Public Awareness Programs for Pipeline Operators

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 1162 SECOND EDITION, DECEMBER 2010

REAFFIRMED, OCTOBER 2015

2-YEAR EXTENSION: JULY 2020

Public Awareness Programs for Pipeline Operators

Pipeline Segment

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 1162 SECOND EDITION, DECEMBER 2010

REAFFIRMED, OCTOBER 2015

2-YEAR EXTENSION: JULY 2020

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Copyright © 2010 American Petroleum Institute

Foreword

This is the second edition of API Recommended Practice (RP) 1162. Through clarifications, enhancements, and streamlining, it attempts to make the original guidance more useful to operators in developing, managing, and improving public awareness programs.

Representatives from natural and other gas and hazardous liquids transmission companies 1, local distribution companies, gathering systems, trade associations, and federal and state pipeline regulators have contributed to the new edition. Additionally, other stakeholders, such as emergency responders, have provided input. This second edition of API 1162 reinforces the goals and objectives of the original document and is largely similar in organization and principal components. However, some changes have been made based on the experiences and insights of stakeholders, including operators from all pipeline segments, who for several years have been implementing public awareness programs under federal regulations incorporating API 1162. The changes aim to make API 1162 easier to understand and use and to increase the effectiveness of operator public awareness programs. A key alteration to the document was aligning baseline messages (those operators must communicate) with core safety messages. The decision to focus on safety messages was based on the recognition, well supported by research and experience, that reducing the number of messages will improve overall message retention. The RP continues to provide operators with other messages for use as circumstances and practicality dictate. To enhance program efficiency and facilitate collaborative efforts, the RP also increases alignment among the pipeline sectors except in cases where variation was felt to be necessary to achieve program effectiveness.

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1 As used in this RP, gas means natural and other gas and liquid means hazardous liquids.

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Contents

Page

1. Introduction and Scope 1

   1. Introduction 1

   2. Scope 1

2. Regulatory Compliance 1

   1. Public Education 2

   2. Emergency Responder Liaison Activities 2

   3. Damage Prevention 2

   4. Other Regulations 2

3. Terms, Definitions, Acronyms, and Abbreviations 2

   1. Terms and Definitions 2

   2. Acronyms and Abbreviations 4

4. Overview 5

5. Program Establishment 5

   1. Define Objectives 5

   2. Obtain Management Commitment 7

   3. Establish Program Administration 7

   4. Identify Pipeline Assets 7

   5. Identify Stakeholder Audiences 7

6. Messages 10

   1. Damage Prevention 11

   2. Emergency Preparedness 12

   3. Integrity Management Programs (IMPs) 12

   4. How to Get Additional Information 12

   5. Leak/Damage Recognition and Response 13

   6. National Pipeline Mapping System 13

   7. One Call Requirements 13

   8. Pipeline Location Information 14

   9. Pipeline Purpose and Reliability 14

   10. Potential Hazards 15

   11. Prevention Measures 15

   12. ROW Encroachment 15

   13. Special Emergency Procedures 15

   14. Special Incident Response Notification and Evacuation Measures 16

7. Delivery Frequencies and Methods 16

   1. Delivery Frequencies 16

   2. Delivery Methods 16

8. Program Implementation and Enhancements 21

   1. Program Implementation 21

   2. Program Enhancements 21

9. Evaluation 22

   1. Pre-test Effectiveness of Materials 22

   2. Assess Program Implementation 23

   3. Measure Program Effectiveness 24

10. Documentation 25

    1. Written Program Documentation 25

    2. Other Documentation Records 26

    3. Record Retention 26

Annex A (informative) Baseline and Enhanced Program Summary Tables 27

Annex B (informative) Resources 34

Annex C (informative) Sample Annual Internal Self-assessment 37

Annex D (informative) Additional Information on Surveying 42

Annex E (informative) Public Awareness Program Checklist 54

Bibliography 59

Tables

1. Stakeholder Audiences—Affected Public 8

2. Stakeholder Audiences—Emergency Officials 9

3. Stakeholder Audiences—Public Officials 9

4. Stakeholder Audiences—Excavators 10

5. Baseline Messages 11

6. Program Evaluation Methods 23

1. Hazardous Liquids and Natural Gas Transmission Pipeline Operators 28

2. Local Distribution System Operators 30

3. Gathering Pipeline Operators 32

Figure

1 Public Awareness Program Process 6

Public Awareness Programs for Pipeline Operators

1. Introduction and Scope

   
   

   1. Introduction

      
      

      Pipeline operators’ public awareness programs provide safety information to stakeholders to help keep communities near pipelines safe. This recommended practice (RP) provides guidance for pipeline operators to develop and manage public awareness programs tailored to meet the needs of the community. It is meant to raise the quality of public awareness programs and align baseline core safety messages across the industry.

      
      

      Two important objectives of this RP are to provide the following:

      
      

      • a framework to help each pipeline operator create and manage a public awareness program;

        
        

      • a process for periodic program evaluation to encourage each operator to enhance the program, at the operator’s discretion, as circumstances warrant.

        
        

   2. Scope

      
      

      The scope of this RP covers the development, implementation, evaluation, and documentation of public awareness programs associated with the normal operation of existing pipeline systems and facilities, including the following:

      
      

      • transmission pipelines,

        
        

      • local distribution systems,

        
        

      • gathering lines.

      
      

      Communications related to new pipeline construction, offshore operations, and during emergencies are not covered by this RP, nor is it intended to provide guidance to operators for communications about operator-specific performance measures that are addressed through other means of communication or regulatory reporting.

      
      

      Furthermore, this RP recognizes that there are differences in pipeline conditions, release consequences, populations, increased development and excavation activities, and other factors associated with individual pipeline systems. Some areas with pipelines have a low population, low turnover in residents, and little development or excavation activity; whereas other areas have very high population, high turnover, and extensive development and excavation activity.

      
      

      Finally, this RP provides the operator with the elements of a recommended baseline public awareness program and considerations to determine when and how to enhance the program to provide the appropriate level of public awareness outreach. Enhancements may affect messages, delivery frequency and methods, geographic coverage areas, program evaluation, and other elements.

      
      

2. Regulatory Compliance

This RP is intended to provide a framework for public awareness programs designed to help pipeline operators comply with federal regulatory requirements found in 49 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Parts 192 and 195. Should this RP be incorporated into regulation, operators must follow its general provisions unless justification is provided in their programs or procedural manuals as to why compliance with all or certain provisions is not practicable and/or not necessary for safety.

The principal compliance elements include the following.

1