On May 11, 2000, the Southern Gas Association (SGA) made the following press release, which could be of interest to any gas pipeline operator that is developing their operator qualification program: Over one hundred pipeline operators and federal and state regulators participated in a round table discussion during the SGA Operator Qualification Benchmarking Round Table, May 8-9, in Louisville, Kentucky.

The SGA, with support from AGA, NEGA, MEA, and APGA, conducted the "Operator Qualification Benchmarking Survey" earlier this year. One hundred and ten (110) pipeline operators submitted completed questionnaires which consisted of fifty-three questions. The final report provides a benchmarking tool for operators to compare themselves to their peers as they work toward compliance with the OQ rule.

The final report is available only to those companies that participated in this project and for a limited time, non-participating companies may receive a free copy of the report by submitting a completed questionnaire to SGA.

Participants in the round table first reviewed and compared the information collected in the "Pipeline Operator Survey" and the "Regulator Survey". Areas of disagreement and concern were identified and then discussed in separate breakout sessions for distribution, transmission, and regulators. All three groups came back together on day two to review and summarize the previous day's discussion.

Lively discussion was held on contractor issues; definitions; embarkation point between new construction and maintenance; covered tasks; evaluation methods and record keeping.

"Having the regulators attend this meeting allowed pipeline operators and professionals that will audit them the opportunity to discuss in a face to face forum, issues that remain unresolved," said Richard Sanders, Transportation Safety Institute. "We applaud industry for coming together through various regional and national associations and inviting us to the table to discuss these issues. We look forward to future forums that promote this type of healthy dialogue."

SGA, in partnership with other regional and national associations plan to host future meetings featuring this format. Additionally, an audio conference has been tentatively scheduled for August in conjunction with the next Pipeline Employee Performance Group meeting.