Pipeline Purpose and Reliability
Williams operates pipelines near you. Williams’ pipelines and facilities are part of a vast national network of underground pipelines. This system is our country’s lifeline for a variety of daily activities. From natural gas to heating oil, from water to jet fuel, pipelines reliably deliver products many of us take for granted, but which are essential to our nation’s economy and standard of living.
Some pipelines transport potentially hazardous and flammable substances under high pressure. Yet, according to statistics from the National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), pipelines are one of the safest modes of transportation in the United States.
Excavating and Digging Safely Around Williams Pipelines
Using this information as part of your digging projects will keep your employees and community safe.
For more information about digging safely around our pipelines or anything else, you can contact us at:
- Non-emergency phone number: 1-800-WILLIAMS (1-800-945-5426)
- For more information about pipeline safety, visit www.williams.com/safety
- You can also contact us at PublicSafety@Williams.com
Call 811
It is the law for you to call your state’s One-Call Center before you plan to dig. This free service will notify all utilities in the area of your
planned dig. The toll-free, nationwide “Call Before You Dig” number is 811.
For the most current and up-to-date, state-specific One-Call laws, please visit this website: call811.com/811-In-Your-State
Call
- Contact your state’s One-Call Center by calling 811 or visiting www.call811.com at least 48 hours before you want to dig. This does not include weekends or holidays.
Wait
- Wait for facility owners to mark their underground facilities using paint, flags and/or stakes.
- Confirm that all facilities have been marked. If you know or believe that facilities have not been properly
marked, you must call 811 again before beginning any excavation work. - The facilities will be marked with temporary markings
EXCAVATE
- A Williams representative must be present for all excavations occurring on or near (50 feet) of Williams pipelines.
- Expose the underground facility by carefully hand digging or using other non-mechanized equipment until the location and route are confirmed.
- Continue to use caution even after the facility is exposed. Obey safe excavating practices and your state laws.
White Lining Understanding Paint, Stakes and flags
Anyone digging is encouraged to pre-mark the ground with white paint, stakes or flags to show the specific area where excavation will take place. This process, known as white lining, ensures accuracy and prevents utility companies from locating and marking unnecessary areas.
Uniform Color Code
For temporary underground utility marking.
■ WHITE: Proposed excavation
■ PINK: Temporary survey markings
■ RED: Electric power lines, cables, conduit and lighting cables
■ YELLOW: Gas, oil, steam, petroleum or gaseous materials
■ ORANGE: Communications, alarm or signal lines, cables or conduit
■ BLUE: Potable water lines
■ PURPLE: Reclaimed water, irrigation and slurry lines
■ GREEN: Sewers and drain lines
Tolerance Zones
The immediate area surrounding a pipeline is known as the “tolerance
zone.” This area provides for the width of an underground pipeline, plus an additional buffer on both sides of the pipeline when digging or excavation activity occurs in close proximity.
Hand digging or soft excavation, including hydrovacing (the process of using high pressure water and a vacuum to excavate), must be used in the tolerance zone. Excavators need to closely monitor conditions such as pressure and water temperature in order to prevent damage to the pipeline or other underground facilities at all times throughout the process.
Please be sure to confirm the most up-to-date tolerance zone guidelines in your state.
Recognizing A Right-Of-Way and Pipeline Marker
A pipeline right-of-way is a strip of land over and around a pipeline where some of the property owner's legal rights have been granted to a pipeline company.
Pipeline rights-of-way must be kept free from structures and other obstructions for your safety and to provide access for maintenance and in the event of an emergency.
Pipeline markers are found within the pipeline right-of way.
Pipeline Markers
- Indicate approximate location. They cannot be used to determine exact location or depth.
- Can be found where lines meet at public access points, aboveground facilities, streets, highways, waterways and intersections.
- Display the pipeline operator's name, emergency number and product transported.
Right of Way Encroachments
Vehicle, Equipment and Machinery Crossings:
Machinery and vehicles exceeding 10,000 lbs., such as dump trucks, cranes, tractor trailers, etc., pose a particular threat to buried pipelines. If you plan to traverse a Williams pipeline with heavy vehicles or equipment of any kind, please call 811 first. Our representatives will work with you to establish a safe crossing and prevent accidental pipeline damage and unnecessary risk to public safety.
Logging/Forestry Operations:
We know our cleared right-of-way (ROW) appears to be an excellent area for log skidding and staging, as well as a route for transport vehicles. But because these operations can cause significant damage due to the weight and vibration involved, these activities are not allowed on our ROW. If you are planning to perform logging operations on or near Williams’ pipelines, we ask that you please call 811 first, even if you aren’t planning to do any digging. This will allow Williams, as well as any other pipeline operators in the area, to be notified and be able to work with you to establish safe crossing locations and prevent accidental pipeline damage and unnecessary risk to public safety.
DAMAGING OR DISTURBING A PIPELINE
Williams maintains a Damage Prevention Program in accordance with state and federal guidelines. If you cause or witness even minor damage to a pipeline or its protective coating, please immediately notify Williams. Even a small disturbance to a pipeline may cause a future leak. A gouge, scrape, dent or crease is cause enough for Williams to inspect the damage and make repairs. Do not cover a pipeline that has been damaged.
Recognizing A Pipeline Leak USING YOUR SENSES
Although pipeline leaks are uncommon, it is important to be able to recognize the warning signs using sight, sound and smell. Leaks could be in a liquid or gaseous state.
Note: All of these signs may not be evident at the same time.
Sight
- Discolored or dead vegetation
- Flames coming from the ground
- A cloud of vapor, fog or mist
- A pool of liquid on the ground or bubbling in a wet, flooded area
- Dirt blowing in the area
- A rainbow or sheen on the water
Smell
- An unusual odor or scent of gas, petroleum liquids or a slight hydrocarbon smell
- The products in Williams pipelines are primarily odorless, but may contain a rotten-egg smell from the odorant, Mercaptan
- Hydrogen Sulfide will carry a pungent, rotten-egg odor
Sound
- An unusual hissing or roaring noise coming from a pipeline
Responding To A Pipeline Leak
Follow these basic Do's and Do Not's to remain safe during a pipeline leak:
- Leave the immediate area on foot! Move in a crosswind direction away from the leak or vapor cloud and maintain a safe distance. Abandon any equipment being used in or near the area.
- Go directly to a safe location, and then call 911 and Williams' emergency number at 855-945-5762.
- Warn others to stay away from the leak.
- Cause any open flame or other potential source of ignition such as an electrical switch, vehicle ignition, lighting a match, ringing a doorbell, etc.
- Come into direct contact with any escaping liquids or gas.
- Drive into a leak or vapor cloud while leaving the area.
- Attempt to operate any pipeline valves yourself. You may inadvertently route more product to the leak or cause a secondary incident.
- Attempt to extinguish a natural gas fire.
- Use telephones (including cell phones) or anything that could cause a spark.
- Use email, text or the internet to contact the company about a leak, and never assume someone else has reported the leak.
Williams Response To A Leak
Williams strives to build partnerships with the emergency response community to share resources and provide education for a safe response to a pipeline emergency.
- Arrive at the site of a pipeline emergency and stop or reduce product flow to the area.
- Notify and work with the appropriate emergency response officials.
- Repair the facility and restore service as soon as possible.
- Fully investigate the cause of the incident.
Maintaining Safety And Integrity of Pipelines Near You
An Integrity Management Plan (IMP) provides a process of assessing and mitigating risks along transmission pipelines. Williams has developed and implemented an IMP that provides a process for monitoring, managing and mitigating risks along transmission pipelines. For a copy of Williams’ IMP, visit www.williams.com/safety.
High Consequence Areas (HCAs) are part of Williams’ IMP and apply to transmission piping only. This provides enhanced protection for highly populated areas, an outside area or open structure, or a facility
occupied by persons who are confined, are of impaired mobility, or would be difficult to evacuate. Examples of HCAs include beaches, playgrounds, recreational facilities, camping grounds, outdoor theaters, stadiums, recreational areas near a body of water, etc.
Unusually Sensitive Areas (USAs) are similar to HCAs and are also part of Williams’ IMP, but rather than a focus on high population or other populated areas, USAs focus on liquid pipelines near commercially navigable waterways, primary or alternative drinking water sources, ecological resources, wetlands or areas inhabited by threatened and endangered species.during a pipeline leak.
See Something! Say Something! Keep Your Neighborhood Secure
Be aware of people acting suspiciously near pipelines or pipeline facilities. Report unusual or suspicious activity, including:
- People or vehicles loitering in the vicinity of pipelines or facilities.
- People taking photos, video or showing other unusual interest in pipelines and facilities.
- A strong odor or fluid leaking from a vehicle located near a pipeline facility.
