Safety
BP, Colonial and Phillips 66 Win 2021 API Distinguished Pipeline Safety Awards
The American Petroleum Institute (API) announced the winners of the 2021 API Distinguished Pipeline Safety Awards including a small, medium and large pipeline operator that were recognized for their commitment to safety and work to advance a zero incidents culture.
API, AOPL Report Shows Strengthened Pipeline Safety Performance
The Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) and the American Petroleum Institute (API) today released their annual 2021 Pipeline Safety Excellence Performance Report, which found that the safety of liquids pipelines increased across several key indicators.
27-Day ILI Run: A Case Study of a Low-Pressure, Low-Flow Gathering Line
In 2011, a customer, who was in a difficult situation, approached Pipesurvey International (PSI). The customer had a pipeline that ran from the Q1 Field in the North Sea 52 miles (81 km) off the coast of The Netherlands, to an offshore terminal that needed an in-line inspection (ILI).
Engineer’s Role in Hazardous Area Classification
Hazardous area classification is not a new technique to address the risk associated with flammable gas, vapor, liquids and dust. It involves evaluating a location or process for hazards of fire or the probability of incident.
Rule Adds Protocols for Pipelines Near Sensitive Waterways
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued an Interim Final Rule (IFR) to the Federal Register in December that designated the Great Lakes, coastal beaches and marine coastal waters as “Unusually Sensitive Areas.”
Natgas Pipeline Explosion Injures Two at Louisiana Air Force Base
The incident occurred on a 10-inch (25.4 cm) natural gas gathering line located on the base, a spokesperson for Energy Transfer LP said, adding, "the line was immediately shut in and the area is secure."
Williams’ Natural Gas Pipeline Ruptures in Alabama
The incident happened at a natural gas compressor facility owned by The Williams Companies Inc., located on Highway 69 in southwest Marengo County, Alabama.
Pipeline Damage Incidents See Positive Trend Thanks to Public Awareness
The month of April is Safe Digging Month designed to bring awareness to the serious public safety consequences should pipelines or other underground utilities be damaged anywhere in Texas.
PHMSA Releases New Rule for Pipeline Shut-off Valves to Strengthen Safety, Reduce Emissions
The requirements will apply to all new or replaced onshore pipelines six inches in diameter or greater. Additionally, pipeline operators installing these valves will be required to comply with new performance standards for the operation of those valves.
Russia Warns of Sharp Caspian Pipeline Oil Export Drop After Storm
A storm in Russia's section of the Black Sea has damaged loading equipment of CPC, one of the world's biggest oil pipelines which ships crude from Kazakhstan to global markets.
Geo-Hazard Challenges and Mitigations for Hydrocarbon Pipelines
Routing hydrocarbon pipelines through steep terrains and along high mountainous areas is a challenging task for pipeline engineers because of significant risks during the construction phase, as well as operation and maintenance time.
Protecting Pipelines from Effects of Alternating Current
To meet the growing demand for natural gas, hundreds of new pipelines are being installed in the same corridors as high-voltage alternating current (HVAC) transmission lines.
Underground Storage Faces a Clouded Future
In early November, the consulting firm FTI Consulting Inc. conducted a workshop on underground natural gas storage as part of its contract with the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC).
Marathon Petroleum Shuts Oil Pipeline After Leak in Illinois
The leak into the Cahokia diversion channel was first detected on Friday morning and booms were deployed to try and contain the oil, parent company Marathon Petroleum Corp. said in a statement.
Texas Railroad Commission Implements Operator-led Plan to Reduce West Texas Earthquakes
In the Western Permian Basin, the Railroad Commission began implementation last week of a first of its kind operator-led response plan that addresses injection-induced seismicity to help keep residents and the environment safe.
EPIC Midstream Pioneers with Industry Leading ESG Standards for Pipeline Monitoring
EPIC’s cutting edge environmental and safety protections are possible through using fiber optics to monitor over 1,600 miles of its crude and NGL pipelines.
Energy Transfer Unit Charged with Environmental Crimes in Pennsylvania
The Pennsylvania attorney general's office on Wednesday charged a unit of Energy Transfer LP with nine counts of environmental crimes related to construction of the Revolution natural gas pipe in the western part of the state.
Regulatory Developments in Pipeline Cybersecurity
The Transportation Security Administration is overhauling its strategy for cybersecurity in the pipeline sector.
Inspecting Deepwater Risers, Flowlines on a West Africa Flowline Loop
Effective integrity management of subsea pipelines has been especially challenging due to the difficulty of pipeline access, safety and other considerations.
Safety Techniques for Aboveground Natural Gas Pipelines
There are a variety of techniques used to enhance the safety of aboveground natural gas pipelines. Coatings to minimize corrosion are an example of a safety aspect used by natural gas operators.
Artificial Intelligence and Pipelines – A Smart Way to Go
Today’s digital world defines so much of the global society from finances to socialization, education to work and play. It is no surprise that the energy sector, too, is increasingly digitized and data-driven.
Safer Operations with Geospatial Analytics
Geospatial analytics has come a long way from its inception in the early 80s. Today’s high-resolution satellites can survey each square foot of the entire earth’s surface and can do so daily.
DIMP-Related Pipe Replacement Work Continues in Full Force US
While the amount of work to replace cast-iron and bare-steel pipe has declined in volume since the implementation of the Gas Distribution Integrity Management Program in 2009, there is still plenty of construction left to be done.
Implementation Struggles of PHMSA’s Fatigue Mitigation Regulations
Fatigue is one of a controller’s greatest threats. Despite restrictions that have transpired for monitoring and mitigating controller fatigue in the past decade, fatigue is not a new worry within the oil and gas industry.
Assistive Technologies Set to Transform Pipeline Projects
Increased attention is being focused on minimizing or removing human presence in extreme environments by using remote operations and assistive technologies for monitoring and decision support.
Pennsylvania Fines Energy Transfer $2 Million for 2018 NatGas Pipe Blast
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission approved a nearly $2 million settlement with a unit of Energy Transfer LP for a pipeline explosion and fire at its Revolution natural gas pipe in Western Pennsylvania in 2018.
Blast Hits Oil Pipeline in Southern Iran, No Casualties – TV
An oil pipeline in southern Iran exploded on Wednesday, Iran's state TV reported on Wednesday, citing aging infrastructure as the reason for the blast.
Highway Traffic and the Effect on Pipelines
Ruptures of natural gas pipelines in right-of-ways of roadways are less common, but when they occur, the devastation can be far more extensive than the more common ruptures.
Petroperu Warns of Possible Fires at Pumping Station Occupied by Protesters
Petroperu warned on Monday that protesters who seized a pumping station of an oil pipeline a month ago risked causing fires and explosions at the facility, located in an Amazon jungle region of the country.
Leveraging 2 Kinds of Wisdom to Support Asset Integrity
For most pipeline integrity and risk assessment programs, there are two main sources of information, including measurement-driven data that is fed into computational risk assessment tools and information obtained from human observation or perception.
- Keystone Oil Pipeline Resumes Operations After Temporary Shutdown
- Freeport LNG Plant Runs Near Zero Consumption for Fifth Day
- Biden Administration Buys Oil for Emergency Reserve Above Target Price
- Mexico Seizes Air Liquide's Hydrogen Plant at Pemex Refinery
- Enbridge to Invest $500 Million in Pipeline Assets, Including Expansion of 850-Mile Gray Oak Pipeline
- Enbridge Receives Approval to Begin Service on Louisiana Venice Gas Pipeline Project
- U.S. to Acquire 3 Million Barrels of Oil for Emergency Reserve in September
- AG&P LNG Acquires 49% Stake in Vietnam's Cai Mep LNG Terminal
- BP's Carbon Emissions Increase in 2023, Ending Decline Since 2019
- Texas Sues EPA Over Methane Emission Rules for Oil and Gas Sector
