Pipeline Oppo. Spreads False Narrative through Phony Software

Courtesy of Quest Consultants, the firm that has performed flawed risk assessment studies in Pennsylvania, local pipeline opponents have been given access to ‘CANARY’ software, which is supposedly able to model gas line leak scenarios to draw conclusions about pipeline risk.

As one may suspect, pipeline opponents have used the software to further their ideological, false narrative.

This is dangerous and counterproductive in itself. Publishing the results of an admitted ‘worst-case’ scenario from software that does not rely on real life data will only heighten fear and spread misinformation – traditional tactics of pipeline opposition groups like Dragonpipe Diary.

Qualified professionals should be relied upon to provide quantitative risk assessments, which neither Dragonpipe Diary, Sen. Dinniman, or Quest Consultants appear to be interested in doing. The assessment of risk is already built into the pipeline permitting process and has already been conducted on the Mariner East 2 pipeline. Such an assessment must take into account a number of factors including labor qualifications, protocols, and processes, which Quest, Sen. Dinniman, and Dragonpipe Diary do not take into account. There is a whole trove of other considerations that these flawed assessments fail to account for, but rest assured has been taken into account through the lengthy regulatory process for Mariner East 2.

The idea that ideologues that oppose necessary infrastructure projects know more than the experts is frightening. Experts have determined that Mariner East 2 exceeds safety standards throughout construction and operation. A blogger playing with a module and calling their analysis definitive is akin to a 13 year old being called a soldier for playing Call of Duty after school.

It is discouraging to see pipeline opposition undermine the shared goal of public safety though the extra steps local union labor and pipeline manufacturers have made will ensure maximized safety.