AOPL: Forum Shares Pipeline Emergency Response Lessons & Experiences

By John Stoody, AOPL

FORT WORTH, Texas – On June 23, 2015, local emergency first responders, federal response officials and pipeline operators gathered in Fort Worth, TX for the annual API/AOPL Pipeline Emergency Response Forum. Hosted by the American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL), this meeting gathered personnel responsible for planning and responding to pipeline emergencies to share experiences and lessons learned.

​“Exercises are key for planning a successful response,” urged Nic Brescia, Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency speaking on a session panel. ​“Local knowledge is so important to an effective response. Operators should lean on locals for critical details of the response site and surrounding community,” shared Sgt. John Hay, Supervisor of the Hazardous Materials Response Team, Caddo Parish, LA Sheriff’s Office on the same panel. Brescia, Hay and Art Haskins, Support Services Supervisor for Enbridge Pipeline spoke on a general session panel addressing topics such as the information first responders need to know from pipeline operators at the outset of a pipeline emergency response.

The theme for this year’s API/AOPL Pipeline Emergency Response Forum was The Initial 6: Critical Actions for the First 6 to 12 Hours of a Pipeline Emergency Response. Forum sessions covered Emergency Preparedness Exercises and Training, Cooperative Mutual Aid Initiatives, and Emergency Response and Social Media: Managing Response Information. Approximately 40 first responders, 50 to 60 industry response professionals and 20 agency officials attended the forum.

Attendees also received an update on assistance and support materials the liquids pipeline industry has developed for first responders. One is a free of charge, online pipeline emergency response training course. First responders had shared with industry their resource and training limitations, especially rural or volunteer departments. Operators responded by developing a free, online training course with specific pipeline emergency response training. The training site and other support materials can be accessed at www.PipelineEmergencyResponse.com.

“Pipeline operators are continually seeking insights from first responders to improve our ability to prepare for and respond to pipeline incidents,” said Andy Black, AOPL President & CEO. API/AOPL industry-wide emergency response initiatives include working with key emergency response organizations to develop training programs, increasing opportunities for first responders and pipeline operators to participate in joint exercises, periodic pipeline emergency response forums bringing together pipeline operators, emergency responders and regulatory agencies, gathering first responder and pipeline leaders to advise the pipeline industry, and development of industry-wide best practices for emergency planning and response.