Integrity
Smart Tech Takes Aim at U.S. Methane Emissions
(P&GJ) — It’s hardly surprising that major gas leaks hit international headlines. Known as super-emitter events, these leaks cause plumes of methane to escape into our atmosphere — sometimes for days on end. However, these leaks are often spotted by satellites orbiting our planet before they are even known about on Earth.
Canada Regulator Denies Trans Mountain Variance Due to Pipeline Integrity, Environmental Concerns
The Canada Energy Regulator said on Wednesday it denied a variance request from the Trans Mountain expansion project because the application did not adequately address concerns about pipeline integrity and environmental protection impacts.
Mexico Shows Elevated Methane Emissions from Gas Pipeline, Scientists Report
Mexico emitted "extreme" amounts of methane from a natural gas pipeline running through its northern border state, Durango, in 2019, a research paper published on Tuesday showed, citing data collected from satellites.
Creating Efficiencies with Turn-Key Integrity Solutions
(P&GJ) — As countries around the globe work to reduce emissions, the transition from coal to natural gas is an important step that many pipeline operators are pursuing, as part of their strategy to meet emission targets and move to lower carbon energy sources.
BP's Olympic Pipeline Leaks Over 25,000 Gallons of Gas in Washington State
(P&GJ) — Emergency teams worked to address a gasoline spill in northwest Washington State on Dec. 12 after a pipeline segment failed over the weekend that released approximately 25,660 gallons (97,100 liters) of gasoline due to a small tube malfunction.
U.S. Coast Guard Finds Sheen Near Oil Spill in Gulf of Mexico
The U.S. Coast Guard said on Wednesday it found a light sheen west of an area in the Gulf of Mexico where it was leading the clean-up of a million-gallon (liters) oil spill for nearly three weeks but could not confirm if the sheen was from that spill.
Implementing the New Pipeline Security Directive
(P&GJ) — The digital era has ushered in unprecedented opportunities and new vulnerabilities that can create ripple effects across our nation’s critical infrastructure. Nowhere is this more evident than in our essential pipeline systems.
Drones Used to Improve Safety of Pipelines
(P&GJ) — There’s no way around it — infrastructure inspection is as risky and dangerous as it is vital. For the past few years, companies have begun experimenting with unmanned aerial systems (known as UAS, or drones) to help improve worker safety, among other benefits.
DIMP-Related Replacement Work Continues in U.S.
(P&GJ) — While the amount of work to replace cast-iron and bare-steel pipe has declined in volume – following the implementation of the Gas Distribution Integrity Management Program (DIMP) in 2009 – there is still plenty of construction left to be done.
RSI Verifies Validation Results for Pipeline Tool
(P&GJ) — Plastometrex, a provider of advanced mechanical testing technologies, received a successful independent review of the pipeline validation testing data from its novel material verification tool.
Balticconnector Gas Pipeline to Expand Transmission Capacity Post-Repair
The Balticconnector gas pipeline between Finland and Estonia, which was damaged last month, will get a bigger northbound transmission capacity next year following repairs, Finnish operator Gasgrid said in a statement on Wednesday.
Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Affects Seven Producers, Investigation Underway
U.S. officials said on Tuesday seven energy companies have been impacted by an oil discharge near Main Pass Oil Gathering Co.'s (MPOG) pipeline system in the Gulf of Mexico that is estimated to have released more than a million gallons of crude oil.
US Coast Guard Investigates Source of 1.1 Million Gallons Oil Leak in Gulf of Mexico from Underwater Pipeline
The U.S. Coast Guard on Monday said it was still looking for the source of a leak from an underwater pipeline off the Louisiana coast in the Gulf of Mexico that it estimated had released more than a million gallons of crude oil.
Kuwait-based Investment Firm Secures Minority Stake in Pipeline Inspection Provider Pipecare Group
Kuwait-based Gulf Investment Corporation (GIC) said on Monday it has acquired a significant minority stake in Pipecare Group Holding, a major provider of pipeline inspection services.
US Coast Guard Heads Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill Cleanup After Underwater Pipeline Leak
The U.S. Coast Guard was leading an oil spill clean-up in the Gulf of Mexico on Friday, partnering with local and federal agencies and companies after a Main Pass Oil Gathering Co. (MPOG) underwater pipeline began leaking.
Proposed PHMSA Leak Detection Changes Run into Opposition
(P&GJ) — While the CEQ’s proposed NEPA changes would affect how all federal agencies review potential GHG emissions for various industry energy construction projects, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) wants to restrict methane emissions for already-installed pipelines, as well as new ones.
Emerging Threats of Climate Change, Vandalism
(P&GJ) — Pipeline integrity management systems (PIMS) are now in common practice, driven by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) requirements in the U.S. In June 2022, PHMSA updated an advisory bulletin on earth movement and geohazards, to monitor changing weather patterns and consider the risk posed by climate change.
Freeport LNG Plant in Texas Set to Resume Operations After Monday Shutdown
U.S. liquefied natural gas company Freeport LNG's export plant in Texas was on track to return to service on Tuesday after all of its liquefaction trains shut on Monday, according to data from financial firm LSEG.
INGAA Responds to Winter Storm Elliott Report, Emphasizes Need for Enhanced Infrastructure
(P&GJ) — The recently released Winter Storm Elliott Report sheds light on the proactive measures taken by members of the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA) to uphold system integrity during the severe weather event.
Electrical Incident Curtails LNG Output at Chevron's Gorgon Facility
An "electrical incident" last month has curtailed the output of LNG at Chevron's Gorgon facility in Western Australia, a company spokesperson said on Thursday.
Increasing Gas Pipeline Capacity Using Nanocomposites
(P&GJ) — Even as the world needs energy desperately — particularly natural gas — takeaway capacity has been proved insufficient in several natural gas fields in the United States.
Bakken Case Study: Expanding Operations Depends on Thick-Walled HDPE Pipe
(P&GJ) – As Continental Resources expands its operation in Dunn County, North Dakota, an important component is the use of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pipe that was selected not only for its integrity but also because it can be installed without scaring the environment.
Untangling Environmental Rules Can Lead to Permitting Success
(P&GJ) — Oil and gas pipelines are considered critical infrastructure, and the process of routing, permitting, designing and building them often elicits significant public pushback associated with perceived environmental concerns.
Plugging the Leak: Tackling Methane Emissions
(P&GJ) — The oil and gas industry is heavily regulated by a number of governing bodies, including the U.S. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, to ensure pipelines run efficiently and safely. However, no matter how controlled operations are, toxic vapors from fugitive emissions continue to be a problem.
TC Energy Completes Pipe Installations at Troubled Coastal GasLink Project
TC Energy said on Monday it had installed pipes across the entire route of its Coastal GasLink project, keeping the Canadian energy firm on track to complete the work by year-end.
Finland Says Gas Pipeline Likely Broken by Ship Dragging Anchor
Damage to a Baltic Sea gas pipeline earlier this month is believed to have been caused by a ship dragging a large anchor along the seabed, but it was too early to tell if this was an accident or a deliberate act, Finnish police said on Tuesday.
Embracing Sustainability Across Pipelines Requires Digital Transformation
(P&GJ) — The environment in which pipelines must operate is changing rapidly and dramatically, as constant shifts in the global marketplace have underscored a need for increasing flexibility.
Significance of API 1164 in Safeguarding Pipelines
(P&GJ) — Digital connectivity comes at a steep cost: security. Hardly a news cycle goes by without word of a cyberattack compromising sensitive data. Yet, the proverbial genie is already out of the bottle.
Maintaining a Focus on Physical Security in a Cyber-focused World
(P&GJ) — In today’s technology-driven world, where cyber-threats dominate headlines and organizations invest significant resources in safeguarding their OT and IT infrastructure from digital threat vectors, the importance of facility physical security can sometimes be overlooked. However, it remains an essential component of enterprise risk mitigation.
Brazil's Ocyan to Renovate Petrobras Gas Pipeline for $317.5 Million
Brazilian oil and gas services provider Ocyan has won a contract with state-run oil firm Petrobras to revitalize a network of gas pipelines in the offshore Campos Basin for $317.49 million, Reuters reported on Monday.
- Keystone Oil Pipeline Resumes Operations After Temporary Shutdown
- Biden Administration Buys Oil for Emergency Reserve Above Target Price
- Freeport LNG Plant Runs Near Zero Consumption for Fifth Day
- Enbridge to Invest $500 Million in Pipeline Assets, Including Expansion of 850-Mile Gray Oak Pipeline
- Mexico Seizes Air Liquide's Hydrogen Plant at Pemex Refinery
- Evacuation Technologies to Reduce Methane Releases During Pigging
- Editor’s Notebook: Nord Stream’s $20 Billion Question
- Enbridge Receives Approval to Begin Service on Louisiana Venice Gas Pipeline Project
- Mexico Seizes Air Liquide's Hydrogen Plant at Pemex Refinery
- Russian LNG Unfazed By U.S. Sanctions
