Zachary Locks

Highly regarded asset manager and people leader with over 13 years of expertise in asset safety, regulatory compliance, aerial patrol, pipeline integrity, and risk mitigation. Demonstrated success in building and leading high-performing teams across pipeline leak detection, damage prevention, integrity assessments, geohazards, and threat management. Recognized for designing and implementing industry-leading programs from the ground up in under one year, delivering measurable improvements in operational excellence and safety performance, boosting employee satisfaction, and increasing retention rates.

SM123/KAWest Pipeline Subsidence Remediation 

Directly steering the large & complex project to mitigate subsidence issues above a burning coal seam in WV affecting 2 large natural gas pipelines . Orchestrated multiple disciplines in extensive monitoring, investigation, alternative analysis, budget procurement, design input,

risk analysis, and managed this high risk profile for the past 4 years. Project Cost: $45 Million

MXP and LXP Landslide Program 

Oversaw the pipeline integrity assurance plan for ROW restoration and geohazard mitigation following the in-service installation of 400+ miles of large diameter natural gas pipeline. Collaborated with other stakeholders to develop thresholds and action plans fore when issues were identified. Developed a monitoring program that included LiDAR and change detection, aerial patrols, ground patrols, and quarterly ILI IMU pipe movement studies. Implemented multiple stress relief excavations and engineered mitigation plans (micro pile walls, soil nails, drainage improvements, etc..). I have also accelerated the closeout of open environmental permits along the construction route in the past year. Program Cost: $200+ Million

ILI Bending Strain Program

Created a business case and developed a bending strain analysis program for ~70 ILIs annually. Prior to this, most ILIs did not have any bending strain or pipeline movement analysis completed. This additional monitoring and the creation of thresholds for required action has prevented multiple ruptures every year due to pipelines being engaged by geohazards. This data was later integrated into the geohazard database to help with the baseline geohazard program. Cost Avoidance: $500 Million

Baseline Geohazard Assessment 

Stood up the baseline geohazard assessment program for 15,000 miles of natural gas pipeline. Developed a methodology to prioritize assessments based on the potential threat to the pipeline and associated risk for 20,000 landslides, 2,500 exposures, and 18,000 watercrossings. Between 2019-2025 this program has resulted in 40+ landslide mitigation projects, 25+ annual slope monitoring locations, and 300+ pipeline exposure mitigations. Program Cost: $400 Million

GeoForce- Project Sponsor and Lead 

Led the development of an industry-leading GIS toolset to identify, analyze, and monitor geohazard threats across North America. Employing advanced analytics and real-time data, GeoForce provides alerts for events, helps prioritize monitoring and remediation work, reduces the likelihood of pipeline incidents, increases productivity, and enhances decision making for asset protection and response efforts at key locations. Project Cost: $4.3 Million

Shotover

Created a business case to purchase 2 Shotover cameras for internal aircraft and supported the integration of these advanced cameras into existing workflows while also enabling additional operational capability. Project Cost: $2 Million

Skipper NDT

Validated data from a drone utilizing magnetometry and other sensors to determine pipeline centerline location and calculate bending strain. This data was compared directly to ILI IMU data, and ground truth survey data from potholes. This was done at 10+ sites as part of a PRCI project, 3 of which were TC Energy locations. Project Cost: $150k

Internal LiDAR Collection Business Case

Evaluated Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) sensors with greater than 20 points/meter; demonstrating potential implementation on in-house patrols with projected over $7 Million in savings. (This business was finished, but not implemented during my time at TC Energy).

Virtual Right of Way

A web based tool that provides educational material to stakeholders through stations on the virtual right of way. The user experience includes animated machinery and individuals within the right of way, videos, infographics, monitoring methods, and general pipeline safety information such as what to do before starting any ground disturbance. This tool was used with targeted digital marketing techniques to provide damage prevention information to over 270K new users in 2024 at a cost per click that is a fraction of traditional mailings. https://www.tcenergyopenhouse.com/beforeyoudig Project Cost: $200k

R601 Swan Airport Rd

Active pipeline movement identified through LiDAR change detection and ILI IMU strain change. FEA resulted in a emergency strain relief excavation and subsequent landslide monitoring. Project Cost: $3 Million

Leak Assessment Improvements

Managed and facilitated in house engineering leak assessment from tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy sensors; saving $60,000 annually and increased efficiency to 80% detection rate.

Facilitated and led an industry methane emission sensor evaluation, PRCI PL-1-08. Evaluating DIAL, TDLAS, OGI, Multi and Hyperspectral sensors and their technological readiness value

Aerial Patrol Improvement 

Developed safer efficient surveillance flight strategy across US Gas Operations; saving 1200 operational hours and over $1.4 million.

Dowell Hill dual HDD Replacement

HDD replacement of 2 big diameter natural gas pipelines to avoid a large landslide complex.

This site has had previous failures, regular movement identified on site instrumentation, and IMU pipeline movement. Remediation was supported by FEA. Project Cost: $22 Million

ML300 Landslide Remediation

36" natural gas pipeline through a complex active landslide. Required a drilled pier wall and strain relief excavation. Project Cost: $6 Million

Pipeline Flow Reversal Studies 

Gathered necessary data and did analysis to ensure pipeline safety and any additional modifications or considerations were undertaken as part of 6 large pipeline flow reversal projects. The largest of which affected three parallel 30-36" pipelines stretching from Kentucky down to Louisiana.

1711 Rock Wall

Without permission, a landowner dumped a large amount of rock in their backyard on the top of a landslide which our pipeline was engaged with. We had IMU strain data, pipe centerline surveys, FEA, and other data to support the strain relief project with girth weld reinforcement. Also installed a Hardy Rib Wall (first in the US to our knowledge) to stop additional slope movement and keep the landowner's home and our pipeline from

experiencing additional damage. Project Cost: $3 Million

R701S Strain Site

ILI identified a 0.75% bending strain and landslide was confirmed to be active by installed inclinometers. Pipe was replaced and buried deeper in a rock trench to prevent additional movement. Project Cost: $3 Million

• A Practical Approach to Manage Hard Spot Threat, 09/01/24, ASME IPC
• Improved methods for sizing metal loss in dents for ECA, 02/01/20, PPIM

• Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI), 04/01/25, Present, SOM Committee Chairman
• IPIPE, 06/01/24, 11/30/25, Company Rep
• PRCI, 07/01/21, 04/30/25, SOM Committee Vice Chair