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In This Issue

  1. Special Edition Letter from the Editor
  2. Pipeline Integrity Management in High Consequence Areas (Gas Transmission Pipelines) – Notice of workshop
  3. Operator Qualification: Public Meeting
  4. O&M Manual Up-To-Date?
  5. DOT Pipeline Compliance Workshop – March 19-20, 2003 – Houston Includes update on the new Pipeline Safety Improvement Act of 2002 signed into law on Dec 17, 2002

Pipeline Integrity Management in High Consequence Areas (Gas Transmission Pipelines) – Notice of workshop

The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) Foundation and the American Gas Association (AGA) have jointly organized a two-day workshop on proposed regulations on “Pipeline Integrity Management in High Consequence Areas” to be held on February 20, 2003, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on February 21, 2003, from 8 a.m. to 12 noon. This workshop is intended to give participants an understanding of the integrity management program requirements being proposed in the rule and the process to comment on the proposed rulemaking. An OPS representative will give an overview of the proposed regulation and answer questions about it. This workshop will be held at the Renaissance Houston Hotel, 6 Greenway Plaza, Houston, Texas, 713-629-1200.

Note that registration is required, and a registration fee must be paid. A notice in the Federal Register on February 7, 2003, stating that the meeting was free and open to all was incorrect.

The preliminary agenda for this AGA/INGAA sponsored workshop on Integrity Management for Natural Gas Pipelines is as follows:

February 20, 2003

  • Pipeline Safety Legislation – An overview of the recently passed legislation and its impact on the proposed integrity management program requirements.
  • Overview of Proposed Regulation – An OPS representative will discuss the intent and structure of the recently published proposed integrity management rule for gas transmission pipelines.
  • HCA Identification – An industry panel will discuss the high consequence area definition and the proposed refinement of that definition in the proposed integrity management rule.
  • Risk Assessment – An industry panel will discuss the risk assessment process detailed in the proposed rulemaking and compare it to present practices.
  • Plan Development – An industry panel will discuss the plan development as envisioned in the proposed rule and compare it to present practices.
  • IMP Implementation & Data Integration – Issues surrounding data integration and implementing the administrative process in a company will be discussed by an industry group.

February 21, 2003

  • Mitigation & Repair – An industry panel will discuss the proposed requirements for mitigation and remediation.
  • Performance Metrics – An industry panel will discuss performance measures for an integrity management program.
  • Open Forum and O&A; – The audience will be able to query all the panelists and state their opinions during this session. Because this involves an open rulemaking, RSPA/OPS will include detailed notes of this workshop in the docket for the proposed rule. However, participants wishing to comment on the proposed rule should comment directly in the docket rather than rely on the notes of the workshop.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Contact Mike Israni by phone at (202) 366-4571, by e-mail at mike.israni@rspa.dot.gov.. For other details on this workshop contact Linda A. Thomas of INGAA at 202-216-5925.