Public Awareness
Public awareness and pipeline safety are paramount to the safe operation of our pipelines. Enterprise participates in numerous outreach efforts targeted at various stakeholder audiences to increase awareness about the importance of the, “811…Call Before You Dig” message, including our participation in collaborative sponsorships through the Common Ground Alliance.
In Case of a Pipeline Emergency, Call:
1-888-883-6308 (Emergency Only)Call 811 Before You Dig
Safe excavation practices are key to a successful project and it is important to know that not all pipelines follow a straight line. Enterprise policy requires a Company representative be on site for all excavations that take place within 12 feet of a Company pipeline to ensure safety. The policy also requires hand digging when working within the tolerance zone.
Live Near a Pipeline?
The Department of Transportation statistics confirm pipelines are the safest means of transporting energy. Approximately two-thirds of the natural gas, crude oil and refined petroleum products we use in our everyday lives are transported through underground pipelines making them an essential component of our nation’s infrastructure.
- Each year, Enterprise distributes brochures which contain pipeline safety messages to 2.5 million stakeholders who live and work near our pipelines
- Meetings with emergency responders and excavators take place annually in counties located in all 27 states where Enterprise pipelines traverse
Public safety and environmental protection are paramount in all facets of our company including design, construction and the safe operation of our pipelines and company assets. We work with qualified personnel to ensure compliance with federal, state and company safety standards and specifications. We do this through the implementation of solid management practices, inspection and oversight which is outlined in the "Building Pipelines" and "Operating Pipelines" diagrams.
Life safety is always the number one priority when responding to any pipeline emergency. We maintain and develop relationships with local response organizations through drills, liaison meetings and other interactions which are designed to promote open communications and enhance our unified efforts in the event of a pipeline emergency.
Enterprise personnel continuously monitor the pipeline system to prevent damage and identify potential problems. Personnel are highly trained and prepared to respond to pipeline emergencies. The "Responding to Emergencies" diagram provides a high-level overview of the internal efforts that take place when responding to an emergency along one of our pipelines or company assets.
Sight
- A pool of liquid on the ground near a pipeline
- A rainbow sheen on water
- Dead or discolored vegetation amid healthy plants
- Water bubbling or being blown into the air
- A low-lying, dense white cloud or fog originating near the pipeline location
- Frozen ground near the pipeline
- Fire or explosion near the pipeline
Sound
- An unusual hissing or roaring sound coming from the vicinity of the pipeline or connecting facility
Smell
- Any strange or unusual odor in the area of the pipeline
- Some Enterprise Products pipelines transport natural gas, which is odorless in its natural state and have mercaptan added to odorize the product. Mercaptan is a chemical odorant that aides in leak detection and has a rotten egg smell
Encroachment Brochures
Encroachment Guidelines - English
Encroachment Guildelines - Spanish
Encroachment Application
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Responding to Emergencies
To display information regarding associated pipeline emergency response phases, click the '+' signs.
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1. Alerting Notification
In most cases, Enterprise is notified of a pipeline emergency through one of (but not limited to) the following methods:
- Notification by Enterprise Pipeline Control Center monitoring the system with Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA);
- Notification by Enterprise personnel on the scene;
- Notification by a member of the general public or landowner;
- Notification by the local 911 emergency operator.
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2. Reporting & Communication
Once Enterprise becomes aware of a pipeline emergency, an initial assessment is made with the information available at the time. At this point, Enterprise will contact the affected local emergency response agencies to initiate on-scene protective actions. Additionally, Company personnel respond and join with the local first responders to provide technical expertise in the pipeline system and the products involved.
After initial emergency contacts are made, Enterprise maintains open communications with all affected stakeholders throughout the duration of the pipeline emergency. These stakeholders could include (but are not limited to) the following: Affected Public; Emergency Responders; Local Government Officials/personnel; Regulatory Agencies (local, state, federal); News Media; etc.
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3. Evacuation, Secure Area & Deny Access
(This Phase is conducted by the local Emergency Responders)
If deemed necessary, the local Emergency Responders will conduct the necessary evacuations and/or shelter-in-place operations with all affected people who are located within the vicinity of the pipeline emergency. Emergency Responders will secure the hazardous area around the location of the pipeline emergency; restrict access; and conduct the necessary road blockade(s) and re-direct traffic away from the affected area.
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4. Emergency Management
Enterprise recognizes and utilizes the National Incident Management System's (NIMS) method of the Incident Command System (ICS) to manage pipeline emergencies, in both large and small situations.
Company personnel and resources are dispatched to the location of the pipeline emergency. As response agencies arrive on the scene, Unified Command (UC) may be established to bring all of the stakeholders together in managing the pipeline emergency. Enterprise personnel work within this structure to formulate an Action Plan; conduct incident briefings and communicate information to both the Emergency Responders and the public.
Life safety is always the response priority. Potential impacts to the waterways, air and land environments are also monitored and protected to reduce or eliminate contamination. Further, the pipeline system is isolated by closing applicable valves to prevent additional product releasing to the environment and minimize the fuel source from contributing to the existing circumstances. After the fuel source is eliminated, the scene can be contained and secured.
Once the emergency phase has been terminated, Company personnel will conduct the necessary equipment evaluations; debriefings and other necessary assignments with all affected persons. These activities will be documented and reviewed during the post-incident investigation. Forensic evidence is retrieved and analyzed along with interviews, records and material testing to determine the probable cause of the incident.
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5. Restoration & Remediation
At the conclusion of the pipeline emergency, measures are taken to work with the affected persons to help them with any necessary relocation or other applicable needs; initiate facility repairs; conduct necessary cleanup activities; and as reasonably practicable, restore the identified area to its original condition.
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Building Pipelines
To display information regarding associated pipeline construction phases, click the plus signs.
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1. Survey & Staking
Civil, environmental, cultural and geo-technical surveys are conducted along the proposed pipeline route to identify and help protect sensitive environmental resources, such as wetlands and water bodies, as well as to identify utility lines and foreign line crossings. Once the final pipeline route has been selected, and prior to the commencement of construction, surveyors will mark and identify the boundaries of the right-of-way with white stakes.
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2. Clearing & Grading
The right-of-way is cleared of all vegetation and temporary erosion control measures are installed as required. The land is then graded to allow for the safe access of construction equipment. Care is taken to minimize any impact to sensitive environmental areas.
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3. Topsoil Segregation
Topsoil stripping may be implemented on a project and primarily takes place in agricultural areas, and varies depending on soils, rock, terrain and other related factors. Once the pipeline right-of-way is cleared of vegetation, the topsoil is removed or stripped from the ground surface and stockpiled within the work area. Upon the completion of the construction of the pipeline, the topsoil will be placed back in the ground as the final layer of soil during the backfilling process.
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4. Stringing
Individual joints of pipe are brought in from staging areas and laid out end-to-end (strung) on temporary supports known as pipe skids along the right-of-way.
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5. Trenching
Survey crews will first re-stake the center of the trench within the right-of-way and then track hoes are used to excavate the pipeline trench.
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6. Main-Line Welding
The pipe joints will be lined-up end-to-end, clamped into position and welded together. Qualified welders join these pipe joints together using either manual or automated welding technologies. In the event of inclement weather, welding shelters may be placed over the pipe joints to protect the welding process from weather elements.
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7. Bending
A hydraulic pipe-bending machine is used to bend individual joints of pipe to the desired angle in order to adjust for significant changes in the contours of the ground, or at those locations where the pipeline route changes direction.
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8. Weld Inspection, X-ray Inspection, Weld Coating
All welds will be visually inspected by a certified inspector and a non-destructive radiographic inspection (X-ray) will be conducted to ensure the integrity of each weld. The pipe that is delivered to the staging area comes with a factory-applied external coating to help prevent corrosion. After the weld inspection and X-ray inspection are completed, coating is field-applied to the welded joints to help prevent corrosion.
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9. Lowering Pipe
Before the welded sections of pipe are lowered into the trench, the walls and bottom of the trench are inspected for rocks and other debris to prevent damage to the pipe or its protective coating. In areas where soil conditions include boulders or rocks, padding will be placed in the bottom of the trench before the pipe sections are lowered to ensure the pipe and pipe coating are protected.
Once this process is completed, sections of welded pipe are carefully lifted and lowered simultaneously into the trench using specialized cradles and side booms.
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10. Backfill, Rough Grade
Once the pipeline is in place in the trench, the topsoil is replaced in the reverse sequence in which it was removed and the land is re-contoured and prepped for restoration. Foreign material and debris are not allowed to be buried in the trench.
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11. Hydrostatic Testing, Final Tie-In
Once the pipeline is placed in the ground, hydrostatic tests are conducted to ensure the integrity of the pipeline and to check for leaks. The test involves filling the pipe with water at a pressure higher than the normal operating pressure to test for failures or anomalies. If any leaks are detected, corrective action is taken and the pipeline is retested before being placed into service. Upon completion of the hydrostatic test, the pipeline is cleaned, dried and all final tie-ins are made.
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12. Final Clean-up, Restoration
In the final phase of pipeline construction, measures are taken to restore the right-of-way to, as reasonably practicable, its original condition. This can be accomplished by re-establishing surface drainage patterns, grading the right-of-way, installing erosion control devices, and re-seeding the right-of-way as needed.
Finally, in accordance with government regulations, pipeline markers are installed at each public road crossing, at each railroad crossing and in sufficient number along the remainder of the buried pipeline so that its location is accurately known. Pipeline markers provide important information regarding the pipeline operator, the type of product transported in the pipeline and the operator's emergency contact number.
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Neighborhood Map
To display information regarding associated pipeline items, click the plus signs.
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Aerial Patrol
Third-Party damage is one of the biggest threats to pipeline assets and facilities. Aerial surveillance of the pipeline rights-of-way (ROW) are conducted to monitor and help protect from encroachments and other activities which may occur in areas along and adjacent to the ROW. More heavily populated areas are inspected and patrolled at higher frequencies.
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SCADA
Pipeline systems are monitored 24-hours a day through state-of-the-art satellite technology monitoring systems by trained and qualified employees.
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811 Call Before You Dig
If you are a homeowner, farmer, excavator, contractor or developer, you can help prevent damage to pipelines by calling 811 (the national toll-free One-Call number) before any digging project. For more information about 811, see call811.com.
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Public Awareness Brochures
Pipeline safety information is distributed to stakeholders who live or work near our pipelines and facilities. Stakeholders are encouraged to share this important safety information with family and friends. For more information, please see our Public Awareness Brochures.
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Patrols
Pipeline personnel conduct various maintenance and other activities on the pipelines. Some examples are: facility inspections, maintenance of the pipeline, construction activities, ROW inspections, etc. More heavily populated areas are inspected and patrolled at higher frequencies.
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Pipeline Marker Signs
Pipeline markers are used to show the approximate location of a pipeline and are located near roads, railways, water crossings and other areas along the pipeline route. They provide important information regarding the pipeline operator, the type of product transported in the pipeline as well as the operator's emergency number.
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Block Valves
Block valves are used to stop the flow of products transported through the pipeline.
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Valve Inspections
Valves are inspected according to state and federal regulations to ensure they are operable in the event of an emergency.
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One-Call Information
If you plan any excavation-related activity near or on a pipeline route, the law requires you to contact the local One-Call Center at least 48 hours (and sometimes 72 hours) before you can begin your project. In most areas, you can call 811, the national toll-free one-call number. When you call 811, we will be contacted by the One-Call Center and we will send a representative to the site to mark the location of our pipeline on your property for free.
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Leak Surveys
Leak surveys are conducted on gas pipeline systems at frequencies in accordance with state and federal regulations to detect possible release of product from the pipeline.
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Cathodic Protection
Cathodic Protection (CP) is one of the methods used to help prevent external corrosion of the pipeline. These CP systems work by using anodes (a sacrificial metal) which corrodes instead of the pipeline.
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Anodes
Cathodic Protection (CP) is one of the methods used to help prevent external corrosion of the pipeline. These CP systems work by using anodes (a sacrificial metal) which corrodes instead of the pipeline.
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Meter to Measure Volume
The Pipeline Control Center monitors the flow of products in the pipeline through electronic communication with flow meters. Even slight changes in the flow of product can be detected through our Control Center.
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Temperature Sensor
The Pipeline Control Center monitors the product temperature in the pipeline through electronic communication with temperature sensors. Even slight changes in the temperature of the product can be detected through our Control Center.
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Pressure Sensor
The Pipeline Control Center monitors the pressure of the products in the pipeline through electronic communication with pressure sensors. Even slight changes in the pressure of the product can be detected through our Control Center.
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Weld X-Ray
Welds linking the pipe joints are x-rayed to ensure integrity.
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Cleaning Pigs
Cleaning pigs are used on the interior of the pipeline and can help prevent internal corrosion.
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In-Line Inspections
Smart pigs are inserted into the pipeline and pushed along by the flow of products or other materials in the pipeline. They are sophisticated tools that have the ability to measure various characteristics about the specific pipeline such as dents, gouges, scrapes and anomalies and/or deformations, as well as wall thickness.
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High Tensile Strength Steel
The pipes are fabricated at steel rolling mills and are carefully inspected by pipeline personnel to ensure their quality meets or exceeds both federal and industry-wide standards.
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Protective Coating
Protective coatings are applied at the mill, and if necessary on-site, to help prevent moisture from coming into contact with the metal. This helps to protect the pipeline from external corrosion.
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Hydrostatic Testing
Once the pipeline is placed in the ground, hydrostatic tests are conducted to ensure its integrity and check for leaks. The test involves filling the pipe with a liquid (which may be dyed) at pressures higher than normal operating pressure to test for failures or anomalies. If any are detected, corrective action is taken before the pipeline is put into service.
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Pipeline Viewer Tool
We have created a tool which can help people learn more specific information about the location, size and products transported in our pipelines within a one mile radius of a specified address. Visit the Pipeline Viewer Tool on our website, for more information.
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Encroachment Guidelines
A right-of-way (ROW) must be kept free from structures and other obstructions to provide the operator with access in order to conduct maintenance and other activities. For more information about our encroachment guidelines, please see our Encroachment Brochure.
Search for a Pipeline
The map resulting from an address search will provide an approximate location of pipelines operated by Enterprise Products Operating LLC, Enterprise Crude Pipeline LLC, and/or Dixie Pipeline Company, that are within one mile of the address entered.
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Pipeline Emergency?
Call 888-883-6308
Headquarters
1100 Louisiana Street, 10th Floor
Houston, TX 77002-5227
Main 713-381-6500
Investors 866-230-0745
Call Before You Dig
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