CASE STUDY
Beyond Compliance: How a Midwest Energy Company Measured and Improved Pipeline Safety Awareness
A large Midwest energy company provides electricity and natural gas services to millions of customers across multiple US states, via several utility subsidiaries.
As operators of multiple utility pipelines, the energy company is required to adhere to certain federal safety regulations. In particular, they must comply with the Pipeline Public Safety Awareness Campaign established by The Pipeline Safety Act of 2002. This Act requires that pipeline operators develop, implement, and monitor continuing education programs on pipeline safety matters. The programs are aimed at the general public, public officials, and excavators/landscapers and follow the guidelines provided in the American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice (API RP 1162).
Additionally, the energy company is federally required to measure their pipeline safety awareness campaign’s effectiveness every four years and must pass a state audit to ensure compliance. In preparation for an upcoming audit, they contacted The DRG to conduct a study that identifies where their program has been most successful and where it may be falling short in terms of communicating pipeline safety information.
utilities
The Solution
We partnered with the energy company to design and execute a pipeline safety campaign effectiveness study so they could meet state requirements for measurement of their efforts. The primary objective of the study was to measure the awareness level of pipeline safety among three groups – the affected general public, public officials, and excavators/landscapers – to identify how efforts have been perceived, how successful they are, and where they might be falling short for each of the different groups.
The key topics of interest included:
- Awareness of and familiarity with utilities pipelines
- Effectiveness and satisfaction with pipeline safety communication efforts
- Preferred method of communication for pipeline safety education
- [For excavators and landscapers] Awareness of diggers hotlines and processes to follow before digging
- How to recognize damaged pipeline and what to do when it happens
In designing the study, we had a few specific considerations. We worked closely with clients from the energy company’s utility subsidiaries to ensure all interests and needs were reflected, and all utility markets represented effectively. Because of the complexity of the measurement needs and reaching the target markets, we provided extensive consultation when it came to developing the sampling plan and survey. This required mapping the exact pipeline locations to ensure we were speaking with consumers and businesses within a specific proximity to the pipeline. We also ensured that the study reflected changes made to public education and damage prevention programs within the last four years (since previous studies had been conducted).
The Wins
We were able to provide the energy company and utilities with a detailed analysis of their pipeline safety program effectiveness, including trending data to past measurement efforts. To help them get key findings into the hands of decision makers, we produced custom executive summaries for senior level stakeholders. We also developed customized reporting dashboards for each of the utilities, which helped the energy company streamline the amount of overall preparation needed for regulatory audits. Additionally, we provided support and consultation to the energy company throughout the audit to help them address any questions that came up around the research topics.
Ultimately, results from this study have enabled the energy company and utilities to pass their state audits. They have also helped them identify areas of concern within their program and improve the effectiveness of their pipeline safety communications targeted at the general public, public officials, and excavators/landscapers.
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