BE VIGILANT FOR SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES NEAR TO BURIED OIL PIPELINES

Report suspicious activities near to buried oil pipelines

The UK has a complex network of more than 27,000Km of buried high pressure oil, gas and chemical pipelines that bisect the country safely and efficiently transporting critical supplies to key points across the country. If suspicious activities are observed near to these buried pipelines it is important to report the matter to the pipeline operator or emergency services.

Although fortunately rare, there are some instances where the buried oil or gas pipelines can attract interest from criminals who seek to tap into the supply lines to steal fuel.  In addition, there are instances where unauthorised digging near to pipelines may occur.

In both instances, such activities pose a serious threat to those taking part as well as the potential for wider environmental or ecological damage. an

To help prevent against illegal tapping of pipelines or unauthorised digging, BPA works closely with its network of more than 2000 landowners asking them to keep vigilant and to report any suspicious activities seen near to BPA’s buried oil pipelines.

If they see any unusual activity or suspicious activities, simply call us on 01827 63708 and we will do the rest.

Suspicious activities can be hard to define, however we would ask landowners to contact us if they see suspicious vans parking close to the pipeline, non BPA staff or contractors taking interest in the pipeline route / marker posts or if there are signs of excavations or trenches around the pipeline. Please also inform us if you see hydraulic hoses or liquid storage containers in remote areas where they would not typically belong.

What information to provide

When contacting the lands team at BPA, it would be helpful if you could provide some of the following information:

  • The location of the incident – whether a postcode, address or grid reference or even the proximity to a landmark
  • A contact number should we need to get hold of you
  • Whether the emergency services been contacted?
  • Has anyone been injured?
  • Is there any sign of smoke or fire?
  • Are there still suspicious people or vehicles in the area?
  • Is there a strong smell of fuel, gas or any obvious signs of oil or gas leaking?
  • Is the incident near to a watercourse or public highway?

Even if you’re unable to answer all of the above, please still contact BPA and let us know of any concerns.

To support landowners and members of the public, we have a dedicated helpline number 0800 585 387 that is operated 24/7, 365 days of the year.  The team has a well-developed, regularly tested, emergency response process and is supported by specialist contractors that are in regular contact with the emergency services and regulatory bodies.

Thank you for remaining vigilant and please contact BPA’s Lands team on 0800 585 387 if you have any questions or would like to inform us of any suspicious or unusual activities along our pipeline network.

/by BPA Management
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MOLE PLOUGHS POSE RISK TO BURIED OIL PIPELINES

Mole Ploughs pose risk to buried pipelines

Did you know mole ploughing is one of the highest risk activities the farming community can undertake around buried pipelines?

This is because our buried high pressure oil pipelines are typically only 4ft (or just over a metre) deep, and in some cases can be shallower.  To ensure safety, we advise that a minimum pipeline clearance depth of around 2ft/600mm should always be in place.

Mole ploughing is a method of installing small diameter polyethylene pipes in rural areas quickly and with minimal disruption or environmental impact. Mole ploughing allows small diameter mains and services pipes to be inserted without having to dig wide trenches by creating a narrow temporary trench for installing.  The depth of the pipeline insertion can however potentially cause damage to buried high pressure oil pipelines.

So, if you are undertaking mole ploughing, make sure you contact BPA and, if necessary, the team can visit the site, check the pipeline depth and help to ensure your works are safe and there are no injuries caused.  Remember that the pipeline operator needs to be contacted if you are planning to undertake works within a 80ft/25m zone around our pipelines.

Although field markers are a good indicator of pipelines under your land, remember that marker posts do not always run in straight lines and that there can be bends under the ground.  To be sure, contact BPA and let us help determine the exact location of the pipeline so you or your contractors can operate safely and without risk to the public or environment.

/by BPA Management
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BPA’S KNOW WHAT’S BELOW CAMPAIGN KICKS OFF FOR 2022

Delivering BPA landowner letters

BPA has launched its ‘Know What’s Below’ campaign again this year to ensure good communications with the landowners along its 1000km of buried oil pipelines.

The aim is to ensure all details are up to date so that BPA can keep landowners informed of any works being undertaken to the buried oil pipelines and to ensure landowners can in turn contact the company should they need to inform them of any works being undertaken in the vicinity of the pipeline or to report any suspicious activities or incidents.

BPA’s Landowner Services team has issued letters to nearly 2000 landowner and tenants along BPA’s 1000km of buried high-pressure pipelines in the UK.

The letters ask all landowners or tenants to respond using the enclosed form and self-addressed envelope so that BPA can ensure that their records are up to date and that they have the correct details should we need to contact landowners in the event of an emergency or planned works.

The letter also provides information on who landowners need to contact, and what to do, if they are required to operate in the vicinity of one of the high-pressure fuel pipelines.

Respond by end of May

Those who respond to the request and return their completed forms in the self-addressed envelope by the end of May will automatically be entered into a prize draw to receive one of five luxurious hampers.

Please keep a look out for BPA’s ‘Know What’s Below’ campaign letters and ensure that you promptly return them to a member of the BPA Landowner Services team.  Contact the team for further information.

/by BPA Management
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AND THE WINNERS ARE…

BPA landowner hamper winners announced

Each year BPA’s Lands Team write to landowners across the country asking them to respond to confirm whether they still own or have responsibility for the land under which our buried, high pressure oil pipelines run.

To encourage prompt responses we incentivise the returns by entering all responders into a prize draw, with the chance to win a hamper from Virginia Hayward worth more than £100.

We’re delighted to share with you the winners of this year’s hampers!  This year the lucky winners included:

  • Mr Trigg from Stanford-le-Hope
  • Mr Hall from Chorleywood
  • Ms Cawson from Tarporley
  • Mr Pickering from Tamworth
  • Mr & Mrs Cliff from Grantham

The responses are important as it helps BPA keep stay in touch with landowners along the  1000km of buried pipelines.  Having up to date records also gives landowners an opportunity to inform BPA of any land changes, while also reminding them to contact BPA should they need to undertake any work in the vicinity of the buried high pressure pipeline.

The pipelines bisect the UK and, although designed to meet the internal pressures, are susceptible to potential damage from people inadvertently working in close proximity to them.  Keeping landowners informed and aware of the pipeline also help BPA to keep them safe from leaks caused by any unintentional damage to the pipeline.

BPA is proud to achieve market leading response rates from its landowners with nearly 80% of those landowners targeted sending their completed forms back to BPA.  If there are any questions regarding keeping your details up to date or if you would like to speak to a member of BPA’s team, contact us on 0800 585 387 or email us at lands@bpa.co.uk.

Thanks again to everyone who responded and congratulations to this year’s hamper winners.

 

 

/by BPA Management

BE AWARE OF BURIED OIL PIPELINES WHEN DITCHING & FENCING

Danger to buried oil pipelines when ditching & fencing

Landowners looking to undertake ditching or fencing works need to be aware that the UK has an extensive network of pipelines that bisect the country, transporting oil, gas and chemical products across country and through suburban areas.

The buried pipelines operate at high pressure (up to 50 times that of a car tyre) and are often only at a nominal depth of only one metre.  Due to the flammable, and potentially hazardous nature of the products contained, anyone proposing fencing or ditching works near to a pipeline needs to be aware of the potential dangers, what to do and who to contact before commencing works.

The BPA Lands team is here to help and are here to support landowners, contractors or others when working near to BPA’s buried pipelines by providing information and resource at no cost.  With the right information and advice, we hope to reduce the risk of a serious incident on the pipeline network that we manage.

However to ensure the best and safest outcomes for all we ask that those who are looking to undertake any works within three metres of a buried BPA pipeline to:

  1. Please give a minimum of 7 days notice before works begin. This will ensure we can fully support you with your proposed activities.
  2. Never assume you can go ahead unless consent is given. BPA’s team will be on hand to support your work, however, works should not begin until permission is granted.
  3. Be aware pipeline depths vary under ditches and are not always protected with slabs. Be aware that pipeline depths vary across the country and can often be found only a metre below the surface, they are also seldom protected with concrete slabs.
  4. Seek advice as pipelines do not always run in straight lines between marker posts. Although posts are used to mark the location of a pipeline at a field boundary, not all pipelines run in straight lines between posts. We’re here to help mark out the exact location.
  5. Be aware that other infrastructure, such as cables, can be buried shallower than the pipeline. Often there are other potentially hazardous or safety critical infrastructure buried along the pipeline lengths, these can be found at even shallower depth to the pipeline.

Please be aware that it’s also the landowner’s responsibility to ensure that contractors operating on their land comply with regulations.  Working near pipelines without taking the correct precautions can have serious consequences.

If there is any doubt, please contact a member of the BPA lands team on freephone 0800 585 387.

 

/by BPA Management
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CLEARING THE WAY FOR A CIPS SURVEY

CIPS Survey clearance

BPA’s lands team is undertaking a programme of scrub clearance works at more than 60 sites along the route of the buried high-pressure oil pipelines that BPA manages in the UK.

The scrub clearance is in preparation for a new CIPs survey which is scheduled to start in October and run until the end of November 2020.   The work will take place on the LAP pipeline that feeds Heathrow Airport, the buried pipeline that runs between the Thames Pump Station and the Epping Pump Station and also the buried high-pressure oil pipeline that runs between the Blisworth Pump Station and the Oil Storage Terminal at Kingsbury.

A CIPS survey is sometimes referred to as Close Interval Survey, which is an above ground, non-intrusive survey, used to accurately determine the effectiveness of the cathodic protection system along the pipelines.  The survey helps ensure that the integrity of the pipeline remains protected from corrosion.

The pipe-to-soil readings are measured at test points typically installed at 1 to 2 kilometre intervals along the pipeline route, however these measurements do not accurately reflect the pipe-to-soil potentials between test points.

To overcome this, a close interval potential survey (CIPS) is undertaken, with pipe-to-soil potentials measured at nominal 2 metre intervals. The CIPS technique can be employed for both buried (onshore) and immersed (offshore) pipelines.

To allow BPA’s Lands team access to points on the ground above the buried pipelines a programme of scrub clearance is being undertaken at points where readings will be taken.  BPA will write to all affected landowners and tenants ahead of the survey. If you have any special access arrangements or any that may have changed please let us know.

The team at BPA will be wearing high-vis clothing and following all the correct procedures required for working near to buried pipelines.

Keep a watch out for the team and don’t forget to contact the BPA Lands Team if you see anything suspicious or any unusual activity along the buried pipeline network.  If in doubt, simply call us on 0800 585 387 and we will do the rest.

 

/by BPA Management

BURIED OIL PIPELINES – REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITIES

Suspicious van near buried oil pipelines

There are more than 27,000 Km of buried high-pressure oil, gas and chemical pipelines that run the length and breadth of the UK, transporting critical supplies safely, effectively and efficiently across the country.

Unfortunately, in some instances these buried oil or gas pipelines can attract criminal interest whether the illegal tapping of fuel or unauthorised digging near to a pipeline.

BPA works closely with its network of landowners to raise awareness of the issue and asks landowners or tenants to keep vigilant and report any suspicious activities.  This can include seeing suspicious vans parking close to the pipeline, non BPA staff or contractors taking interest in the pipeline route / marker posts, signs of excavations or trenches around the pipeline or the use of hydraulic hoses and storage containers in remote areas.

We ask that all landowners remain vigilant as to any unusual activity undertaken and inform us of any suspicious activities.  If in doubt, simply call us on 01827 63708 and we will do the rest.

To help us most effectively manage the call, we’d ask where possible that callers provide the following information:

  • A contact number should we need to get hold of you
  • The location of the incident – whether a postcode, address or grid reference or even the proximity to a landmark
  • Have the emergency services been contacted?
  • Has anyone been injured?
  • Is there any sign of smoke or fire?
  • Are there still suspicious people or vehicles in the area?
  • Is there a strong smell of fuel, gas or any obvious signs of oil or gas leaking?
  • Is the incident near to a watercourse or public highway?

Even if you’re unable to answer all of the above, please still contact BPA and let us know of any concerns.

Our dedicated helpline number 0800 585 387 that is operated 24/7, 365 days of the year to support landowners or occupiers in the event of a pipeline emergency.  The team has a well-developed, regularly tested, emergency response process and is supported by retained specialist contractors that are in regular contact with the emergency services and regulatory bodies.

Once contacted by a landowner, our duty officer will process the information, provide advice and if necessary contact the emergency services.  The team will also undertake a site visit as well as manage and monitor the situation if required.

Thank you for remaining vigilant and please contact BPA’s Lands team on 0800 585 387 if you have any questions or would like to inform us of any suspicious or unusual activities along our pipeline network.

/by BPA Management

CAUTION IF WORKING NEAR TO BPA’S BURIED PIPELINES

Buried Pipelines

Not taking the correct precautions when working near to BPA’s buried pipelines can have serious consequences.

BPA is however here to help by raising awareness of the issues and providing information and resource at no cost to those working in the vicinity of the buried pipelines.  With the right information and advice, we hope to reduce the risk of a serious incident on the pipelines that we manage.

The buried pipelines carry large volumes of highly flammable petroleum or natural gas products at very high pressure.  BPA’s land team supports landowners across the country by providing advice and support should works need to be carried out near to BPA’s buried pipelines.

The Pipeline Safety Regulations 1996 states that no person shall cause such damage to a pipeline as may give rise to a danger to persons.  Breaking these conditions can lead to prosecution, injury or even death as well as potentially some significant environmental damage.

If damage occurs to a buried pipeline, those commissioning the works (or their contractor) are responsible for any liability under the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974.  Additionally, should there be any environmental damage, landowners may face prosecution by the Environment Agency as damage to a pipeline can cause serious pollution of soil, water and the atmosphere which is likely to lead to prosecution.

As well as potential prosecution or environmental damage, landowners could face a significant financial penalty as the repair and subsequent clean-up costs of a pipeline incident are typically in the region of £10m.

BPA is empowered to stop all works near the pipeline if it is considered to be unsafe to the pipeline.  The team is however on hand to offer free consultations over the phone or visit the site to help provide support and advice to those looking to operate near to the pipeline network.

Don’t risk damaging a buried pipeline.  Contact a member of BPA’s lands team if you are considering undertaking works near to BPA’s buried pipeline network.

/by BPA Management
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MOBILE PROVES POPULAR WITH LANDOWNERS

Know what's below

As part of our ‘Know What’s Below’ campaign to communicate with landowners to ensure they inform us of any changes to landownership or plans to operate in the vicinity of pipelines, we trialled contacting landowners via SMS.

Despite the record responses to our annual letter, some landowners either lost their letters or were too busy to use the self-addressed response envelope.  To offer landowners an easy and convenient way of responding we thought it may work if we sent a text message to the contacts that we have not heard back from.

Of our target list of nearly 300 landowners we sent a simple message asking landowners to reply ‘correct’ or ‘incorrect’ to whether the information they had received from BPA was correct or not.  The response rates were very positive more than a quarter deciding to respond in this way.  Our records were updated to reflect those who responded ‘correct’ and while those who replied ‘incorrect’ were contacted by the team and their details were amended.

All recipients were given the option to opt out of the messaging, however the positive response rates showed that this harder to reach group welcomed the opportunity to respond in this way.

If you have any comments regarding our communications, please contact the team by using the email link below.

/by BPA Management
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RECORD RESPONSE FROM PIPELINE LANDOWNERS

BPA's Know What's Below

BPA’s Know What’s Below campaign has received an overwhelming response from the letters it recently issued to nearly 2000 landowner and tenants along its 1000km pipeline network in the UK.

Recipients have responded in record numbers using the enclosed form and self-addressed envelopes, however the BPA Lands Department is keen for those still yet to respond to do so as soon as possible.

By responding, BPA is able to ensure all records are up to date and that they have the correct details should need to be contacted in the event of an emergency.  The letter also provides information on who landowners need to contact, and what to do, if they are required to operate in the vicinity of one of the high-pressure fuel pipelines.  By confirming the landowner details BPA, is able to contact the appropriate person in the need of an emergency.  The Know What’s Below communications campaign also aims to ensure that landowners and tenants along BPA’s pipeline network have the correct details should the need to get hold of a member of the BPA team in the case of a pipeline emergency.

Push for responses

With one final push for responses, BPA is set to select five lucky winners to each receive a luxurious hamper as part of an annual prize draw.  The prize draw for the delicious £100 hamper is made at Christmas, with the winners notified directly by a member of the BPA Lands team.  The BPA team regularly undertakes line walking exercises to survey the land and often makes contact with landowners along the BPA Pipeline network.  This helps ensure that the team is on hand, approachable and available to add expertise and advice to landowners.

If you’ve still not submitted your response, please do so as soon as possible or call a member of BPA’s Lands Department on 0800 585 387 if you are unsure or have lost your documents.  Click here to email the team.

/by BPA Management