On April 10th, the OPS posted revised FAQ’s for Public Awareness Programs on their website. Some of the topics addressed in the FAQ’s include: When must programs be complete? What constitutes a complete program? When must an operator complete the initial distribution of RP 1162-compliant communications to stakeholders. Are operators required to sample stakeholder audience…
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PHMSA Response to NTSB on SCADA Issues
On April 26th, PHMSA submitted their response to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) regarding recommendations resulting from their study entitled “Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA) in Liquid Pipelines”. The NTSB recommended the following: P-05-1: Require operators of hazardous liquid pipelines to follow the American Petroleum Institute’s Recommended Practice 1165 [API RP 11651…
O & M Manual Up-To-Date?
RCP has the tools and expertise to develop comprehensive procedures that you need to protect your people, facilities, and environment.
Technical Advisory Committee Meetings – Workshops
Dockets: PHMSA-98-4470 / PHMSA-2004-18938 / PHMSA-2004-18584 PHMSA will hold public meetings of the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee (TPSSC) and Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee (THLPSSC), and 2 public workshops, on June 26-28, 2006. PHMSA will hold a half day public workshop on Hazardous Liquid Low Stress Pipelines to solicit comments on a…
Integrity Management Services
RCP can assist pipeline operators with ongoing compliance management and engineering associated with your IMP. This includes direct assessment strategies, tool and vendor selection, ILI/ECDA report analysis, corrosion control programs, repair strategies, and IMP/risk model updates. For more information on how RCP can support your ongoing IMP needs.
Texas Damage Prevention
On March 28, the Texas Railroad Commission held its first information-gathering meeting to prepare for developing new damage prevention regulations for pipelines in Texas. The informal meeting was used to explain the recent legislation in Texas that provides for new TRRC regulations and to gather suggestions from the audience about potential regulatory issues that should…
Will your SPCC Plan pass an EPA inspection based on the new SPCC Inspectors’ Guidance document?
RCP can conduct a gap analysis of your current SPCC Plan and provide updates and recommendations based on the new SPCC Guidance for Regional Inspectors that was published Dec. 2, 2005. The new guidance document includes more detail than is in many of the plans in use today.
Utility Accommodation for Rail Facilities in Texas State ROWs
The State of Texas recently published new regulations governing the accommodation, location, method of installation, adjustments, removal, relocation, and maintenance of utility facilities within state railroad right of way. These new regulations were developed in the interest of safety, protection, utilization, and future development of state railroad right of way with due consideration given to…
Gas Gathering Workshop
On March 15, 2006, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published its final rule on the definition of gas gathering lines. This rule completely changes the previous regulations for gas gathering. Pipelines that were previously considered to be regulated gas gathering may now be exempt. Likewise, other pipelines that were previously considered to…
Need to make sure your Public Awareness Program meets API RP 1162 standards?
RCP can conduct a gap analysis of your current program that includes a self assessment of your Public Awareness Programs. This final product will help you to meet API RP 1162 standards. We can provide turnkey implementation, mail-outs, evaluations, and tracking of your program.
Public Awareness Workshop: ** Attention **
All pre-workshop surveys for attendees are due by Monday, May 8th.We have added additional speakers to the roster. Andrew Cober – Market Strategies Tom Calabro – TFCC Jack Garret – Dig Tess *New John Funderburk – Paragidm Hal Bentley – Celeritas *New Susan Waller – RCPThis public awareness workshop is packed with good information and we look…
API/AOPL submit recommendations for High Volume, Low Stress liquid pipelines
The API and AOPL have submitted comments to PHMSA regarding currently unregulated pipelines that operate less than 20% SMYS and are located in Unusually Sensitive Areas. If this proposal is accepted and incorporated into final rulemaking, operators of “Regulated Low Stress Pipelines” will have to develop a written program for minimizing risk of a release…
Petroleum Gathering Lines – Rulemaking Schedule
RIN 2137-AD98 This Rulemaking would establish limited safety rules for certain rural petroleum gathering lines that could affect high consequence areas, including populated areas, navigable waterways, and areas unusually sensitive to pipeline spills. Because rural petroleum gathering lines and low stress lines are now exempt from all pipeline safety rules, except in Gulf of Mexico…
Need to Update Your Current Operator Qualification Program?
We have the expertise to update your current operator qualification program to satisfy the upcoming regulation change and inspection protocols. For more information on how RCP can support your ongoing OQ Program needs.
Hazardous Liquid Annual Report 7000-1.1
PHMSA has revised the instructions for the hazardous liquid pipeline annual report for 7000-1.1, to eliminate confusion that has lead to errors in previous reports. Specific areas of concern in previous reports, which now have more explicit instructions, include “actions taken” in response to integrity inspections, and “completed assessments”. The annual report form and revised…
The Role of Pipelines and Pipeline Research
The Pipeline Research Council International has posted a new report on the role of energy pipelines and research, entitled: The Role of Energy Pipelines and Research in the United States: Sustaining the Viability and Productivity of a National Asset. Continued pipeline research will be needed to ensure the safety and efficiency of this vital national…
Summary of PHMSA Enforcement Actions
The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration has prepared a summary of their enforcement actions from January 1, 2000 through March 31, 2006. This document reveals PHMSA’s increased emphasis on enforcement actions and penalties, in accordance with their multi-year roadmap for strengthening enforcement, called the Enforcement Program Performance Plan. PHMSA has developed a new enforcement…
Public Awareness Program Submittal
Pipeline operators will be required to submit their public awareness programs to PHMSA. Exactly how these programs are to be submitted, however, is still undetermined. According to PHMSA, they plan to use the following approach: “PHMSA will publish an Advisory Bulletin in the Federal Register. PHMSA will prominently post the Advisory Bulletin on its web…
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…
Technical Advisory Committee Meetings – Workshops
Dockets: PHMSA-98-4470 / PHMSA-2004-18938 / PHMSA-2004-18584 PHMSA will hold public meetings of the Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee (TPSSC) and Technical Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Safety Standards Committee (THLPSSC), and 2 public workshops, on June 26-28, 2006. PHMSA will hold a half day public workshop on Hazardous Liquid Low Stress Pipelines to solicit comments on a…