Public outreach, and awareness to enhance environmental, and public safety in natural gas infrastructure

Background/Question/Methods

Before the advent of Marcellus Shale natural gas in Pennsylvania, 60,418 miles of gas and oil pipelines crisscrossed a 46,055 square mile landscape.  Marcellus Shale has spawned 2,974 Pennsylvania gas wells; requisite pipeline infrastructure development is evolving.  7,388 well permits wells/prerequisite pipeline infrastructure are pending.  Pipeline infrastructure includes gathering lines, compressor stations, transmission lines and distribution lines. Well pads on average occupy 3.1 acres, road, water impoundments and pipeline infrastructure take an additional 5.7 acres. Nature Conservancy estimates 60,000 new wells will be drilled in Pennsylvania by 2030, requiring 25,000 additional miles of pipelines, resulting in a statewide web of 85,000+ miles of pipeline within 46,055 square miles.  Further, Pennsylvania’s existing pipeline infrastructure is one of the nation’s oldest, threatening public/environmental safety: January 18, 2011: aging Philadelphia gas main exploded killing one; injuring six people. February10, 2011: aging Allentown gas line exploded leaving five dead; destroying eight homes. According to the Federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, 2,800+ significant gas pipeline incidents occurred nationally since 1990, injuring or killing 1,000+ people. 2010-2011: an annual record number of fifty natural gas pipeline explosions left seventeen dead in a five month period alone. Concurrence of need for extensive new pipeline infrastructure to support Pennsylvania Marcellus Shale and need to replace dangerously aging pipeline infrastructure heightened public awareness, creating a unique opportunity to engage grassroots to industry stakeholders in development of an infrastructure that begins with environmental/public safety.  “Education is the foundation upon which we build our future.” (Washington State Governor Christine Gregoire) Creating informed communities in this era of natural gas development is crucial to the foundation of a safe future.

Results/Conclusions

“Educating the Educators: Pipeline Procedure and Safety Education Program” addressed the need to provide timely, universal access to unbiased/factual pipeline safety education. Initiated in Pennsylvania, where pipeline failures pose significant risk to people and unusually sensitive environmental areas, the project created a core curriculum to train educators by virtual delivery and verifiable grading systems for education reliability. Supplimenting verified educators of pipeline procedure/ safety increases availability/dissemination of unbiased/factual information to the public; informed communities are safer communities. Through education, control of recognized hazards of pipeline infrastructure is initiated.  Acceptable levels of risk, protection of people, possessions and environment are strengthened through equal participation by the public in pipeline safety proceedings. The course is transferable to all states.