pipeline industry has an excellent safety record, one that is constantly improving.  We are proud of the job we do, and are always striving to do it better and safer.  

•	It is important always to understand what pipelines are and the essential part they play in our daily lives.

•	Pipelines in this country deliver safely and efficiently much of the raw product America needs for a growing economy and its high quality of life.  Pipelines deliver 2/3 of the petroleum products we use to fill our cars with gasoline, fill our planes with jet fuels, heat our homes with heating oil, and produce plastics, agricultural products, and pharmaceuticals.  Pipelines also are vital to the national defense of this country.

•	The pipelines that we operate supply people and industries in this area and are essential to the quality of life we all enjoy.

•	The public should know that the first line of defense against underground damage is preventing third-party damage, for the public can play an important role in accident prevention. 

•	Excavation damage is the largest single cause, by far, of pipeline accidents. 
 
•	The pipeline industry is leading an intense effort nationwide, and in this area as well, to institute programs that will help prevent this kind of damage.  Our company is an active participant in this effort.  

Should reporters wish to discuss the reauthorization process, company spokespersons can deliver the following messages in a general way, or can refer reporters to AOPL for a more detailed discussion. 

•	The reauthorization process in the Congress occurs every four years and is taking place this year.  The process is a good way to review performance and to consider new ideas.  We believe in strong federal regulation of the industry and its safety standards. We are always open to discussing new ideas to improve safety.

•	It is important that pipeline operations be regulated as total systems.  Our companies operate across state lines and, therefore, it is imperative that the federal government establish a set of rules that apply uniformly in each of the fifty states.

•	States do have an important role to play.  We need states to be involved in pipeline safety.  Over 75% of pipelines are intra-state pipelines, and state regulatory activities and resources should be concentrated there.  

•	State law governs the one-call process, the process that lets an excavator make one call to have any underground facilities marked before beginning the job.  It is the first line of defense against underground damage.

•	Maintaining pipeline integrity is our number one job.  We use a range of tools to test pipeline integrity: cathodic protection, smart pigs, hydrostatic testing, and visual inspection.  Each pipeline is unique, and different integrity measures apply to different pipelines.  

•	The Office of Pipeline Safety understands the industry and its safety efforts.  It is developing a rule that will require all companies to publicly explain the methods they are using to test their pipelines. This rule will encompass all of the testing tools and focus on how the information is brought together to make an informed judgment about a given pipeline’s integrity.