Nothing says fall like friends getting together to eat good food and watch their favorite football team. Winning a game or even a championship is all about teamwork. The same is true when it comes to producing, transporting and distributing energy. It takes thousands of individuals doing a specific job to safely and efficiently supply the energy that American’s use every day. Much like a football team comprised of players with different skills, the energy industry is all about cooperation, dedication and hard work. Think about natural gas pipeline construction.
Like the quarterback, those in charge of the construction and placement of natural gas pipelines and other facilities are the planners. They carefully consider all options and scenarios to determine what is the best plan for construction. Environmental impact, federal regulations and other factors are all considered to ensure the best possible route is chosen.
The team in charge of monitoring and ensuring the safety of equipment mirrors the qualities of the offensive line. Both are tasked with protecting and ensuring safety whether that is of the facilities or of a quarterback. On the pipeline team, our members charged with safety uses tools such as smart pigs, integrity tests, inspections and software to monitor for potential threats to pipeline safety.
Coaches and engineers are both focused on continuous improvement. Coaches conduct practices while engineers conduct maintenance on facilities and equipment. Constant improvements and strategic thinking is the role engineers play on this team.
It takes many moving parts working together to achieve success—whether on the football field or in the construction zone. As we cheer on our favorite team, we should consider those who work in the energy field. It is not an easy job. But thanks to them, and the energy they supply to our homes, we get to watch our team play every weekend.
