Industry Urged To Use Marine 811 Service To Mark Pipelines

Following the 2020 pipeline explosion and fire that killed five tugboat crewmen and marine construction workers in Corpus Christi, Texas, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued new recommendations to industry, pipeline regulators and contractors to update and enhance new project and construction best practices.

Pipeline locations tend to be stable on land, but underwater pipelines have a tendency to migrate some, particularly during hurricanes.

Ed Landgraf, chairman of the Coastal and Marine Operators Pipeline Industry Group (CAMOgroup.org), made the announcement to industry, adding that the recommendations are also being incorporated in the National Comon Ground Alliance Best Practices Manual, which has become more inclusive of utilities, not just pipelines.

Included in the focus areas are a seven-day advance waterway excavation notice to the 811-center notification process. (Call before you dig.) The seven days allow utility or pipeline companies a greater amount of time to respond and mark lines, a process that typically takes longer in marine environments.

Another key component is the accuracy of marks in marine areas.

“Underwater marking and surveying of lines is much less accurate than on land,” Landgraf noted. “Therefore, the best practice recommendation is that the line be marked within 15 feet of their actual location on either side of the line.”

The “Marine Exclusion Zone,” which is commonly referred to as a “Tolerance Zone” on land, is now a minimum of 75 feet on either side of the line.

There have been many other key practice updates through the manual, Landgraf said, and he encouraged online training for utility owners, pipeline operators, 811 personnel and contractors, along with any associated stakeholders. Classes are offered in English and Spanish.

“All resources, support materials and training are free and can be accessed at www.MarineSafe811.org,” Landgraf said.

Other notable additions and tools include a field excavation checklist that covers project planning, excavation guidelines and emergency response. The MarineSafe811.org website offers a “Marine Construction and Dredging 101” document with pictures for more information on waterway excavation equipment, methods, projects and terminology.

MarineSafe811 is a national non-profit program funded by pipeline, utility and 811 industry members. Educational safety engagements are being hosted nationwide. The three primary goals of the MarineSafe811 program are to protect lives, protect the environment and protect infrastructure.

“All stakeholders need to understand, although waterway accidents don’t occur often, when they do—even the smallest event has significant impacts,” Landgraf said, noting that the cost of a waterway accident is at least 10 times greater than an on-land incident and that downtime and response are 10 times longer in a marine environment than on land.

“These are factors that need to be calculated in your risk assessments and project planning,” he said.