Pipeline Safety

On December 27, 2020, the PIPES Act of 2020 (Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act of 2020) was signed into law by President Trump after passing through the U.S. Congress. The Pipeline Safety Act re-authorized pipeline safety programs within PHMSA (Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration) to support the safe transport of …

Pipeline Safety Act Reauthorized: Implications for Operators in 2021 and Beyond Read More »

Our company is committed to providing education and knowledge to pipeline operators and control room managers by sharing the latest industry insight on pertinent topics. Pipeline safety management systems (Pipeline SMS) has become one of the most important topics in modern pipeline operations as the industry strives for zero incidents. While Pipeline SMS has far-reaching …

Pipeline SMS for the Control Room: New Article in Pipeline & Gas Journal Read More »

In the five years since the framework for Pipeline Safety Management Systems (Pipeline SMS) was introduced in API RP 1173, companies in the pipeline industry have progressively advanced their pipeline safety capabilities. However, there are still important steps that need to be taken to support culture change to reach the industry-wide goal of zero incidents. …

Pipeline SMS Annual Report: Progress On the Path to Zero Incidents Read More »

Originally published March 19, 2020. Second revision April 27, 2020. | Russel W. Treat Since originally authoring this article in mid-March, the conversation about COVID-19 has shifted from separation and flattening the curve, to when will we get the economy running again and when will things return to normal. At this time of publication, many …

(Updated) COVID-19 Precautions & Business Continuity for the 24/7 Control Room Read More »

As the pipeline industry continues to focus on Pipeline Safety Management Systems, Pipeline SMS has become a clear strategy to support the industry-wide goal of zero incidents. During the PHMSA Public Meetings held February 2020 in Houston, the PHMSA Office of Pipeline Safety held an Operators Meeting providing an update on the latest progress advancing …

Pipeline SMS: Strategy to Support Zero Incidents Read More »

In 2019, there was an abundance of natural gas in production, especially as shale continued to be a major source of product. This abundance of natural gas created an opportunity for new LNG operations to liquify natural gas, making it easier and more cost-effective to ship domestically and internationally. However, in 2020, there are concerns …

How to Support New LNG Plants During Economic Uncertainty Read More »

In my 2019 year-end letter, I announced that EnerSys Corporation will be updating our software and services to align with Pipeline Safety Management Systems (Pipeline SMS). This includes the API Pipeline Safety Standards that are incorporated into the safety standards. As a company, we believe this is an important step to support pipeline operators and …

Aligning Our Products & Services with Pipeline SMS in 2020 Read More »

Compliance with pipeline regulations cannot be forced. It also cannot be masked. Pipeline operators are either compliant or they are not. Think of it this way. Regulatory compliance is best achieved when it is the natural outflow of the actions, attitudes, behavior, and culture of your operation. It’s analogous to what separates a good baseball …

Natural Compliance: Does Your Pipeline Operation Flow Into Regulatory Alignment? Read More »

Throughout the history of the pipeline industry, gas transmission operators have focused on the source of failure in pipeline incidents. Categories include corrosion, operator error, material failure, external interference, or external forces. While post-event analysis is important, it is only one aspect of safe operations. Thanks to a renewed focus on culture through Pipeline SMS …

Alarm Management: Advancing From Failure Cause to Root Cause Analysis Read More »