May 2021 Issue
In This Issue
Pipeline Leak Detection, Leak Repair and Methane Emission Reductions Public Meeting
May 5-6, 2021
PHMSA will be holding a virtual public meeting for stakeholder groups and members of the public to share and discuss perspectives on improving gas pipeline leak detection and repair. PHMSA expects to cover subjects that include examining the sources of methane emissions from natural gas pipeline systems, current regulatory requirements for managing fugitive and vented emissions, industry leak detection and repair practices, and the use of advanced technologies and practices to reduce methane emissions from gas pipeline systems. PHMSA is holding this public meeting to gather information to aid in the preparation of a rulemaking and report to Congress on natural gas pipeline leak detection and repair mandated by Sections 113 and 114 of the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2020. The meeting will occur virtually on May 5-6, 2021. The meeting agenda and instructions on how to attend virtually have been published on PHMSA’s public meeting registration page.
TaskOp™ for Methane Gas Reporting
TaskOp™ has helped many operators with various reporting requirements throughout the years, so this is a perfect addition to the software. TaskOp™ can also help with all the calculations that go into finding the various components that may need to be reported. If Methane Gas Reporting is an add-on to TaskOp™ that you are interested in, click here.
For TaskOp™ users that already collect field data in the software, you only need the add-on package. If you are not using TaskOp™ for field work data, you can still utilize TaskOp™ as a tool to gather, analyze and report out the data needed. You might find that using TaskOp™ is something you want to extend to other parts of your operations. Any new methane emission reporting requirements will be easier to manage in TaskOp™.
If you’d like to stay in the loop with Really Cool People on any new methane gas reporting regulations and progress of this add-on to TaskOp™, click here.
API Third-Party Assessment Program Webinar
Wednesday, May 12, 2021 – 1 PM CST
API is hosting a webinar with Avetta and Southwest Gas on May 12 to discuss the API Third Party Assessment Program and will then feature Southwest Gas Corporation sharing how they have successfully broken barriers to drive continual improvement in PSMS implementation.
As part of the industry’s ongoing commitment to continuous pipeline safety improvement, API developed a not-for-profit Pipeline SMS Assessment Program in collaboration with industry partners. During this live webinar, API will discuss their Pipeline SMS Third-Party Assessment Program, the assessment program’s uniqueness by utilizing a diverse set of assessors with multiple affiliations, and discuss 2021 and beyond.
Additionally, Southwest Gas Corporation will share how they have successfully broken barriers by implementing a Champions network at both an executive and cross-functional employee level to drive continual improvement and contractors’ engagement through workshops and summit meetings, which will encourage PSMS adoption performance of their PSMS gap analysis. Southwest Gas will also discuss how they incorporated system improvement enhancements through a corrective action program and a virtual peer review (assessment) of a select PSMS essential element. Finally, they will share advances made in Stakeholder Engagement through various communication channels.
Registration is free, but is required, and is located here.
Pipeline Safety Trust Spring Conference 2021
The Pipeline Safety Trust (PLST) is planning for a return to an in-person conference in 2022. Until then, they will continue with virtual conferences and have two sessions planned for May on “Protecting Air & Water through Pipeline Leak Detection.”
Session 1: Methane / May 18th Tuesday from 9-11 a.m. PDT
- Keynote Speaker: Hon. Tristan Brown, PHMSA’s new Acting Administrator
- A panel discussion on methane, a potent greenhouse gas, and the new congressional mandate that pipeline operators begin to eliminate methane emissions.
- NTSB’s Most Wanted List: Leak Detection – Speaker: Robert Hall, Director, NTSB
Session 2: The Colonial Pipeline Disaster / May 20th, Thursday from 9-11 a.m. PDT
- Keynote Speaker: Hon. Senator Natasha Marcus, North Carolina District 41
- A panel discussion on Colonial Pipeline’s 1.2 million gallon spill in North Carolina in August 2020 – one of the largest gasoline spills in our nations’ history and has contaminated the community’s ground water.
Click here to register for the 2021 Spring Conference webinars. A full list of panelist can be found on the registration page. There is a suggested donation of $10 for attending the event. Should you have questions for the audience Q&A session, please send those to questions@pstrust.org.
We would welcome the opportunity to discuss our services with you.
Sincerely,
W. R. (Bill) Byrd, PE
President
RCP Inc.