Pipeline awareness survey

Sept. 11, 2006
A survey by three industry trade associations tests the knowledge of four groups-the affected public, excavators, emergency responders, and local public officials-about pipelines in their communities.

A survey by three industry trade associations tests the knowledge of four groups-the affected public, excavators, emergency responders, and local public officials-about pipelines in their communities. Conducted by the American Petroleum Institute, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, and Association of Oil Pipe Lines, the survey gauges awareness and understanding of information that pipeline companies must provide under federal regulations that incorporate API RP 1162.

Member companies spent 2 years developing the joint survey, beginning with an API pilot project in Chicago and Baton Rouge, La., initiated in 2004 and conducted in 2005. In partnership with Harris Interactive, Reston, Va., they determined how to create samples of populations, constructed survey questions that test all baseline API RP 1162 messages and produce useful results, and ensured that the results have ample statistical weight and are easily understandable.

Harris will conduct surveys in the third quarters of 2007 and 2009. Companies have the option of surveying in one or both years, but surveying once meets regulatory requirements. During the initial sign-up period, ending June 2006, 27 liquids and gas pipeline companies, representing more than 200,000 miles of pipeline, committed to participate in the program.

Pilot results

Both telephone and mail surveys were conducted in the pilot to determine the relative effectiveness of the two processes and gauge other differences between them. The API reported “surprisingly good” response to the mail questionnaire and said people who received the mail survey were twice as likely to say they had a pipeline in their area as those who were telephoned.

Of people and businesses located close to pipelines, 63% were aware of their proximity to pipelines, compared with 57% of emergency officials, excavators, and public officials. Some 58% of emergency responders, 46% of excavators, and 40% of public officials believed companies were doing a good job of communicating.

When asked what companies could do to better inform people, 23% of those surveyed wanted more information in the mail, more than twice the percentage of any other category, except “don’t know” at 35%.

These were aggregate results, with the pilot also producing company-specific results.

There were no significant differences in the responses regionally.

The pilot survey relied on contact samples provided by the participating companies. Although every effort was made to generate a representative sample of the affected population, differences in methodology between companies, as well as gaps in information about affected parties beyond emergency responders, excavators, and public officials, required continued honing of the sampling process.

All individuals surveyed must be among those required to have received public awareness materials from the company operating in their area. The affected public will be surveyed by mail. Public officials, emergency responders, and excavators will be surveyed by telephone to help ensure the right person is interviewed.

For a company with more than 500 miles of pipeline, the basic survey includes 400 total completed responses. For a company with 500 miles of pipeline or less, the basic survey includes 235 completed responses.

The new survey will use geospatial information from the US Department of Transportation’s National Pipeline Mapping Service to generate samples of the affected public for operators of transmission and gathering pipelines. For gas distribution companies, Harris uses zip codes to create samples of stakeholders to be interviewed. Both methods help ensure that all those who would likely receive information from the pipeline operators are part of the potential sample population.

Measuring awareness

Work has also continued on refining the survey questions, with the goal of ensuring that the public’s awareness of the key messages mandated by regulation is being measured. The survey asks a variety of questions, including whether people are aware that a pipeline runs close to their property, whether they know how to recognize a problem and what to do about it, whether they’ve received any information from pipeline companies, and how they would like to receive information in the future.

The joint survey program targets both large and small companies. Companies that have signed up so far include those with tens of thousands of miles of pipeline and some that have just a few hundred (even 100 miles in one case).

API, INGAA, and AOPL designed the program to help companies comply with federal regulations regarding their public awareness initiatives. In this pursuit, however, the overarching goal of increased pipeline safety is also advanced.