We have the expertise to update your current operator qualification program to satisfy the upcoming regulation change and inspection protocols. Click Here to request more information.
March 2006
RCP Services Spotlight — Hurricane Preparedness Planning
The Gulf Coast region was hit hard by hurricanes Katrina and Rita. However, the damage to the oil and gas infrastructure had far-reaching impacts beyond the Gulf Coast. Production, pipelines and refining facilities were shut down and many operators scrambled to find the necessary resources to quickly and efficiently bring their facilities back on line.…
API Hurricane Conference
On March 1st and 2nd the API sponsored a Hurricane Preparedness Conference in Houston, Texas. Attended by representatives from dozens of pipeline and energy companies, the purpose of the conference was to gather and share the “lessons learned” after the unprecedented hurricane season of 2005 in order to better prepare for the possibility of another…
Salt Dome Storage in Texas – Proposed Amendments
The Railroad Commission of Texas has proposed extensive amendments to Title 16, Chapter 3 of the Texas Administrative Code, §3.95, relating to Underground Storage of Liquid or Liquefied Hydrocarbons in Salt Formations, and §3.97, relating to Underground Storage of Gas in Salt Formations. These proposed amendments are lengthy and are not summarized here. A link…
NTSB Publishes Oil Pipeline SCADA Systems Study
The National Transportation Safety Board has published its study of SCADA systems in the liquid pipeline industry. This study includes the NTSB’s five recommendations to PHMSA concerning liquid pipeline SCADA systems (see our December, 2005 http://www.dotpipeline.org/newsletters/DOTNewsDec2005.htm newsletter for additional information). The recommendations are: Require operators of hazardous liquid pipelines to follow the American Petroleum Institute’s…
Need to Update your Response Plan (FRP, ICP or OSRP)?
We have the expertise to update your Facility Response Plan, Integrated Contingency Plan, or Oil Spill Response Plan to include new guidance and lessons learned from recent incidents and natural disasters.
2006 API Pipeline Conference and Cybernetics Symposium
The American Petroleum Institute will hold its 2006 Pipeline Conference and Cybernetics Symposium at the Renaissance Worthington Hotel located in downtown Fort Worth April 25–27, 2006. The pipeline conference begins on Tuesday morning, April 25, and continues through lunch on April 26. The cybernetics symposium begins after lunch on April 26, and continues until noon…
OPS Releases Gas Distribution IMP Report
A collaborative effort of regulatory agencies, gas distribution operators, and public stakeholders have published “Integrity Management for Gas Distribution – Report of Phase I Investigations.” Four multi-stakeholder work/study groups were established to collect and analyze available information and to reach findings and conclusions to inform future work by the PHMSA relative to implementing integrity management…
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.
Gas Integrity Management FAQ Updates
Several questions have been answered by OPS within the past couple months and posted on their website. FAQ-244: “Should” in standards Question: What is the OPS position with regard to implementation of “should” statements in industry standards that are invoked by the rule? Answer: OPS expects operators to implement “should” statements in industry standards that…
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. RCP can review and update your plan…
Final Rule Amendment: SPCC Compliance Dates Extended
On Feb. 10, 2006, EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson signed a final rule amending the Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) Rule. This action extends the SPCC compliance dates for all facilities until Oct. 31, 2007. This final rule extends the dates in §112.3 by which owners and operators of facilities must prepare or amend…
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…