Every time a contractor fires up a backhoe, a road crew pounds in a new stop sign, or a property owner augers in a new fence post—your pipelines, production, and profits are at risk.

While there are provincial programs like Alberta One-Call (One-Call) that are designed to protect your pipelines, they are only as effective as the pipeline documentation process you use to manage a myriad of ever-changing details. One missed detail can lead to disaster.

Membership with One-Call became mandatory in 2005 and, whether you manage the ongoing complexities of membership in-house, or outsource some parts of the process, your company is vulnerable if those in charge are not experts who thoroughly understand the obligations and responsibilities—as well as the consequences.

The Problem The Consequences of Non-Compliance are Significant
The consequences of not meeting your One-Call responsibilities can be significant. Not understanding the requirements of the Pipeline Regulation, which mandates registration of pipelines with One-Call—as well as the use of One-Call when excavating—can ultimately result in enforcement action by the ERCB. For example, if an unregistered pipeline is hit, it would be assessed High Risk by the ERCB as per Directive 066: Requirements and Procedures for Pipelines.

The consequences of risk assessments are specified in Directive 019: ERCB Compliance-Assurance Enforcement and can range from steep non-compliance fees and increasingly intrusive audits to suspension of the facility. This can slow down a company’s operations down while it addresses the non-compliance. In addition, the financial costs, damage to reputation, liability for injuries (or worse), and clean-up costs incurred can be considerable.

The solution to achieving confidence in the management of your Alberta One-Call responsibilities and obligations lies in three areas. . .

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