Transforming Public Awareness
into Public Engagement
Challenges & Solutions
August, 2012
Gary R. White, President & CEO, PI Confluence, Inc.
PipelineWatch.com
Challenges
An Operator’s Perspective
Presented by Raymond Stanford
SoCal Gas
Challenge #1 - Perceptions and Relationships
• Public Perception of Pipeline Operators
• Negative Press
• Incidents are sensationalized
• Credibility Issues
• General lack of confidence in pipeline operational safety
• Insufficient Information
• Belief that that they are not sufficiently informed
• Establishing Relationships
• No open lines of communication with stakeholders
• Need to improve stakeholders’ trust
• No information exchange environment for stakeholders
Challenge #2 - Public Awareness Communications
• Messaging
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Making communications easily recognizable
Making messages/materials credible, accessible, personal & simple
• Delivery
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A competing environment of multiple messages
Non-glamorous information
Tiered information to cultivate understanding
Multiple timing, delivery and content requirements
More frequent updates reinforce the key messages
Delivery strategies require improvement
• Information Exchange
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Platform to facilitate 2-way exchange
Anytime / anywhere access
Social Media
Challenge #3 - Public Awareness Audits
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Program Management is a requirement
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Outreach
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Demonstration of receipt of the messaging
Expectation is verified interaction
More than “checking a box”
Effectiveness Measurement
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Documentation is demanded
Demonstration understanding of the messaging
Followed by changes in behavior
Continuous Improvement
Challenge #4 - The Regulatory Environment
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NTSB Recommendations 2011 following San Bruno
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The NTSB noted that PG&E did not notify emergency officials that the
accident involved the rupture of one of PG&E’s pipelines, even after
they had deduced this to be the case. On June 8, 2011, the NTSB
made the following recommendations to address these issues.
Specifically, the NTSB recommended that the Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) do the following:
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Require operators of natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines
and hazardous liquid pipelines to provide system-specific information
about their pipeline systems to the emergency response agencies of
the communities and jurisdictions in which those pipelines are located
Challenge #4 - The Regulatory Environment
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New Legislation 2011 to comply w/ NTSB
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Guidance — Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Secretary shall issue guidance to owners and operators of
pipeline facilities on the importance of providing system-specific
information about their pipeline facilities to emergency response
agencies of the communities and jurisdictions in which those facilities
are located.
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Consultation — Before issuing guidance under paragraph (1), the
Secretary shall consult with owners and operators of pipeline facilities
to determine the extent to which the owners and operators are already
providing system-specific information about their pipeline facilities to
emergency response agencies.
Challenge #4 - The Regulatory Environment
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NTSB Recommendations 2012 following Enbridge
• pipeline operators do not provide emergency officials with specific
information about their pipeline systems.
• System-specific pipeline information is critical to the safe response to
pipeline incidents.
• “Had Enbridge operated an effective public awareness program, local
emergency response agencies would have been better prepared to
respond to early indications of the rupture”
Challenge #5 – Going Forward
• “Compliance” vs. “Doing the Right Thing”
• The letter of the rule vs. the intent of the rule
• The recent drivers lead to the proposed rule making AND
the message is clear…
Many areas to enhance safety…
The Primary Focus in the Immediate Future is on
Emergency Responders
Got to’ be more than merely checking a box
Information Exchange thru
PipelineWatch.com
Presented by Gary White
Stakeholder Approach
• All the features you are about to see will be uniquely applied to
each stakeholder group in future releases
• Emergency Responders will be the initial audience
• Remaining API 1162 stakeholders to follow
• Excavators – State based Excavator Excellence program to support
states requirement to enforce damage prevention
• Affected Public – Incentive based interactive offering to support
ongoing engagement
• Public Officials – Approach yet to be determined
According to the American Gas Association’s Emergency Response
Technical note dated March, 2012, the key issues for a utility to
contemplate in structuring its emergency response plan include:
• What mechanisms can be used to disseminate pipeline safety and
emergency response information?
• What is the best way to prepare emergency responders for an
incident?
• What is the appropriate way to gauge the effectiveness of the safety
communications?
• How can emergency responders be encouraged to participate in
training?
• What types of information can be and is appropriate to share?
Each of these requirements is met by PipelineWatch
The Immediate Focus is Emergency Responders
The American Gas Association’s Emergency Response key issue #1.
• What mechanisms can be used to disseminate pipeline safety and
emergency response information?
This issue is addressed by PipelineWatch.com
“Ask the Operator” Communications
Forum “Blog” Communications
Social Media Communications
Pipeline Safety Related Information
Pipeline Safety Training
The Immediate Focus is Emergency Responders
The American Gas Association’s Emergency Response key issue #2
and #3.
• What types of information can be and is appropriate to share?
• What is the appropriate way to gauge the effectiveness of the safety
communications?
You Can’t Manage What you Can’t Measure
These issues is addressed by PipelineWatch.com
Pipeline Safety Training
Pipeline Safety Training
Pipeline Safety Training
Mapping Identified Sites
The Immediate Focus is Emergency Responders
The American Gas Association’s Emergency Response key issue #4.
• What is the best way to prepare emergency responders for an incident?
This issue is addressed by PipelineWatch.com
Real Time Incident Communications
Real Time Incident Communications
The Immediate Focus is Emergency Responders
The American Gas Association’s Emergency Response key issue #5.
• How can emergency responders be encouraged to participate in training?
This issue is addressed by PipelineWatch.com
Beyond the fact that emergency responders typically are the type of
person that “Does the Right Thing”… Most paid firefighters have to
pay for their own station supplies. These items might include pots &
pans, other cooking items and/or recreational items.
• PipelineWatch.com has been built to track
• ALL time spent on the site by page
• Number of activities completed
• Scores to the comprehension questionnaires
These may be used to reward a friendly competition within a given
jurisdiction. As an example, Houston has 21 Divisions with each
having 3-4 stations. We are currently in discussion regarding the use
of such a contest to reward the stations in the division with the most
“Proof of Engagement” with a donation of $500 each, just for
completing questionnaires on capabilities.
In Closing
• Funding – Project funding provided by PRCI and industry for the
development and testing of the platform only. Future development will
be funded by subscription
• Timing – PipelineWatch.com will be available September, 2012 with
phased rollouts beginning w/ Emergency Responders
• Participation – Operators of all sizes including those with or without GIS
may participate on a subscription basis.
• Marketing – In conjunction with the ongoing Public Awareness
communications, PipelineWatch.com will be marketed through print,
association with other industry organizations, social media and word of
mouth driven by the rewards program
SUMMARY
• PipelineWatch.com was developed to support the pipeline
operators
• PipelineWatch.com was designed as an information exchange
portal
• PipelineWatch.com was created to prepare for the upcoming
regulations requiring enhance interaction with emergency
responders
• PipelineWatch.com includes a public side and configurable private
secure access locations that can be opened up by state, by groups
of similar operators or by individual operators
QUESTIONS PROVIDE THE KEY TO UNLOCKING OUR UNLIMITED POTENTIAL
For additional information email
gwhite@piconfluence.com