Integrity
Third-Generation President Directs Heath Consultants Discoveries
Carolyn Heath Haag may have only been named president of Heath Consultants, Inc., in 2012, but there’s plenty of history behind her leadership of the Houston-based leak detection, line locating and product development company.
Natural Gas Odorization Monitoring For Safety And Consistency
In the fracking era, natural gas is playing an increasingly important role in domestic energy markets. The continuing surge in natural gas production from the boon of shale reserves will come hand-in-hand with a greater investment in gas logistics, including distribution networks, process efficiency and environmental regulation. One of the most important current areas of improvement is the odorization of natural gas, a critical safety measure, which allows humans to detect gas leaks by smell.
The Spectrum Disconnect At The FCC
Which of the following statements best reflects the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) view of spectrum requirements in the energy industry?
L.B. Foster Adds Ball Winch Pipeline Services To Portfolio
L.B. Foster Co. has acquired Ball Winch Pipeline Services LLC., a privately-owned company that applies specialty pipe coatings and provides field services for the oil and gas, mining, water and waste water industries.
LDCs Continue To Upgrade The Nations Gas Distribution Network
The LDC remains the backbone of the nation’s natural gas distribution network. Natural gas utilities serve more than 71 million residential, commercial and industrial customers across the nation that is delivered through a 2.4-million-mile underground delivery system with an outstanding safety record.
Low Natural Gas Prices Create Jobs, Spur Economic Growth Across Country
The American Gas Association, founded in 1918, represents more than 200 local energy companies that deliver natural gas throughout the United States. There are more than 71 million residential, commercial and industrial natural gas customers in the U.S., of which 92% – more than 65 million customers – receive their gas from AGA members. Today, natural gas meets almost one-fourth of the United States' energy needs.
Pipelines Prove Safer Than Road Or Rail
The Keystone XL is intended to transport oil from Canada to U.S. refiners on the Gulf of Mexico. The administration’s decision to delay approval for the construction of TransCanada’s proposed pipeline was based, in part, on concerns over the safety and reliability of oil pipelines. In announcing his decision, President Barack Obama called for a full assessment of “the pipeline’s impact, especially the health and safety of the American people.”
Hydrotesting Combination Technologies Mitigating Corrosion Risks Saves Operator Time and Money
Regular evaluations, effective integrity management solutions and proper monitoring are all key factors in successful pipeline integrity management and maintenance programs.
New Standard Serves As Testbed For Change
DNV’s latest revision to Offshore Standard for Submarine Pipeline Systems, DNV-OS-F101, will be the pilot for a new approach to rule development, competence management, communication and application.
Risk Modeling Considerations For Low Hoop Stress Pipelines
Conventional wisdom tells us that pipelines operating at a sufficiently low hoop stress are immune to failing in a rupture mode and can only fail in a leak mode. In general, that’s true. However, a recent study found that some pipelines that are operating below 30% specified minimum yield stress (SMYS) have an increased chance of low-stress ruptures and subsequent failures under certain conditions – namely select low- and high-frequency electric resistance welded (ERW) pipes with seam weld corrosion.
Corrosion May Have Caused North Dakota Pipeline Leak
Initial investigations following a 20,600-barrel leak on Tesoro Logistics LP pipeline in North Dakota point to corrosion on the 20-year-old pipeline, state regulators said Nov. 11, Reuters reported.
Leveraging GIS For Pipeline Integrity In High-Consequence Areas
As oil and gas pipeline companies struggle to do more with less, the industry must rely on technology to squeak out efficiencies. Geographic information systems (GIS) have been a part of pipeline operations for decades. However, when outdated methods and resource-intensive data collection processes are used in an integrity management program, the results can become overly expensive, highly inaccurate or even non-compliant.
Overcoming Inspection Challenges With EMAT Robotic ILI Tools
Many sections of piping were previously constructed or are operated in ways that do not allow the use of inline inspection (ILI) tools of a traditional design. For more than 10 years, Diakont has focused on the development and deployment of tooling to support the inspection of these pipeline sections that were previously considered “unpiggable.”
Five Key Challenges In The Oil And Gas Industrial Control System
An Industrial Control System (ICS) is comprised of many disparate components, including hardware and software technologies, the system infrastructure--from the communications network to the physical plant--the human element for tasks that require manual intervention, and the environment.
Corrosion: Eating Oil Industry From Inside Out
In the oil and gas industry, corrosion accounts for more than 25% of failures, according to a recent NACE International report. Corroded pipe repair or replacement costs the industry more than $7 billion per year, based on estimates from the National Association of Corrosion Engineers.
Next-Generation Leak Detection For Safe, Reliable Delivery
Leak detection and repair have become increasingly critical to the safe and reliable delivery of natural gas and to protecting the environment. Yet many gas distribution companies are finding that their pipelines are aging at a faster rate than they can be surveyed and repaired. That’s because the traditional flame-ionization leak-detection process is hard-pressed to keep pace with emerging demand for more frequent, accurate and efficient surveys and repairs.
Pipeline Construction Among Most Affected By OSHA Proposal On Crystalline Silica
Oil and gas operations are near the top of the list of sectors which will be affected if the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) proposed workplace standard on crystalline silica becomes final.
PUC Modifies Settlement with PGW Over 2011 Explosion
The Pennsylvania PUC modified a $500,000 settlement reached as part of an investigation of a 2011 Philadelphia Gas Works (PGW) explosion that killed an employee to include increased leak-detection measures.
Runaway Train Calamity Underscores Crude-By-Rail Concerns
When a train carrying 72 tanker cars of Bakken crude oil derailed in the Quebec town of Lac-Mégantic, killing 47 people and destroying 40 buildings, it powerfully rekindled the debate over the merits of rail vs. pipeline delivery throughout the industry.
Americas Repiping The Flanagan South Story
Aside from the scale, engineering, design, construction and safety challenges, any of which could define a pipeliner’s career, what really motivates Enbridge’s Flanagan South Pipeline executives Jerrid Anderson and Mark Sitek, is the idea they are part of a larger socio-economic movement across North America. They’re helping to allow domestic energy to fuel more of the load, backing out imported oil.
Charlie Joyce: Born And Raised To Be A Pipeliner
The hallmark of the pipeline business has always been symbolized by the handshake. Never has there been a better example of this tradition than with Charlie Joyce and his family, owners of Otis Eastern Service, Inc., in Wellsville, NY.
Will You Dominate Your Next Oil Spill Response?
Rapid dominance of your response requires far more than just getting there quickly or having a lot of really cool stuff with you when you arrive. Current or former military readers (thank you) already know this term. The military doctrine of “rapid dominance” requires four things:
Senate to Consider Pipeline Permitting Reform, Too
The Senate may consider some form of pipeline permitting reform but the bill may not look like the one the House was expected to pass. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-OR), chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee, released a broad statement on natural gas issues July 25.
Using 3D Imaging To Evaluate Damaged Subsea Pipelines
Damage to subsea pipelines can cost operators millions of dollars in downtime, lost production and repairs. Common damage events such as dropped objects, anchor drag and trawler impacts can result in dents, cracks, pitting and gouges of pipeline material. Damage events compromise the integrity of pipelines and can have significant operational and financial consequences.
Seam Defect Cited For Pegasus Oil Spill
An independent report conducted by Hurst Metallurgical Research Laboratory Inc. faults manufacturing defects on the Pegasus Pipeline that ruptured and spewed 150,000 gallons of crude oil in Mayflower, AR, Exxon Mobil Corp. said.
Commercial Robotic Inspection Solution For Unpiggable Pipelines
A self-propelled inline inspection tool has been commercially used to inspect oil and gas lines. Surveyor, a robotic tool provided by GE’s Industrial Solutions, has been used to inspect more than 35 cased crossings or terminal tank lines. The benefit of using this tool has been its capability to quantify metal loss both internal and external and the relative ease to insert and retrieve the tool into the pipeline, thereby foregoing pipe modifications for traditional smart pigs or time required for hydrotesting.
EMAT, Pipe Coatings, Corrosion Control And CP Shielding
A major issue in the pipeline industry is coating disbondment. A large percentage of external corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) has been and continues to be observed under disbonded coatings that shield cathodic protection (CP). This has been an ongoing issue with coated and cathodically protected pipelines since the beginning of using these two technologies.
NASA Teams With Consultancy, Targeting Potential Disasters In Oil And Gas Industry
Citing the harsh conditions, complex systems and potentially catastrophic consequences of missteps within the modern oil and gas industry, the National Aeronautic and Space Administration has entered into a contract with Deloitte LLP to offer consulting services through Deloitte to the oil and gas industry, focusing on safety and risk mitigation efforts for “black swan” events, incidents of “low probability and high consequence.”
Markey Reports Gas Pipeline Leaks in MA Led To $150 Million In Lost Gas Per Year
Sen. Edward J. Markey of Massachusetts released a report on Aug. 1 on the state of gas distribution pipeline leaks in that state, using it as a case study for the country as a whole. The report, prepared by congressional staff, found that $1.5 billion worth of natural gas was lost in Massachusetts between 2000-2011 and blamed leaky distribution pipelines for most of the loss.
Cybersecurity For Pipeline, Gas Companies
Securing pipeline and gas companies’ critical infrastructure is an evolving process. Embracing that fact is a key element in the development of a logical program that will ensure safety, security and effectiveness. There are four logical phases in this process with defined actions that can be measured and coordinated.
- Kinder Morgan Proposes 290-Mile Gas Pipeline Expansion Spanning Three States
- Three Killed, Two Injured in Accident at LNG Construction Site in Texas
- Tallgrass to Build New Permian-to-Rockies Pipeline, Targets 2028 Startup with 2.4 Bcf Capacity
- TC Energy Approves $900 Million Northwoods Pipeline Expansion for U.S. Midwest
- U.S. Moves to Block Enterprise Products’ Exports to China Over Security Risk
- U.S. Pipeline Expansion to Add 99 Bcf/d, Mostly for LNG Export, Report Finds
- Enbridge Adds Turboexpanders at Pipeline Sites to Power Data Centers in Canada, Pennsylvania
- Great Basin Gas Expansion Draws Strong Shipper Demand in Northern Nevada
- Cheniere Seeks FERC Approval to Expand Sabine Pass LNG Facility
- Heath Consultants Exits Locate Business to Expand Methane Leak Detection Portfolio
