The oil and gas pipeline industry is increasingly proficient in responsibly managing operational risks to public and employee safety and the environment. However, all too often we are less competent at managing risk-related issues. Potential consequences of poor risk issues management can include seriously tarnishing corporate reputation, triggering expensive regulatory censure, loss of investor confidence, negative impacts on employee morale and significant new landowner compensation costs, to note just a few. One need only look at recent examples from other industries to see that sometimes the possible outcomes can even be catastrophic: the cost of the Mad Cow Disease issue to the UK beef industry, the effects of the collapses of Enron and WorldCom on the accounting / financial consulting industry and on big business generally, or the massive class action awards against silicon breast implant makers. With respect to our own industry, the Exxon Valdez oil spill that happened 14 years ago is still one of the most commonly-evoked buzzwords of environmental disaster and an enduring symbol of the risks associated with the marine transportation of oil. This paper provides advice and information about understanding the differences between – and making competent use of – the methodologies of risk communication and crisis communication in issues management for oil pipeline companies. The knowledge gained, if applied appropriately, can help steer a pipeline operator / owner away from – or out of – damaging entanglement in a risk management controversy stemming from an incident such as an oil spill.

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