PC & CAMO To Jointly Hold Event on Underwater Pipeline Safety

Coastal Louisiana’s wealth of natural resources--from Sportsmen’s Paradise to vast petroleum reserves--is renown, and many Louisianans’ work in both fishing and oil-related industries. Pipelines safely convey an array of liquids and gases within and well beyond Louisiana. Dredging and marine construction activities for land building are vital for restoring our coast. Altogether, these riches of natural resources, economic activity, and restoration efforts pose special challenges with pipelines in marine environments.

Oil and gas pipelines crisscross Louisiana in record number, and a new best practices guide for working safely near underwater pipelines will help ensure the continued safety and environmental protection that we all strive to maintain and enhance.

Debuting at the annual Coastal and Marine Safety Emergency Response Meeting on November 6 in Kenner, LA, are two publications which will be distributed. The meeting is co-hosted by the organizations that prepared these new tools: the Coastal and Marine Operators Group (CAMO) and Pontchartrain Conservancy (PC).

A picture-packed, best practices guide leads personnel involved with underwater projects through long-term and short-term project planning steps. It includes guidance during construction and new pocket-sized checklists with safety and emergency response tips. These publications were funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration. They can be used by anyone planning work in marine environments and include instructions for identifying and avoiding existing underwater pipelines.

On November 6th, the guide and checklists are just one facet of the information being presented by speakers at the Coastal and Marine Safety Emergency Response Meeting. Presenters included representatives of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Coast Guard, NOAA, the Port of South Louisiana and more, on topics ranging from regulations to counterterrorism.

The guide is slated for digital release after the Coastal and Marine Safety Emergency Response Meeting on November 6. To attend, RSVP to Ed Landgraf (ed@camogroup.org). The event will be held at the Pontchartrain Center in Kenner, La, from 10AM to 2PM. There is no cost for the meeting and lunch is provided; RSVP is required.