May 2011 Issue
In This Issue
- RCP Continues to Add More Firepower to its Staff
- DOT Pipeline Compliance Workshop – May 10-12, 2011
- DOT Pipeline Safety Awareness Website
- Public Awareness Effectiveness Program Inspections
- Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA) Report
- MAOP Analysis Services
- Public Webinars on Implementation of Distribution Integrity Management Programs
- PHMSA Reporting Webinars for Gas Pipelines
- PHMSA Publishes Updated Inspection Protocols
- AGA Ops Conference & Biennial Exhibit May 24 -27 at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, TN
- PHMSA Technology Transfer Workshop June 23 – Columbus, OH
RCP Continues to Add More Firepower to its Staff
John Godfrey recently joined RCP as an Executive Consultant. With 24+ years of pipeline industry experience as a Vice President of Quality Assurance for a leading pipe manufacturer, and Manager of Asset Integrity, Operations Manager, and Manager of Pipeline Engineering for major pipeline companies, John brings a wealth of knowledge and regulatory expertise to RCP’s staff, particularly for Pipeline Integrity Management. He has been an active participant in industry committees serving as chairman of the API Pipeline Integrity Committee, Vice Chairman of the PRCI Materials Committee, and serving on the API Operations Technical Committee and the API/AOPL Performance Excellence Team. We are looking forward to his valuable contributions to RCP and our clients.
DOT Pipeline Compliance Workshop – May 10-12, 2011
Join us May 10 – 12 in Houston at our new office and dedicated training facility for an informative, lively, and interactive workshop on DOT Pipeline Compliance and OPA Planning for DOT Pipelines. This workshop has been attended by hundreds of pipeline personnel, with excellent feedback. The workshop provides an overview of the DOT pipeline regulations, and is appropriate for people who are new to pipeline regulations, who could use a refresher, or anyone who needs to know the latest information in these areas.
PROGRAM
SCHEDULE:
Day 1 (May 10): Gas Pipeline Regulations (49CFR192)
The workshop will include an introduction to DOT/OPS pipeline compliance; State
and Federal program variations; roles and responsibilities; design,
construction, operations, maintenance, and emergency response requirements; how
to monitor rulemaking activity and stay current with your compliance program;
operator qualification, public awareness; with a specific emphasis on the gas
integrity management regulations. Each attendee will receive general training
materials which include the applicable DOT 49 CFR 192 regulations for gas
pipelines (cd-rom), inspection checklists, and speaker’s PowerPoint
presentation handouts.
Day 2 (May 11): Special Topics
Back by popular demand! RCP is conducting a special workshop day to discuss
topics that many of our clients have expressed an interest in. The workshop
topics will include: Control Room Management, Public Awareness Program Effectiveness
Evaluations, and Revised Reporting Requirements.
Day 3 (May 12): Liquid Pipeline Regulations (49CFR195)
The workshop will include an introduction to DOT/OPS pipeline compliance; State
and Federal program variations, roles and responsibilities; design,
construction, operations, maintenance, and emergency response requirements;
spill response planning requirements; how to monitor rulemaking activity and
stay current with your compliance program; operator qualification and public
awareness. Each attendee will receive general training materials which include
the applicable DOT 49 CFR 195 regulations for hazardous liquid pipelines
(cd-rom), inspection checklists, and speaker’s PowerPoint presentation
handouts.
To register, or for additional information, click here.
DOT Pipeline Safety Awareness Website
On
the same day as the Pipeline Safety Forum in DC (April 18), PHMSA launched a
new Pipeline Safety Awareness website that will
provide the public, community planners and developers an easy to understand,
accessible place for information and guidance on locating area pipelines. The
new website is part of the Department’s pipeline safety action plan to address
immediate concerns in pipeline safety, such as ensuring pipeline operators know
the age and condition of their pipelines; and proposing new regulations to
strengthen reporting and inspection requirements.
“Most people have no idea about the pipelines running under their houses
and through their neighborhoods,” said Transportation Secretary Ray
LaHood. “As part of my national call to action on pipeline safety, we are
launching this website to provide the public with information about the
location of these pipelines and the safety record of the companies that operate
them.” The web site includes safety advisories on specific pipelines, as
well as maps, reports, research, frequently asked questions and other resources
to help inform the public on their local pipeline infrastructure. PHMSA will
continue to update and add new information to the website as it becomes
available. “Ensuring the public has access to information about local pipelines
will help keep people safe and reduce the potential for serious accidents,”
said PHMSA Administrator Cynthia Quarterman.
Public Awareness Effectiveness Program Inspections
In
October, 2009, the NTSB issued a Safety Recommendation that PHMSA initiate a
program to evaluate pipeline operators’ public education programs, including
pipeline operators’ self-evaluations of the effectiveness of their public
education programs. Since then, PHMSA organized an ad hoc team which developed
inspection forms and guidance information regarding these inspections, which are
scheduled to begin soon.
These two-day public awareness effectiveness inspections will take a close look
at the administration and development of operator public awareness programs;
program implementation; and the program evaluation process ( including annual
audits and effectiveness evaluations). RCP can help you prepare for these
inspections. For more information, contact Jessica Roger.
Pipelines and Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA) Report
On
December 16, 2010, the U. S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) released the Pipelines and
Informed Planning Alliance (PIPA) Report, “Partnering to Further Enhance
Pipeline Safety In Communities Through Risk-Informed Land Use
Planning.”” The PIPA Report was developed by a structured group of
representatives from local governments, public stakeholders, transmission
pipeline operators, and pipeline safety regulators. It is the first set of
national safety recommendations for developing areas near existing pipelines.
The goal of this report and the PIPA initiative is to reduce risks and improve
the safety of affected communities and transmission pipelines by improving the
way communities plan land use and new development near transmission pipelines.
To achieve this goal, PHMSA and PIPA encourage the adoption and implementation
of PIPA-developed recommended practices related to risk-informed land use
planning near transmission pipelines.
Key stakeholders have been encouraged to become aware of, adopt, and implement
the PIPA recommended practices. Local governments, property developers/owners,
transmission pipeline operators, and state real estate commissions are
identified as the key stakeholders having roles to enhance pipeline safety and
ensure the protection of people, the environment and the pipeline
infrastructure.
The participating PIPA stakeholders include: the Pipeline Safety Trust, Common
Ground Alliance, National Association of Home Builders, National League of
Cities (NLC), National Association of Counties, National Association of County
Planners, American Land Title Association, National Association of Realtors,
American Public Works Association, and others. They join longtime pipeline
safety organizations: PHMSA, National Association of State Fire Marshals,
National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives, National Association
of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, and the Federal Energy Regulatory
Commission. Also central to the PIPA initiative are pipeline operators,
represented by: American Gas Association, Interstate Natural Gas Association of
America, Association of Oil Pipelines, American Petroleum Institute, American
Public Gas Association, and Gas Producers Association.
For more information, to see all of the PIPA Recommended Practices, and to see
and download the entire PIPA Report, go to www.pipelineinformedplanning.com.
MAOP Analysis Services
RCP has developed the most comprehensive MAOP analysis model on the market. Using this model, RCP has successfully conducted MAOP analysis for dozens of complex onshore/offshore gathering, transmission, and distribution pipeline systems. The analysis can be performed as a service with the results delivered on a system-by system basis as well as detailed individual record MAOP reports that indicate the regulatory code citation or letter of interpretation that is driving the calculated MAOP value. The MAOP model can also be purchased and configured to run by your personnel using your in-house data sets. For more information, visit www.rcp.com/serv_maop.asp or contact Jessica Roger.
Public Webinars on Implementation of Distribution Integrity Management Programs
[Docket ID PHMSA-2011-0084]
PHMSA
will conduct two webinars to discuss recent findings and general observations
from the pilot DIMP inspections; expectations for operators in implementing
their plan; DIMP inspection forms; and a question and answer session. The
Preliminary Agenda for each Webinar is listed below. The webinars will be held
on:
May 10, 2011, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT
- Welcome, Introductions, and Overview
- DIMP Pilot Inspection Findings
- DIMP Web Site Navigation & Contents
- Presentation of the Inspection Form
- Question & Answer Session
June 8, 2011, 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. EDT
- Welcome, Introductions, and Overview
- Industry Perspective
- Performance Data From CY 2010 DIMP Annual Reports
- DIMP Implementation Topics
- Question & Answer Session
Note: These are not duplicates of each other – interested parties
may want to participate in both.
Members of the state and Federal Distribution Integrity Management Program
Implementation Team (Team) recently completed a series of pilot inspections of
gas distribution operators’ distribution integrity management programs (DIMP).
The DIMP Team is a collaboration of state and Federal regulators to support
improvements in the integrity of the Nation’s gas distribution pipeline systems
through development of inspection methods and guidance for the evaluation of an
operator’s DIMP. The Team recognizes the individual characteristics of each
state’s oversight program and operating conditions as well as the evolutionary
process that distribution system operators will go through in building an
integrity management culture from a prescriptive, compliance-based culture. Due
to the high level, risk-based, performance oriented nature of the regulations
contained in 49 CFR 192.1001-1015, the Team recognizes that operators are
seeking guidance in implementing their programs. The two webinars will provide
operators with additional information and direct operators to additional
resource material.
The materials to be presented at this webinar have been created by the Team through
a consensus process. States will implement the DIMP rule under their individual
state statutory authority in accordance with the applicable certification under
49 U.S.C. 60105 or agreement under section 60106. States may establish their
own procedures, inspection forms, and guidance in implementing the DIMP rule.
Since regulatory structures differ among states, operators should contact the
state authority regulating their distribution pipeline system for more
information.
Members of the public may attend these free webinars, and may also submit
written comments, either before, during, or after the webinar, via the DIMP Website. Comments should reference Docket
ID PHMSA-2011-0084.
To help assure that adequate space is provided, all attendees are required to register for the webinars. Upon registration,
the webinar information will be distributed. Due to the limited capacity, PHMSA
requests that parties at the same location share a webinar link. The Webinars
will use the internet link for the visual and audio capabilities and not a
standard phone line.
For further information contact: Chris Mclaren by e-mail
or by phone at 281-216-4455. Refer to the DIMP Website for additional information.
Copies of the presentations will be available on the DIMP website within 30
days following the webinar.
PHMSA Reporting Webinars for Gas Pipelines
PHMSA
has scheduled a series of webinars to train users on the functionality of the
new online reporting form for gas pipeline operators. Users can register for
these sessions at: http://opsweb.phmsa.dot.gov/webinars.
INTRAstate operators only
6/21/2011 1:00 PM – 2:30 PM EDT Gas Transmission Annual Report Training – This
webinar will show operators with only INTRAstate miles how to complete the new
Transmission Annual Report.
INTERstate operators only
6/22/2011 1:00 – 2:30 PM EDT Gas Transmission Annual Report Training – This
webinar will show operators with only INTERstate miles how to complete the new
Transmission Annual Report.
Gas Gathering operators only
6/22/2011 3:00 – 4:30 PM EDT Gas Transmission & Gas Gathering Annual Report
Training – This webinar will show operators with only gas gathering miles how
to complete the new Transmission Annual Report.
INTERstate & INTRAstate operators (and/or gas gathering miles too)
6/23/2011 1:00 PM EDT – 2:30 PM EDT Gas Transmission Annual Report Training –
This webinar will show operators with both INTERstate & INTRAstate miles
how to complete the new Transmission Annual Report. If you have INTERstate
& INTRAstate and gathering miles as well, attend this session.
PHMSA Publishes Updated Inspection Protocols
PHMSA has posted the latest inspection protocols on their website for the following:
- Form 1 Standard Inspection Report of a Gas Transmission Pipeline
- Form 2 Standard Inspection Report of a Gas Distribution Operator
- Form 3 Standard Inspection of a Liquid Pipeline Carrier
These forms along with other inspection reports that were updated in March can be found here.
AGA Ops Conference & Biennial Exhibit May 24 -27 at the Gaylord Opryland in Nashville, TN
The annual AGA Operations Conference is the natural gas industry’s premier gathering of natural gas utility and transmission company operations management from across North America and the world for the sharing of technical knowledge, ideas and practices to promote the safe, reliable, and cost-effective delivery of natural gas to the end-user. RCP invites you to visit us at Booth # 1018. Also plan to attend a presentation by RCP’s President entitled MAOP Process Management on May 26th from 2:35-3:05pm. We hope to see you there!
PHMSA Technology Transfer Workshop June 23 – Columbus, OH
The
PHMSA R&D Program is pleased to announce the up-coming Free R&D
Technology Transfer Workshop: Matrix Phased-Array (MPA) Ultrasonic Testing for
Pipeline Inspection. The purpose of this PHMSA funded workshop is to transfer
MPA knowledge to the U.S. pipeline industry. During the recent NTSB hearing on
the San Bruno, California incident this technology was one of the promising
technologies described by the PHMSA Pipeline Safety R&D Program capable of
finding and sizing similar defects.
The Workshop is scheduled by EWI for June 23, 2011 in Columbus, OH. It is
designed to transfer the knowledge gained and technology developed at EWI under
a PHMSA Pipeline Safety R&D funded Project. The research project is titled
“Enhanced Defect Detection and Sizing Accuracy Using Matrix Phased Array
Ultrasonics Tools.” Additional information on the research Project is available
here.
Attendance is limited to the first 40 registrations. Deadline for registration
is June 17, 2011. For more information contact Debra Knight with EWI or click here to register on-line.
W. R. (Bill) Byrd, PE
President
RCP Inc.