Why aren’t Gathering Lines Regulated and in One Call Bill Kiger President & Executive Director Pennsylvania 811
Why Non-Regulated Gathering Lines? • Class 1 Areas (10 or fewer structures per pipeline mile) • Not federally regulated. • “The landowner is aware of all excavation…” • Risks don’t justify costs in rural areas. • Low flow, low pressure, small diameter • “…a ‘Public Safety’ problem that has not been substantiated.”
We can not agree
What happens when they’re Regulated? • The One Call Systems works. • CGA’s DIRT Report shows steady progress in Damage reduction since 2005 – Excavators that call or Click Know What’s Below . – All facility owners are notified immediately. – This part of P/L Safety costs are shared by all . – Costs are less than they assumed. – Construction & Utility Crew safety is worth the cost and effort!
One Call participation is required • Class II, III, and IV areas are regulated and do fall under the One Call Law in Pennsylvania – All “Users” were required to register by municipality with the County Recorder of Deeds under the 1974 Underground Utility Line Protection Law – In 1986 these operators agreed that all lines greater than 3” would participate – 1996 direct Enforcement was added to UULPL – O&G lobby shifted from passive to active resistance to Damage Prevention
Although…. Regulation is one thing. Participation and compliance has been another matter. The Pipeline Safety Act of 2011 was meant to thighten this up. i
Pennsylvania One Call is working to: • Increase enforcement effectiveness in PA • Remove all exemptions from current legislation, including: – Class 1 gathering lines; – PennDOT Participation (as a member); – PennDOT (as an excavator); MRRM – Municipality Minor Routine Road Maintenance.
A Bit of One Call History • PA One Call committee formed in 1968 • Began operation in 1972, Statewide by 1978 • In 1979, Excavators came to Pennsylvania One Call looking for participation by all underground facility owners. – Notification to all underground facility owners is the safest thing to do. – Excavation worker safety was the paramount issue. – Production, Gathering and transmission line gas is not odorized.
PA Act 287 of 1974 required all (gathering) “lines” to be registered by Municipality with the County Recorder of Deeds. Note: PA and several other States have no unincorporated area
State of the State • There are an estimated 384,000 traditional Oil and Gas Wells in the Commonwealth of PA. (PA DEP) • There are an estimated 70,000 miles of traditional gathering lines connected to these wells. • Many, if not most have farm taps for serving natural gas to the property owner, making them Jurisdictional • Only a handful are part of the One Call System.
State of the State • There are approximately 14,000 Shale gas wells, projected to grow to 120,000 by the early 2020s. • Approximately 100 miles of large diameter, very high pressure (Midstream) lines are installed to service these unconventional wells per month. • Many if not most of the Shale Gas Operators do participate in One Call
What happens when digging occurs to support Marcellus wells?
State of the State • 100,000 miles of conventional & unconventional gathering lines and farm taps are in 33 of PA’s 67 counties • Currently there is No notification to most of the owner/operators of these lines prior to excavation activities and finding them is a hole other matter… • There are serious safety issues for those pipeline crews. • Not to speak of the Million Deer Hunters that invade this part of Pa each year about now.
There is overlap. Crews are at risk. Source: PA Department of Environmental Protection
Thank you for your time! 440 wells in Versailles Boro back in 1920 Bill Kiger President & Executive Director Pennsylvania One Call System, Inc. 412.464.7111 or wgkiger@pa1call.org
Recommend
More recommend
