Safety

Pipeline Fire Ignited by Gas Leak Leaves Five Injured in Ecuador

Ecuadorean state oil company Petroecuador said on Thursday five people were injured in a fire caused by a leak in a pipeline that carries gas to a refinery in the South American country's Amazon region.

Suspected Drone Hits Oil Depot in Russia's Oryol, Officials Say

A suspected drone struck a tanker at an oil depot in the Russian region of Oryol on Wednesday, officials said. Unverified images on social media showed what appeared to be a single rupture on the side of an oil storage tank, blackened by soot.

One Killed, Two Injured in Petronas-operated Pipeline Explosion in Malaysia

Malaysian state energy company Petronas reported a fire at the Sabah-Sarawak Gas Pipeline near Lawas on Wednesday afternoon, which the Borneo Post online said led to an explosion that killed one person and injured two others.

Methane Cloud Linked to Fire at Kinder Morgan Compression Station

(P&GJ) — U.S. pipeline operator Kinder Morgan Inc. said that a methane cloud seen above Alabama last month was possibly triggered by a natural-gas discharge following a fire at a compressor station owned by the company.

Nord Stream Operator Granted Permission to Survey Danish Waters

Nord Stream AG, the operator of the ruptured Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline, has been granted permission to survey an area in Danish waters, the Danish Geodata Agency told Reuters on Thursday.

German Navy Helping Norway Protect Oil Rigs, Pipelines

The German navy is helping Norway to protect critical maritime infrastructure such as oil rigs, undersea cables and pipelines, is ready to do the same off the Danish and Swedish coasts, its head said on Thursday.

Pipeline Cybersecurity Implementation Plan for TSA Security Directive

(P&GJ) — The pipeline industry has been placing focus and efforts on cybersecurity ever since last year’s Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA’s) security directives were first issued. The security directives (SDs) were a pushed rollout that caught many off-guard at the time—they knew it was coming but did not know the exact details.

Cybersecurity Update: Aligning Industry Standard’s Best Practices

(P&GJ) — Cybersecurity, both interpersonally and geopolitically, has been protested over the past few years, sparked by stories of basement hackers breaking into government agency websites, nation-states warring on the dark web and hacktivists acting in the name of civil disobedience for political and social change.

The Path to Achieving TSA Pipeline Cybersecurity Directive Compliance

(P&GJ) — Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount had to make two difficult decisions on May 7, 2021, after a ransom note was discovered by an employee in a control-room computer. First, he acknowledged that the pipeline system that provides close to 45% of the fuel for the East Coast had to be shut down. Second, he authorized the $4.4 million ransom payment.

API Summarizes Enhanced Pipeline Leak Detection Standards

(P&GJ) — Leak prevention, mitigation and detection are critical to ensure pipelines operate safely and reliably to protect the public, workers, the environment and pipeline assets.

Sweden Sends Diving Vessel to Investigate Nord Stream Pipelines After Leak

Sweden sent a diving vessel on Monday to the site of Russian gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea that ruptured last week following blasts in the area, to probe an incident that has added new tension to Europe's energy crisis.

Putin Accuses West of Blowing Up Pipelines as Europe Steps Up Vigilance

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday blamed the United States and its allies for blowing up the undersea Nord Stream pipelines, raising the temperature in a crisis that has left Europe racing to secure its energy infrastructure and supplies.

Kremlin Rejects Claims Russia Attacked Nord Stream Gas Pipelines

The Kremlin on Wednesday said claims that Russia was somehow behind a possible attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines were stupid, adding that the United States had opposed the pipelines and its companies had made big profits supplying gas to Europe.

EU Vows to Protect Energy Network After 'Sabotage' of Russian Gas Pipeline

The European Union on Wednesday promised a "robust" response to any intentional disruption of its energy infrastructure after saying it suspected sabotage was behind gas leaks discovered this week on subsea Russian pipelines to Europe.

PHMSA Awards $75.6 Million for Pipeline Safety Oversight, Enhancement Activities

(P&GJ) – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has awarded over $75.6 million in grants to fund projects and activities to improve the safety of pipelines. The grants will support the jobs of state pipeline inspectors, important pipeline safety training and educational programs, and the advancement of pipeline safety technologies.

Mysterious Gas Leaks from Russian Pipelines to Europe Raise Sabotage Fears

Europe was investigating leaks in two Russian gas pipelines that churned up the Baltic Sea on Tuesday and raised concerns from Copenhagen to Moscow about sabotage on infrastructure at the heart of an energy standoff.

Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing Valves

(P&GJ) — Oils processing occurs in multiple stages and requires specialized piping systems to handle different fluids. Additionally, oils and their products are explosive, with traces of hazardous gases. As such, valves and other components of the piping systems must provide leak and emission-free transportation of fluids.

Canadian Wildfires Force Trans Mountain Pipeline Workers to Evacuate Site

A camp housing workers for the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project in southern British Columbia was evacuated on Monday due wildfires in the region, although flows on the existing pipeline are not impacted, Trans Mountain Corp. said.

Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion Sparks Fire in Louisiana Waters

The U.S. Coast Guard said on Thursday that it was responding to a natural gas pipeline explosion at Lake Lery, Louisiana, and there have been no reports of injuries, casualties or pollution at this time.

Looking for ways to improve system uptime, enhance plant safety and reduce maintenance costs?

Several key factors can impact system performance, including: design and maintenance best practices, unintuitive operation, and undiagnosed operational issues can all impact system performance.

Bulk Carrier Beached After Collision with LNG Tanker in Gibraltar

An LNG tanker and a bulk carrier have collided off Gibraltar, leaving the latter beached, authorities in the British overseas territory on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula said on Tuesday.

Case Study: Improved Efficiency of Integrity Programs Using EMAT Technology

Various inline inspection (ILI) tools exist for different line operating conditions and defect morphologies. To address these varying conditions and morphologies, operators often need to run multiple ILI tools receiving results in separate or combined reports.

Oceaneering Freedom AUV System Achieves TRL 6 for Pipeline Inspection

Oceaneering said on Monday its Freedom AUV, following an extensive testing and qualification program, has achieved Technology Readiness Level 6 on a 1-9 scale, as assessed by an expert industry group with representation from TotalEnergies, Chevron, and Equinor.

Serious Injury Reported at TC Energy’s NGTL Pipeline Work Site in Alberta

The Canada Energy Regulator said work was stopped at the TC Energy’s NGTL Edson Mainline work site near Caroline, Alberta, after it was notified of a serious, non-fatal injury on Thursday.

Two Oil Pipelines Destroyed by Explosives in Nigeria, Officers Arrest Four

Nigerian police said on Tuesday two oil pipelines that feed the Brass export terminal, one of Nigeria's export streams operated by Italian group Eni, were recently blown up by explosives.

US Offshore Oil Output to Restart After Pipeline Fix

A damaged oil pipeline component that disrupted output at several offshore U.S. Gulf of Mexico platforms was repaired late Friday, a Louisiana official said, with producers moving to reactivate some of the halted production.

Oil Output Halted at Seven US Gulf Platforms on Pipeline Outage

U.S. offshore oil producers Shell, Chevron and Equinor on Thursday halted operations pumping hundreds of thousands of barrels per day, citing an onshore pipeline leak that a local official said should take about a day to fix.

US Coast Guard Responds to Oil Spill in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana

The U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday it was responding to an oil spill at the Hilcorp Caillou Island facility in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana.

Energy Transfer Reports Pipeline Leak from Last Month in Louisiana

Energy pipeline operator Energy Transfer LP has disclosed a pipeline rupture in Louisiana last month that released 8.2 million cubic feet of natural gas, according to a report filed with the U.S. National Response Center.

PHMSA Strengthens Safety Requirements for Over 300,000 Miles of Natgas Pipelines

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) transmitted a final rule on Thursday that will strengthen the safety and environmental protection on more than 300,000 miles of gas transmission pipelines.