Safety in the Natural Gas Distribution Ind

A Utility Perspective

NRC Internal Safety Culture Task ForcePanel DiscussionDecember 4, 2008

Tom ValentiBaltimore Gas & 
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

Natural Gas Distribution Industry Facts

• Natural gas comprises nearly one-fourth (23%) of 

(22.4 TCF) 

• 20% growth by 2030 projected• The natural gas industry serves 63 million househo

5 million commercial enterprises

• 2.2 million miles of pipeline

– 1.9 million miles distribution– 300 thousand miles transmission

• Over 200 gas local distributors
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

Natural Gas Distribution IndustrySafety Sectors

• Public/Pipeline Safety

– Integrity of the pipeline infrastructure (keep the gas 

· Design/construct· Operate· Maintain

– Damage prevention– Emergency response (pipeline incidents)

• Customer Safety

– Safety “behind the meter” (customer-owned equipm– Education/awareness– Emergency response (customer calls)

• Employee/Contractor Safety

– Traditional “industrial safety” approach
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

Natural Gas Distribution IndustryRegulatory Environment

• Gas Transmission and Distribution is Highly Regu

– U.S. Department of Transportation > Pipeline and H

Administration > Office of Pipeline Safety

– State agencies– Active inspection/enforcement

• Pipeline Safety Regulations

– 49CFR Parts 191,192, 193 (for LNG operators)– State regulations

• Increased regulatory development in the last deca

– Operator Qualification (OQ) 2002– Transmission Integrity Management (TIMP) 2004– Distribution Integrity Management (DIMP) 2009
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

Natural Gas Distribution IndustrySafety Performance

Pipelines are the safest transportation sector Transportatio

Highway Rail Waterborne Air Transit Pipeline 

Source: U.S. DOT Bureau of Transportation Statistics
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

Natural Gas Distribution IndustrySafety Performance

Gas distribution pipeline safety performance on an im
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

Natural Gas Distribution IndustrySafety Performance

Natural gas distribution industry employee safety record is similar to other utility industry sectors (except nuclear!), a little better than construction and manufacturing

OSHA Record

All Industries Manufacturing Construction Nuclear Power GeOther Power GeneElectric TransmissDistribution Water Distribution Gas Distribution 

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

Natural Gas Distribution IndustrySafety Environment, Culture, Challenges

• Public/Pipeline Safety

– Assets/facilities dispersed in uncontrolled environment– Long-lived assets (legacy materials/construction)– Prescriptive regulation (TIMP) vs. risk based approach – Most gas pipeline incidents 

are caused by third-party damage and outside forces
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

Natural Gas Distribution IndustrySafety Environment, Culture, Challenges

• Customer Safety

– A unique responsibility: promoting safety/responding 

assets owned by and controlled by others!

– Gas operator responsibilities: 

· Public awareness/education· “Respond and make safe” 24/7/365

– Employees make public/customer safety decisions on 

· Assessing and grading leaks· Stay vs. evacuate
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

Natural Gas Distribution IndustrySafety Environment, Culture, Challenges

• Employee/Contractor Safety

− Uncontrolled environment

· Outdoor exposure: weather/environmental· Customer premises: unsafe stairs, bad dogs

− Driving− Job hazard exposures

· Excavation· Work zone safety (working on or near roadways)· Live gas operations

− Emergency response mindset
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

BGECompany Overview

• An Affiliate of Constellation Energy• Electric and Gas Distribution• Serves Central Maryland

– 1.2 million electric customers– 630 thousand gas customers

• 3300 Employees• Gas Infrastructure:

– > 6,600 miles of main– >475,000 service lines– 9 gate stations connected to 3 interstate pipeline systems

– 3 peak shaving plants (2 LNG, 1 propane/air)
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

BGEGas Distribution Public/Customer Safety

• Challenges

– Older materials/legacy infrastructure

• Example Initiatives

– “Early adopter” approach for new regulations (OQ, TI

· Active in shaping new regulations· Start early and take the time to do it right

– Risk based asset management approach (Optimain)– Metrics and performance goals (examples: emergenc

management)

– Emergency response

· Incident command procedures/training· Outage management procedures and system· Drills
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

BGEEmployee/Contractor Safety

• Challenges

– Same things as everyone else (see slide 10)!– Aging workforce– Very difficult driving environment– Institutionalizing initiatives

• Example Initiatives

– Job Briefing (SAFE.)/Risk Assessment Matrix (RAM) – Safety Observation (leadership and peer-to-peer base– Incident Investigations – “Level 1” (Near Miss) Program – Driver Assessment/Retraining– Training/Evaluation/Qualification (OQ and beyond)– Coming Attraction: Human Performance 
Safety - Natural Gas Industry BGE® 

Safety in the Natural Gas Distribution IndA Utility Perspective

Thomas W. Valenti

Sr. VP – Logistics Management Servi

Baltimore Gas & Electric

thomas.w.valenti@bge.com