Over the past two years, there have been many disruptions to the oil and gas industry. Yet, one constant has been the need for pipeline operators to keep product flowing.
Specific to our area of expertise supporting the control room, we salute the control room managers and controllers that have put in considerable time and effort ensuring that pipelines run efficiently, safely, and in compliance with regulations.
As we turn our attention to 2022, one of our areas of emphasis will be delivering comprehensive solutions to support each critical area of control room management for pipeline operators.
We have a robust toolset that includes software and services to help each operator achieve Natural Compliance, which is prominently reflected on our redesigned website. In our year-end letter to operators, our team would like to share some specific ways that we anticipate supporting the needs of your operation in the new year.
Year-End Insights From EnerSys CEO Russel Treat
Natural Compliance remains our central focus. We anticipate helping operators achieve operational efficiencies and pipeline safety objectives — while remaining in compliance with the PHMSA Control Room Management Rule (CRM Rule) as a natural output of doing the work.
To achieve Natural Compliance, we will be working together with operators to implement the appropriate program management system, process management system, and task execution systems to achieve Natural Compliance.
When these fundamental systems are optimized for the control room, then operators can execute the full Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle that supports pipeline safety and ensures that your operation can satisfy a PHMSA audit.
Year-End Insights From EnerSys General Manager Ross Adams
An area of emphasis for our company in 2022 will be helping operators improve their operations while also keeping up with changing PHMSA audit protocols. Here are a few ways that I anticipate our company supporting operators.
– Pre-audit preparation. As PHMSA continues to go deeper into control room inspections, our goal is to ensure that operators can easily and readily produce records that include the level of detail that PHMSA is looking for during an inspection.
Fortunately, our software toolset automatically creates records as the work is completed. We help operators eliminate the extra step of gathering records when it’s time for a PHMSA inspection.
– Satisfy PHMSA inquiries. I look forward to working directly with your team to help meet the shifting nature of PHMSA audits, which have become more performance-based. In other words, it’s less about what is contained in your Control Room Management Plan (CRMP) and more about whether you’re actually doing what you said you were going to do. I can help operators prepare for this change.
– Prepare for newer audit questions. We have found that many of PHMSA’s recent audit findings are related to newer points of emphasis in the CRM Rule (e.g. team training and roles and responsibilities). I can help you get caught up to speed. This will also prepare you for future audits, as we anticipate PHMSA cycling back to other areas of the CRM Rule that operators have struggled with in the past.
– Strengthen collaborative focus. Overall, I am looking forward to collaborating with operators to identify your challenges in the control room, implement solutions to support control room management, and ensure that you are audit-ready throughout the year.
Year-End Insights from VP Business Development Dale Schafer
Technology is a core driver of how we support pipeline operators in the control room. In addition to sharpening our software tools in 2022, I anticipate that we will strengthen our partnerships with some of the industry’s top companies. This commitment will enable us to deliver the latest innovative solutions for SCADA and control room operations to customers.
I’m excited about our compelling combination of software tools, subject matter expertise, and industry partnerships. You get the end-to-end support that you require for SCADA, control room management, CRM compliance, leak detection, and interaction with field operations.
Through our holistic solutions, we provide you with the means to manage your programs (“what you say you will do” in alignment with PHMSA CFR 192 and 195 safety program regulations), manage your processes (“doing what you said you would do”), and execute your tasks that provide for Natural Compliance as your personnel go about their daily work.
If you are not already an EnerSys customer, then I encourage you to contact me directly to schedule a consultation or educational software demo. I can show you how our comprehensive approach will help improve operational effectiveness, support safety, and ensure compliance.
Year-End Insights from Regulatory Associate Mallory Gill
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began nearly two years ago, I have gained a deeper appreciation for the dedication of controllers and other control room personnel. These individuals made unbelievable sacrifices to help keep product flowing in a safe manner.
During the AGA 2021 Fall Operations Conference, I heard stories of controllers sequestering in remote locations for weeks at a time or working from home to continue performing their critical day-to-day tasks. In 2022, our team looks forward to further supporting frontline workers in the control room by implementing our solutions to make their lives easier!
We also have plans to deliver additional compliance and regulatory resources to the control room. We anticipate working toward implementing a training, team training, and ongoing compliance support software program for EnerSys clients to help mature their programs in 2022.
Through a collaborative approach that engages our customers, we believe that this training program will create tremendous value for the industry as a whole.
Contact EnerSys to Find Control Room Management Support
Technology might change, PHMSA inspection questions might change, and the regulatory environment might change, but we recognize that product still needs to flow in a safe and efficient manner. We can help the control room rise to the challenge in 2022.
As your operation prioritizes key challenges to address in the new year, let’s keep the conversation going about how we can support the control room.
Call us at 281-598-7100 to schedule a consultation or educational demo of our software tools. You can also contact us via email at sales@enersyscorp.com or complete our website contact form. Ask for EnerSys General Manager Ross Adams or VP Business Development Dale Schafer.