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In This Issue

  1. Conducting Activities in the Vicinity of Offshore Pipelines
  2. PHMSA Administrator Confirmed
  3. Washington State – Land Use Near Existing Pipelines Report
  4. Will your SPCC Plan pass an EPA inspection based on the new SPCC Inspectors’ Guidance document?
  5. Technical Advisory Committee Meetings – Workshops
  6. B31Q Status
  7. Public Awareness Program Submittal
  8. Summary of PHMSA Enforcement Actions
  9. The Role of Pipelines and Pipeline Research
  10. Hazardous Liquid Annual Report 7000-1.1
  11. Need to Update Your Current Operator Qualification Program?
  12. Petroleum Gathering Lines – Rulemaking Schedule
  13. API/AOPL submit recommendations for High Volume, Low Stress liquid pipelines

B31Q Status

The new pipeline industry standard on operator qualification, ASME B31Q, has been approved and is awaiting the final procedural review from the ASME board (which should just be a formality). It should be published this summer. Once the standard is published, the Office of Pipeline Safety is expected to issue a modified Operator Qualification rule that incorporates B31Q. A new standing committee on B31Q will also be established within ASME. Persons interesting in serving on that committee should contact Gerry Eisenberg at eisenbergg@asme.org.

Kudos to Daron Moore with El Paso who chaired the ASME committee that developed this standard. Daron has served selflessly through endless committee meetings, conference calls, private lobbying efforts, etc. to create this standard. It has been a long, difficult, and occasionally adversarial process. The pipeline industry owes him thanks for a job well done.