In a lead-up to his appearance as a panelist at CORROSION 2012’s “Corrosion and Punishment Forum,” sponsored by NACE International and held in Salt Lake City, Utah, on March 14, 2012, attorney Chris Paul was interviewed by Pipeline & Gas Journal about the pipeline industry’s safety record, the impact that heightened regulatory oversight has had on the industry, what pipeline operators can do to reduce the likelihood of pipeline incidents, and what operators can do to ensure pipeline safety and integrity programs and incident response plans stand up to scrutiny by regulators and the public in the event of an incident.
In the Q&A, Paul lauded the industry for its safety programs and its responsiveness in responding to accidents.
“Even with extraordinary efforts and the best technology, accidents will happen," he said. "Companies in this industry are made up of people who often live in and always truly care for the communities in which they operate. When an accident occurs, the concern is for those impacted, and operators really try to make things better. In my years of working with pipelines, I have never seen a client put fear of a legal exposure or expense ahead of a safety or integrity issue. I think regulators have observed this as well, and the result is reflected in an effective form of oversight and very safe, efficient, and reliable systems.”
You can read the entire interview with Chris Paul and several of his fellow “Corrosion and Punishment Forum” panelists here.