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Dow's Gulf Coast Pipeline

The following pipeline companies are subsidiaries of The Dow Chemical Company (TDCC). TDCC and its consolidated subsidiaries (collectively “Dow”) manufacture more than 5,000 products at 214 sites in 37 countries across the globe. Gulf Coast Pipeline is an operating unit of Dow that supports Dow’s Feedstocks and Olefins Businesses.

 

  • The Dow Chemical Company
  • Dow Pipeline, LLC
  • Dow Intrastate Gas, LLC
  • Cayuse Pipeline, LLC
  • Dow Hydrocarbons and Resources, LLC
  • Seadrift Pipeline, LLC
  • UCAR Pipeline, LLC
  • UCAR Louisiana Pipeline, LLC
  • Dow Hydrocarbons and Resources, LLC - Grand Bayou Operations

About Dow’s Gulf Coast Pipeline

  • Operates over 3,000 miles of cross-country pipelines along the U.S. Gulf Coast.
  • The pipeline systems stretch from Kingsville, Texas to New Orleans, Louisiana.
  • Operations are monitored 24 hours a day from Dow’s Product Control Center in Houston, Texas.
  • Utilizes aerial surveillance and ground patrol to monitor potential dangers, along with construction and excavation activities.
  • Transports both liquid and gas products with the vast majority of products being hydrocarbons, which are combustible if released and exposed to an ignition source.
  • Products transported include:
    • Butane
    • Natural Gas (methane)
    • Ethylene
    • Propylene
    • Propane
    • Ethane-Propane Mix

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Our Audience

Business and Residents

Planting a new tree or installing a new fence? Could a pipeline possibly be located directly beneath the surface? Perform your next job safely by calling 811 and having underground utilities marked free of charge before beginning your project. By clicking on the Safety or Resources options above, you may learn ways to recognize pipeline right-of-ways, signs of an unplanned release and what to do in the event of a pipeline leak. Help keep your home and business safe by helping to keep pipelines safe.

Farmers and Ranchers

If you farm or ranch land located on or near a pipeline right-of-way, it is important that you follow appropriate safety procedures. If your farming or ranching activities consist of deep plowing, trenching, terracing, post hole digging or any other deep excavation activity, it is important that you have the pipeline marked before beginning those activities. By clicking on the Safety or Resources options above, you may learn how to recognize a pipeline right of way and how to make a call to get those underground utilities marked free of charge, even if your operation is in a remote location in the middle of the land you own or lease.

Emergency and Local Officials

Did you know there are approximately 304,000 miles of petroleum and natural gas transmission pipelines and approximately 2,100,000 miles of natural gas distribution pipelines in the United States? There is a good chance that a pipeline runs through your community. By clicking on the Safety or Resources options above, you may learn the signs of pipeline recognition, how to plan for the unexpected, and how to contact the pipeline operator in the event of a pipeline emergency.

Schools

Dow encourages all schools located near Dow pipelines to be familiar with the products we transport and encourages all schools to develop emergency plans for reporting suspicious activity and responding to an unexpected release. By clicking on the Safety or Resources options above, you may learn ways to recognize pipeline right-of-ways, signs of an unplanned release, and what to do in the event of a pipeline leak so that you may incorporate those learnings into your plans.

Excavators and Contractors

If your next job involves heavy machinery drilling, earth moving or simply digging a hole, you could be at risk of striking a pipeline and causing serious damage to yourself, your equipment, and the community around you. By clicking on the Safety or Resources options above, you may learn how to recognize a pipeline right-of-way and how to make a call and get those underground utilities marked free of charge, to help keep you and your community safe.

Recognizing Pipeline Locations

How do you know where pipelines are located?

  • Most pipelines are located underground along right-of-ways.
  • Pipelines use special markers to indicate their approximate locations, and these markers are commonly placed at road crossings.
  • Some of the common markers are illustrated below:

 

examples of pipeline markers

  • Pipeline markers indicate that a buried pipeline is in the immediate vicinity of the marker but does NOT indicate burial depth, diameter, or pressure, which will vary.
  • Warning signs typically associated with the pipelines operated by the Gulf Coast Pipeline are illustrated below:

 

examples of pipeline warning signs

Right-of-Way Usage

A Right-of-Way (ROW) consists of consecutive property easements acquired by or granted to a pipeline company. A ROW offers sufficient space to perform pipeline maintenance and inspections, as well as a clear zone where potential encroachments may be monitored and prevented.

Pipeline right-of-ways may be used for residential, commercial, or agriculture purposes as long as those purposes do not interfere with the safe operations, maintenance and inspection activities of the pipeline. Access to and along Dow's Gulf Coast Pipeline ROW easements must not be obstructed.

Permanent structures can not be placed along right-of-ways located at or near Dow pipelines because they may obstruct access to the pipelines. Permanent structures include such items as: houses, mobile homes, trailers, shops, barns, stables, sheds, garages, stock tanks, swimming pools, decks, trees and septic tanks.

Dow encourages you to contact its Right-of-Way Department if you plan to do any type of work on or near its ROW easements.

rightofway@dow.com

OR

Dow Pipeline Company
Right-of-Way Department
1254 Enclave Parkway
Houston, TX 77077-1608
PO Box 4286, Houston, TX 77210-42

Recognizing an Unplanned Release

Use caution in the event of a suspected pipeline leak or in the event of any of the following suspicious conditions:

Sight:

  • Some gaseous and most liquid leaks or releases may be visually detectable. A dense white cloud or fog originating near a pipeline marker, vent or above-ground equipment may be the result of a leak. Extra caution should be used to avoid ignition as  such fumes and mists are likely flammable.
  • Dust blowing from a hole in the ground
  • Dead or discolored vegetation in an otherwise green area
  • Continuous bubbling in wet or flooded areas
  • Flames, if a release has ignited
  • Large ice ball formation on above-ground piping

 

Sound

  • You cannot always see that there is a pipeline leak. Dow transports a variety of products, some of which may not be detectable by sight should a leak occur. However, hearing a hissing or blowing sound may identify a release depending on the size of the release

Smell:

  • Products escaping from a pipeline may sometimes be detected by a gas or "smelly oil" odor

The vast majority of products Dow transports are hydrocarbon based products which means that they will ignite and burn if released and exposed to an ignition source.

It is always best to call Dow Product Control if you have any reason to suspect a leak from one of Dow’s pipelines. Dow’s 24 hour emergency numbers are as follows:

Seadrift Pipeline Corporation
UCAR Pipeline Incorporated
UCAR Louisiana Pipeline Company
1-888-278-3413 or 1-888-278-3414

Dow Pipeline Company
Dow Intrastate Gas Company
Cayuse Pipeline, Inc.
Dow Hydrocarbons & Resources LLC.
1-800-223-4412

 

What To Do In The Event Of A Leak

Following are some suggestions on what to do in the event of a pipeline leak:

  • Turn off all sources of ignition
  • Extinguish all flames, do not smoke
  • Do not start or turn on vehicle/electrical equipment
  • Do not use cell phones, pagers, 2-way radios
  • Leave the area immediately on foot and try to prevent others from entering
  • If you are in a school, business, or other public facility, evacuate the facility; consider pulling the fire alarm to notify others.
  • Move out of the path in a cross-wind direction and then move upwind of the possible source.
  • If you need to notify neighbors knock on doors, do not use doorbells
  • Once in a safe location, call 911
  • Notify the pipeline company if known
  • If pipeline leak is on fire, do not attempt to extinguish any flames
  • Do not attempt to operate pipeline valves
  • Warn others

Keeping Pipelines Safe

Even though pipelines are the safest means of transporting products, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation, system leaks do occasionally occur. Leaks are most often caused by damage from digging near a pipeline. Here are a few ways in which you may get involved and help keep pipelines, underground utilities and our communities safe:

  • Before you dig, drill or blast near a pipeline, call 811 to get the exact location of any pipeline or underground utility. Let pipeline or utility operators show you where the pipeline or underground utility is located. It's free and it's the law.
  • Using specialized locating equipment, pipeline or utility operators can locate the pipeline or underground utility and determine the depth without disturbing the earth.
  • Never try to locate a pipeline or underground utility with a backhoe, bulldozer, auger, pick or any other piece of equipment. These are dangerous substitutes for specialized locating equipment.
  • Although pipelines are patrolled, your diligence is also essential for keeping them safe.
  • Even seemingly minor damage must be immediately reported to the pipeline operator. A gouge, scrape, dent, crease or other damage to a pipe or to the pipe’s coating may one day result in a break or leak. It is very important that the pipeline operator evaluate the situation and, if necessary, repair any damage to the pipeline as quickly as possible. 
  • Report suspicious and unauthorized activities on and near Dow’s pipeline right-of-ways and give Dow a call if you see something out of the ordinary.
  • One simple phone call to 811 may prevent a pipeline or underground utility accident from occurring.  Before you begin digging, please call 811 or your local State One Call Center 48 hours in advance to get a location of pipelines and underground utilities in your area. Pipeline and utility representatives will come to your location and mark their lines for free.

    Before you dig, call 811, or contact your local State One Call Center directly.

 

For more information regarding 811 you can visit the website at www.call811.com

State One Call Centers
Texas - 1-800-545-6005
Louisiana - 1-800-272-3020

Helpful External Links

National Pipeline Mapping System:
www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov

Call 811
www.call811.com

Common Ground Alliance:
www.commongroundalliance.com

Texas 811
www.texas811.org/

Louisiana 811
www.Louisiana811.com

General Pipeline Information:
www.pipeline101.com

Contact Us

For additional information about Dow pipelines in your area please contact:

pipelineawareness@dow.com