Frequently Asked Questions - PPTS

What is the PPTS?
The Pipeline Performance Tracking System was created in 1988 as a result of a decision by the leadership of the oil pipeline industry to know more about our own safety and environmental performance than anyone else. The information in the PPTS is being used to improve oil pipeline industry performance and to drive toward the goal of error-free and spill-free operations.

Oil pipeline members of the American Petroleum Institute and the Association of Oil Pipe Lines began tracking pipeline industry environmental and safety performance under this voluntary initiative in 1999. Participation in PPTS is open to any operator incident and infrastructure information.

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Facilities Covered
The PPTS participants provide performance information for all the facilities they operate, whether those facilities fall under the regulatory oversight of the US DOT Office of Pipeline Safety or not. Our intent is to evaluate the oil pipeline industry's performance and to identify trends that may not be apparent within one company's operations.

Infrastructure Information
Toward the end of each reporting year, API conducts a supplemental survey of information needed to normalize accident information for the aggregate data. This supplemental survey includes information such as system mileage, components and volumes moved.

Confidentiality of Company Information
Individual company information is kept confidential. API cannot assure, however, that company data would not have to be produced in the unlikely event that it was subpoenaed or otherwise ordered to be produced by a competent authority. The information collected will be factual and will not include narrative text describing incidents.

How Does API Use the Data?
API uses the information collected under this initiative only in the aggregate. Company information will not be retained beyond a period required for data quality assurance. For data collection purposes, companies will be identified by number only. Periodically API and the oil pipeline industry will conduct in-depth analyses of the incident and infrastructure information. Those analyses will be shared with PPTS participants.

PPTS now includes three years of data representing more than 70 percent of U.S. pipeline mileage. In October of 2000, the pipeline leadership created the Data Mining Team, which will undertake analytical work, prepare reports and periodically make recommendations to the pipeline industry.

Participating Companies
API does not publicize the identity of companies that participate in the PPTS. Participating companies have access to the analytical work products produced based on the database. Participating companies may also elect to conduct analysis of their own company-based PPTS information using the services of API and independent contractors, such as the Allegro Energy Group.

If you are not sure whether your company is participating, contact API for further assistance.

API Coordinator Contact:

Hazem Arafa
Phone: 202-682-8506
Fax: 202-962-4730
Email: arafah@api.org