BEAUMONT — Alamo Pipeline LLC, Atmos Energy, ONEOK, Hughest Natural Gas, Shell Pipeline Company LP, Howard Energy Partners, Beaumont Fire and Police, Entertech, Texas 811, and others worked together at the Spindletop-Gladys City Boomtown Museum at Lamar to practice pipeline safety. The event brought together first responders, utility, oil and gas, municipal, and county personnel together to take part in a hands-on safety training.
Brad Britten with Entertech says they held a "Pipeline Response" class for first responders, providing local information about pipelines, product properties, and response information. It also gave them the chance to exchange contact information with local pipeline operators and excavators.
Following the class, the group practiced a pipeline rupture drill. Britten said the scenario gave responders, excavators, and pipeline operators the chance to experience what happens when a gas line is struck, and practice response.
"We talk about how to safely excavate, we go through the right way, and the steps you need to take to reduce damages," said Britten.
Britten said when excavators deviate from protocol things can easily go astray. He explained that in some cases they may be "accidentally successful," but if they aren't careful accidents can lead to injuries, or even death.
He said there are roughly 448 thousand miles of pipeline, and that number increases by the day. Britten went on to explain that every six minutes, they're seeing underground infrastructures damaged.
Today's event was an opportunity to go over the importance of excavators following protocol with pipeline operators, and get their work areas marked before digging.
"If they'll dig with care around those marks, then they'll be reduced damages to less than one percent," said Britten.
Britten went on to explain that anyone doing work outside moving soil is considered an excavator. He said that whether you're doing a large construction project or planting a tree, always call 811 before excavation and follow their process.