Our multi-state natural gas utility client needed to overhaul its corrosion control program. Previous leadership had retired, and the department was facing significant challenges:

• 25% of field technician positions were unfilled, and there was no structured plan to recruit, train, and develop new technicians.
• The field workforce had recently unionized due to a merger.
• Year-over-year budget cuts had impacted their ability to keep up with regulations and best practices.

Following an internal audit, the utility decided to create a comprehensive program to organize the entire organization’s corrosion control activities.

The initiative was split into two phases – program governance and program development.

Phase 1 objectives include:

• Establishing and facilitating a cross-departmental corrosion control governance committee representing 12 departments.
• Conducting a needs assessment and documenting requirements for an enterprise corrosion control program to meet current and future needs.
• Developing a program roadmap to serve as a project plan for developing and implementing the new program.

Phase 2 activities and deliverables include:

• Developing a corrosion apprentice program as a first step in a training program that will eventually include all technician progressions, corrosion engineers, and analysts.
• Drafting program documentation for all the requirements, guidelines, and procedures required to address regulations, safety requirements, company policies, and effectiveness measures.
• Creating a management of change (MoC) process to guide various stakeholders through business process and training development.