Safety
Emerging Trends, Approaches in Engineering Assessments Pipeline Safety
The increased application of robust engineering assessments/fitness-for-service evaluations is expected to play out in several key ways.
Texas RRC Commissioners Assess Unusually Heavy Amount of Enforcement Fines
The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $1,008,396 in fines with pipeline operators and excavators ticketed $476,200 for violations of the Commission’s Pipeline Damage Prevention rules, the Commission said on Wednesday.
Freeport LNG Plant Suffers Explosion, Nearby Residents Evacuated, Police Say
A explosion and fire on Wednesday hit the massive Freeport LNG liquefied natural gas plant on the Texas Gulf Coast, prompting an evacuation of nearby residents in Quintana, Texas.
Norway LNG Plant Resumes Output, Boosting Gas Exports
Norway's Hammerfest liquefied natural gas plant has restarted production following a fire almost two years ago, boosting the country's gas exports, operator Equinor said on Thursday.
Securing Pipeline Endpoints Against Rising Global Threats
As Ukrainians fight to hold the line against heavy shelling and missile strikes, Russia is being admonished by Ukraine’s international supporters. Moscow promises to cause as much disruption as possible to its detractors with a full-on cyber retaliation.
Federal Pipeline Agencies Accepting Applications for Pipeline Safety Program
PHMSA has begun accepting applications for its new Natural Gas Distribution Infrastructure Safety and Modernization Grant program, which will offer nearly $200 million in grants annually over the next five years to improve the safety of high-risk, leak-prone natural gas distribution infrastructure.
The Cultural Divide Between IT & OT Puts Critical Operations at Risk
Cultural and technical differences between traditional IT best practices and what is possible in OT increases an organization’s risk for costly cyber incidents.
An Executive’s Guide to Industrial Cybersecurity
What you need to know to keep your operational technology secure.
5 Critical Controls for World-Class OT Cybersecurity
How to align your leadership and implement a successful operational technology (OT) security posture.
Enhancing Pipeline Security: Cybersecurity Alone Is Not Enough
Like any industrial operation, pipeline operators strive to provide safety and reliability in the delivery of their products. However, impacts from a variety of factors – from natural and environmental processes to vandalism and terrorism – threaten to disrupt the safety and reliability of pipeline systems.
Deadly Explosion Rocks Hotel in Cuba, Gas Leak Suspected
A deadly explosion hit a well-known hotel in downtown Havana on Friday, tearing a gash several floors high into the side of the building, killing at least eight people and sending another 30 to hospital, witnesses and Cuban state media said.
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.
- Phillips 66 to Shut LA Oil Refinery, Ending Major Gasoline Output Amid Supply Concerns
- FERC Sides with Williams in Texas-Louisiana Pipeline Dispute with Energy Transfer
- U.S. Appeals Court Blocks Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Pipeline Permits
- ConocoPhillips Eyes Sale of $1 Billion Permian Assets Amid Marathon Acquisition
- Valero Considers All Options, Including Sale, for California Refineries Amid Regulatory Pressure
- U.S. Appeals Court Blocks Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Pipeline Permits
- Malaysia’s Oil Exports to China Surge Amid Broader Import Decline
- U.S. LNG Export Growth Faces Uncertainty as Trump’s Tariff Proposal Looms, Analysts Say
- Marathon Oil to Lay Off Over 500 Texas Workers Ahead of ConocoPhillips Merger
- Valero Considers All Options, Including Sale, for California Refineries Amid Regulatory Pressure
