Outside force continues to lead all causes of serious pipeline incidents along US rights-of-way, according to a recently completed report. The American Gas Foundation (AGF) studied all reported serious incidents on the US natural gas distribution system between 1990 and 2002.
The AGF report, “Safety Performance and Integrity of the Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure,” examines the safety performance of distribution pipelines and documents the causes of “serious incidents” (those involving injury or fatality) on the gas distribution system during the study years. The study reveals a 40% downward trend in serious incidents during that time.
According to the report, the leading cause of serious incidents during the study period, damage from outside force, accounted for nearly half (47%) of all serious incidents. Most were the result of excavation damage by third parties.
AGF Chairman David Biegler said “The numbers show what those who have worked at a natural gas utility have learned through hard experience: most serious incidents on distribution pipelines are caused by an excavator hitting the natural gas distribution pipe.”
The safety performance and integrity study provides a good starting point for regulators, industry, consumer advocates, and other stakeholders involved in determining the direction of distribution safety program, said AGF Executive Director Gary Gardner.
More findings
In addition to data about trends and causes, the report’s findings include the following:
• Of all reported incidents, 62% involved only property damage.
• Serious incidents accounted for slightly less than 40% of the 1,570 incidents on the distribution system 1990-2002. Serious incidents (those involving an injury or fatality) provide a more-focused look at the causes than is possible with total incident counts.
• Other causes of serious incidents were characterized by significantly smaller percentages: corrosion, construction, and operator error each accounted for 10% or less of all incidents.
• Gas transmission and distribution systems had essentially the same average number of serious incidents and fatalities and injuries during the 12-year study period, when compared on a per-mile basis.
The report also contains a survey of existing industry practices and current state and federal regulations that address threats to the distribution system; it further attempts to identify any gaps in addressing those threats.
The study was sponsored by the American Gas Foundation and conducted by URS Corp., Chicago.
The study may be found at the AGF web site at www.gasfoundation.org. ✦
