CGA’s newest White Paper, “Natural Gas: Leading the Damage Prevention Industry,” analyzes key data from surveys and interviews with natural gas decision-makers to understand this stakeholder group’s perceptions and initiatives around damage prevention.

Key Takeaway #2

In this week’s Damage Prevention Download, we’re taking a look at the second key takeaway from the Natural Gas White Paper: “Shifting the focus to internal processes and programs is more likely to drive immediate industry-wide improvements.” CGA’s primary research demonstrates that natural gas stakeholders frequently point to external factors such as enhanced enforcement as the best strategy for reducing damages to their facilities. However, the extensive damage prevention work that natural gas stakeholders are doing – or could be doing – via their own programs is likely to achieve reductions more efficiently.

Turning the Focus Inward

While there are many external factors that can impact damage prevention, including improved legislation and enforcement, the internal processes that natural gas stakeholders implement within their organizations can reduce damages in a more direct, ownable way. 83% of surveyed natural gas stakeholders reported that their organizations utilized trainings to promote damage prevention, while 80% utilize other in-person communications, 56% utilize email and 35% utilize webinars. One interview participant said their company has reduced damages 50% in the last 10 years by being proactive and using a risk modeling program in which they score all tickets that come in on the likelihood of damage and the consequence of damage. The natural gas sector’s damage prevention programs and communications are key in reducing damages to underground utilities

Natural gas distribution stakeholders are well-positioned to influence and promote the adoption of internal programs and processes both within their organization, as well as among other organizations and facility owners/operators.

To learn more, take a look at the White Paper on CGA’s website and view supporting materials, including a presentation deck highlighting the key takeaways and insights, as well as all graphs featured in the White Paper.