Oil and Natural Gas Supply
Energy Infrastructure
NETL's Energy Infrastructure and Security Research Group (EISRG) has a key
supporting role in emergency preparedness and response. The EISRG develops
high-level analytical visualizations that are used to study critical U.S. energy
infrastructures and their inter-relationships during natural and manmade emergencies.
By deploying resources and providing vital information in a timely manner,
EISRG improves the ability of government agencies and the energy sector to
prevent, prepare for, and respond to hazards, emergencies, natural disasters,
or any other threat to the nation's energy supply.
NETL coordinated and provided information on an ongoing basis during every major
landfall event of the 2005 hurricane season , including Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita, as well as during Hurricanes Charley, Frances, and Ivan in 2004. NETL also
has participated in exercises to prepare for events with varying degrees of impact,
such as pipeline disruptions, local power outages, and transportation interruptions,
such as the 2005 Powder River Basin rail service suspension, which resulted in
curtailment of coal deliveries to major customers over a six-month period.
Storm track map for 2005 Hurricane Katrina
In order to maintain continuous and reliable energy supplies during emergencies,
the EISRG helps the DOE Office of Electricity Delivery and Energy Reliability
(OE), the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and other federal agencies
with their emergency preparedness decision-making. OE named NETL as the coordinator
of the multi-lab Visualization and Modeling Working Group (VMWG ) because NETL
combines Geographical Information Systems information on locations of power
plants, refineries, and other energy infrastructure features with the engineering
expertise to analyze potential impacts and respond quickly. Also, NETL is the
only national laboratory operated by DOE employees.
The VMWG also i ncludes Argonne National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory,
Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, and Sandia
National Laboratories. Each group member provides specific analysis during
emergency preparedness events. NETL's EISRG then is able to compile quick-response
analytical reports to senior DOE managers within one hour. These reports provide
the high-level, accurate infrastructure visualizations necessary to assist
in decision making during an emergency response. A full analytical response,
covering electrical, natural gas, petroleum, demographic, and economic sectors,
is compiled within eight hours of the time the data is provided to EISRG by
the laboratory group members. This report contains complete analysis, as well
as an executive summary that captures the impact assessment in a 10-minute
slide presentation for senior management.
Pipeline diagram for Chevron Oil Refinery, Pascagoula , Mississippi
For example, in the event of a hurricane, the National Hurricane Center and
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration provide the hurricane storm
track. Los Alamos National Lab develops damage contours based on the storm
track and wind speed projections. NETL and other VMWG labs incorporate these
contours with maps showing components of the nation's energy infrastructure,
such as transmission lines and pipelines. The final analyses may cover outage
and restoration progress, as well as potential impact to the power grid, helping
federal agencies to determine alternate fuel supplies in case of a severe shortage.
In addition to maintaining readiness to assist in national emergencies, NETL's
EISRG team has a strong capability to analyze energy infrastructure. This capability
could be made available to communities and other localities if they needed
help in assessing the impact of an emergency on energy components.
EISRG Resources:
- Geospatial software gathers geocoded data, combines relevant
data sets, and analyzes and displays the results to support energy emergency
responses
- ArcGIS Desktop: ArcView
- ArcGIS Server: ArcMIS & ArcSDE
- MapInfo Professional®
- Real-time communication tools for team collaboration
and online interaction
- IBM Lotus QuickPlace
- WebEx™
Additional Information:
Impact of the 2005 Hurricanes on the Natural Gas Industry in the Gulf of Mexico Region [PDF-4.37MB]
For more information contact: Keith
Dodrill
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