Linewatch: Promoting safety and awareness

In the early years of pipeline operation in this country, oil companies believed that the greatest threat to the integrity of their pipelines came from sabotage. That was until 19th September 1987 when a pipeline to Avonmouth was damaged by third party activity. A review of the situation showed that third party damage posed a far greater threat. This fact has been borne out by Concawe (CONservation of Clean Air and Water in Europe): their annual reports on oil spills in Europe consistently show that third party damage poses the greatest risk to oil pipeline integrity.

Esso launched Linewatch as a result of the Avonmouth pipeline incident with the intention to promote awareness of the existence of the Esso and Mainline pipelines system. Armed with the knowledge of where the pipelines were and the potential hazards associated with working in their vicinity, third parties could ensure the safety of their workforce and the environment by planning around the pipeline. The immediate effect of this campaign was startling. Unplanned works within the pipeline easement were reduced by some 65% within 2 years. The success was acknowledged when Linewatch was awarded the 1988 Sun Alliance Award for Outstanding Achievement in Occupational Risk Improvement.

Word spread and shortly Esso and Mainline were joined by BPA (formerly known as British Pipeline Agency) and GPSS (Government Pipeline and Storage System). Since those early years the group has grown and now also represents Total, ConocoPhillips, Manchester Jetline and, most recently, Huntsman. This latest addition also marks a slight change as Huntsman operate ethylene pipelines, not oil. The pipelines under the Linewatch banner are cross-country pipelines in England, Wales and Scotland and account for nearly all of the oil pipelines in England and Wales.

The principal aims have remained the same throughout the years. To promote awareness of:

• The existence of oil (and now ethylene) pipelines.

• The location of these pipelines in areas where the third parties are working.

• The procedures to follow to ensure that the third party works are carried out safely in proximity to the pipelines thus not only protecting their workforce but also the public and the environment.

• Procedures to follow in the event of damage occurring to the pipeline.

Promotion is via the usual avenues (presentations, literature, trade shows and the Linewatch website www.linewatch.co.uk) but, importantly, all the associated costs are met by the pipeline operators and not the third party recipients.

Erdington, Birmingham. 10th January 2003


This location was, probably, one of the most significant “near-misses” that we have had in this country. Approximately 0.5 mile downhill of this spot is the notorious “Spaghetti Junction”, junction 6 on the M6. A contractor was installing a new domestic gas connection in a busy, built-up area of Birmingham. Unfortunately he did not realise that the pipe he was drilling into was an oil pipeline and not gas. Luckily, his working day finished before he had completed the drilling and he tidied his site and left for the day, intending to return the following morning in order to complete the connection. Less than 0.5mm of metal remained between the contractor and the product in the pipe. At the time he was drilling, the product was gas oil but this would have changed to gasoline before he returned had the problem not been discovered. Add to this the fact that the oil pipeline operates at a pressure of 85 bar, not the 3.5 bar the contractor was expecting in the gas main and it is obvious that the potential for a major disaster, with associated loss of life, was a very real threat.

Pipelines are a safe, as well as environmentally friendly, way of transporting products. But an uncontrolled release can present a hazard. There have been no third party deaths associated with oil pipeline operations in this country. However, elsewhere the story is not so comforting. Last summer, in Ghislenghien, Belgium, a gas main exploded, following third party damage. 24 people were killed and many more seriously injured. In California, last November, contractors installing a new water main hit a petrol pipe. The ensuing explosion killed 5 people and seriously injured 4 others.

Although we do not see many cases of actual damage to pipelines in this country, near-miss situations still happen. This is usually due to the fact that third parties have not identified a pipeline in the vicinity of their proposed works during the planning stage and have not recognised the signs on site. According to research conducted by UK Water Industry Research Ltd, four million holes are dug in UK highways and footpaths by utility companies every year in order to install new services or maintain existing ones. Traditional excavation methods carry significant inherent risks and account for significant costs. Total direct and indirect costs stemming from trenching and reinstatement works are estimated by UK Water Industry Research Ltd at over £3 billion per year. During 2002 alone there were 75,000 incidents of third party damage to buried utilities, resulting in £25 million in repairs, a cost which, ultimately, gets passed on to the consumer in higher bills. However, it has been estimated that the resulting cost of an incident involving an oil pipeline could easily reach £10M or more. Not only is there a financial implication but anything which is released from an oil pipeline is a pollution incident. Current Safety and Environmental legislation allows for custodial sentences on those deemed to have been guilty.

The HSE are now becoming interested in third party damage, particularly where it affects “Major Accident Hazard Pipelines”. Mainly these are the gas pipelines, however, HSE will act where oil pipelines have been compromised. The UK pipeline industry is determined to avoid a “Ghislenghien-type” incident in this country but everybody is aware that the possibility remains. Underground utility apparatus has been placed in the ground, haphazardly, for many years. Plans are not always accurate, apparatus is sometimes difficult to detect. It can sometimes seem as if it is a minefield out there. Gas, electricity, water and telecoms are all vying for valuable space. And, to this maze of underground services, now add product pipelines.

Linewatch believes that third parties have to know where their pipelines are in order that they can plan their works safely. The Pipeline Safety Regulations of 1996 imply that the pipeline operators have a duty to supply that information. The regulations clearly state, quite simply, in paragraph 16 (titled Prevention of damage to pipelines):
“For the purpose of ensuring that no damage is caused to a pipeline, the operator shall take such steps to inform persons of its existence and whereabouts as are reasonable.”

Linewatch, believes that we are helping to meet that aim and have been doing so for many years before the introduction of legislation. However, we are always looking at ways in which we can improve the service we offer.

Over the past years, Linewatch has actively backed calls for a “one-call” system in this country. With the stalling of the Pipeline Industries Guild initiative, and as a spin-off of Linewatch’s desire to see such a system, Fisher German initiated a web-based enquiry system call Linesearch, www.linesearch.org.

In a short space of time this web site has become well used – current usage being in the region of 13,000 enquiries a month. As the third party can input the information themselves and the response is immediate, this can cut down the time that a search takes. In the tight timescales that much of the utility works are required to meet, this is very important. If the enquiry shows “not affected” no further action is required on the part of the third party. If the response shows “within the zone” the third party is prompted to contact the relevant pipeline operator whose contact details are shown. In recognition of the contribution Linesearch has made to improving communication between interested parties, The Pipeline Industries Guild awarded Fisher German the Land Based Pipeline Technology Award for 2004.

Historically, Linewatch’s approach has been “reactive”, normally approaching companies as a result of an incident or near-miss situation. The group recognised that it would be better to approach companies before they got into a potentially hazardous situation. With this in mind, Linewatch appointed a full-time co-ordinator from January 2005 who can be contacted either through the Linewatch website (www.linewatch.co.uk) or direct to Kevin.bosanquet@fishergerman.co.uk . Whereas the
“reactive” approach will still play a part, the aim is to devote more time to working with organisations to assist in developing robust, safe systems for planning works near to these pipelines. By ensuring that the potential hazards are recognised at the planning stage of works, these can be largely engineered out. The pipeline operators all offer free support and request that they have a representative onsite during any works in close proximity to their pipelines. Our aim is to prevent any incidents involving our pipelines and to ensure the safety of people and the environment. Pipelines in the UK have a very good safety record, (pipelines are the safest and most efficient means of transporting the fuels used in this country), and we strive to maintain this record at the highest standard. As the Linewatch strapline states “Watch out, there’s a pipeline about!”

Pipeline owners currently involved in Linewatch are:

Esso Petroleum Co Ltd

Mainline Pipelines Ltd

BPA

Huntsman

Manchester Jetline Ltd

Total

ConocoPhillips

Government Pipeline and Storage System

Shell

BP Chemicals

E-On