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Safety Responsibilities of Pipeline Operators

Wed, 2011-11-09

Millions of miles of pipelines transporting everything from
water to natural gas are buried underground throughout the country. 

Pipeline operators have a responsibility to ensure
that their pipelines don't
pose a threat to the general
public or the environment.

They utilize the regulations and requirements created by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to ensure that pipeline professionals understand the safety requirements they need to consider to keep everyone safe.

PHMSA is one of ten agencies within the U.S. Department of Transportation. This organization helps ensure the safe and secure movement of hazardous materials by all transportation modes- including the nation's pipelines.

Ensuring safety requires that operators consider every aspect of their pipeline operations, which includes:

  • Sound system design
  • Selection and use of qualified materials
  • Proper construction
  • Thorough and adequate inspection, testing, maintenance and repair
  • Continuous system monitoring and control
  • Operations conducted by trained and qualified workers
  • Implementation of damage prevention best practices
  • Identification and mitigation of risks
  • Coordination and preparation for emergency response

This three-part series will discuss the safety responsibilities, national consensus standards, and different types of inspections pipeline operators utilize throughout the country.

This article focuses on the responsibilities of pipeline operators to properly manage System Integrity, Maintenance, Leak Detection, Training, and Emergency Preparedness.

Our next article in this series focuses on the National consensus standards that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) recognizes.

Use these links to jump to the information you are interested in:
 

Integrity Management
Maintenance
Leak Detection
Training & Qualification
Emergency Preparedness and Response


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NOTE: The information presented in this document is intended for general discussion only and should not be used for compliance purposes.

Integrity Management

 

PHMSA administers the national regulatory program to ensure the safe transportation of gas and hazardous liquids by pipelines.  Traditionally, issuing minimum standards and enforcing them uniformly, was sufficient.  Recently, PHMSA has issued (and is now enforcing) more stringent regulations affecting the ways pipeline operators manage the integrity of their pipelines that could affect high consequence areas (HCAs).

HCAs include high population areas, other populated areas, areas unusually sensitive to environmental damage, and commercially navigable waterways.  These new integrity management rules require operators to identify and address specific risks that could affect HCAs, rather than continuing the traditional application of uniform standards regardless of risks.

Integrity Management regulations require periodic integrity assessment of pipelines that could affect HCAs.  These assessments are performed in three ways:

These assessment methods help to uncover potential pipeline defects that could eventually weaken the pipe (or even cause it to fail), and also identifies necessary repairs.

Pipeline operators are also responsible for the development and implementation of a set of safety management and analytical processes, collectively referred to as an integrity management program (IMP). The purpose of the program is to assure that systematic, rigorous, and documented processes are in place to protect HCAs.

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Maintenance

 

Operators are required by regulations to maintain their pipeline systems at minimum levels of safety.  They must develop, document and implement specific procedures for carrying out their maintenance programs.

Whenever an operator discovers any condition that could adversely affect the safe operation of its pipeline system, it must correct that condition in a timely manner.  If a condition is discovered that could present an immediate hazard to safety and health or the environment, the operator is required to shut down the pipeline system until the condition can be corrected.

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Leak Detection


There are two different methods to help uncover and quickly repair any leaks in the system:

Central Coordination and Control

Modern pipeline systems are operated from computerized control centers that coordinate operations throughout the system, including the rate of flow, pressure, the opening and closing of valves.  The control centers monitor devices that can alert operators to abrupt changes in operating parameters, providing a detection mechanism enabling quick response to emergency conditions.  Satellite and telecommunications links connect control centers with facilities along pipelines to assure rapid response and constant monitoring of pipeline conditions.

Patrolling and Leak Surveys

Pipeline operators are required to periodically inspect their pipeline rights-of-way (ROW) to look for signs of leakage and activities on or adjacent to the ROW that could potentially impact pipeline safety.  Special emphasis is placed in areas that leakage could have significant impact.  Patrol programs for visually inspecting the ROW are carried out by walking, driving and flying along the ROW.

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Training & Qualification


Pipeline companies constantly train control room operators and maintenance personnel for their specific pipeline systems.  Each pipeline is custom-built to match specific terrain, products and other factors to each system's operations.  Safety drills are conducted regularly so that operators and emergency response personnel know the details of their unique system, and are designed to protect against human factors that can cause accidents or make them worse.

Pipeline companies have conducted extensive training and qualification programs of their own control operators and maintenance personnel because their technically sophisticated pipeline systems are relied upon to deliver products throughout the country.

Federal pipeline safety regulations for hazardous liquid and natural gas pipelines address stringent pipeline operator training and qualification (OQ) requirements. A key focus of the OQ regulations is to ensure that pipeline operator personnel are fully prepared to respond to emergency situations (i.e. excessive pressure, pipeline breaks, or pump failures).  Differences in operating terrain, products, types of control room equipment, computer systems, valve arrangements, and system operating pressure designs vary from system to system.

In each case, control room and other operator personnel must respond differently to emergencies.  A correct response on one system could be the wrong response on another system. For these reasons, OQ regulations reject standardized uniform testing and a federal certification program in favor of system-specific performance-based approaches.

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Emergency Preparedness and Response


Pipeline operators are required by regulations to establish written procedures to minimize hazards resulting from pipeline emergencies.  They must establish methods of receiving notifications of emergencies, and communicating with emergency responders.

Operators also need to establish appropriate procedures to ensure a prompt and effective response to various types of pipeline emergencies.  Operators must train their personnel on the emergency requirements, establish liaison with emergency responders and public officials, and periodically perform exercises to ensure that emergency response procedures and training are effective.

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Sources:

http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/SafetyResponsibilities.htm

http://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/Inspection.htm