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                                                                                                    March 27, 2020

COVID-19: Response of the Oil and Gas Pipelines Sector


The spread of the novel coronavirus and the measures put in
place to control it are impacting U.S. oil and natural gas
pipelines a critical infrastructure sector. Pipelines are
essential not only in providing liquid fuel for transportation
and natural gas for consumer and industrial uses, but also as
a critical source of fuel for electric power plants. (For more
discussion of critical infrastructure, see CRS Report
R45809, Critical Infrastructure: Emerging Trends and
Policy Considerations for Congress, by Brian E.
Humphreys).

On March 11, the World Health Organization declared a
global pandemic associated with the novel coronavirus
which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
Due to the spread of the coronavirus in the United States,
President Trump declared a national emergency on March
13. The virus also has prompted emergency restrictions in
some states intended to slow community transmission, such
as limits on public movement, requirements for social
distancing, and the mandatory closure of certain
businesses and places of public assembly.


Employee illness at pipeline companies may impact the
safety and reliability of their systems. As of March 25, CRS
is not aware of any pipeline service problems due to
coronavirus. Nonetheless, the pipeline sector is taking steps
to prevent any such disruptions. According to the
Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL), which represents
crude oil and refined products pipeline operators, they are
taking precautions and actions to ensure our Nation's
energy delivery system continues to operate safely.
Likewise, the Interstate Natural Gas Association of
America (INGAA), which represents interstate gas pipeline
operators, states that its members are taking the necessary
steps to maintain safe and reliable operations to ensure
delivery of natural gas.

The AOPL lists specific actions its members are taking in
response to coronavirus. These actions include following
government health recommendations; updating company
plans to minimize health risks; continuing to inspect,
maintain and monitor pipelines; staying in close contact
with fellow operators and government agencies to exchange
information on best practices, to identify problems, and
resolve them.

Additional measures reportedly being implemented or
considered by some pipeline operators are worker health
screening and sequestering critical employees to avoid
infection. Social distancing may not greatly affect some
workers, such as field inspectors, but could create
challenges for workers in control rooms or on construction
teams who typically are in close proximity to one another.


Cybersecurity measures to protect pipeline computer
networks, such as industrial control system air gapping,
in which critical computers are physically isolated from
outside networks, may complicate staffing because they
may prevent workers from remotely monitoring or
controlling their systems.

The American Gas Association (AGA), which represents
investor-owned natural gas distribution companies, states
that its members remain vigilant in monitoring the effects
of the virus to maintain operational capabilities across their
service territories. The AGA places a specific focus on
maintaining natural gas supply to health care and other
essential service industries, ensuring they have the energy
they need to provide ... critical services. Member
companies also are implementing policies to keep workers
from entering homes unless necessary for safety and
increasing the hygiene and protection of those who do.


A specific issue in pipeline operations involves statewide
orders, such as that issued in Louisiana on March 22, which
requires all workers to stay at home unless they are
providing essential services. The Louisiana order does
not name pipeline workers as essential, so their
availability may be unclear. Under such orders, which vary
by state, some subcategories of pipeline industry workers,
(e.g., control room staff), potentially could be treated as
essential while others may not. Ambiguity about pipeline
worker status under such orders could create confusion and
complicate staffing response to the coronavirus among
affected companies.

Independent of any state orders, President Trump's
Coronavirus Guidelines for America, issued on March 16,
states: If you work in a critical infrastructure industry, as
defined by the Department of Homeland Security [DHS] ...
you have a special responsibility to maintain your normal
work schedule. The DHS's Cybersecurity and
Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued a list of
Essential Critical Infrastructure Workers on March 19
which explicitly includes petroleum and natural gas
pipeline workers. Although CISA states that its list is for
guidance only and that it is not ... a federal directive or
standard, some states, such as Oklahoma, are using the list
as the basis for identifying essential workers in state orders.


Worker restrictions in response to the coronavirus are
affecting ongoing construction of at least one new pipeline
project. On March 20, Energy Transfer LP announced that
it was suspending most construction activities on its
Mariner East Pipeline in Pennsylvania to comply with the
governor's order to close all non-life-sustaining


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