House Bill 2982 – Gathering Pipelines

On July 23rd SunNet attended the Railroad Commission of Texas, Pipeline Safety Division’s Workshop concerning House Bill 2982 (HB 2982) held in Rockport, Texas. The Workshop consisted primarily of a presentation given by Polly McDaniel, Pipeline Safety Division’s Director with a follow-up of questions and answers. The following is our brief take-away from that session, and how we may be able to help those operators who will be involved by its implementation on September, 2015.

It Seems the People Have Spoken

The general public looks to the State and local governing bodies of elected officials for resolutions to many issues that require widespread and general considerations that can best be handled by a governing body. One of the things they expect to be taken care of by their governments is the safe operation and maintenance of pipelines that run through their properties, and their neighborhoods. Since it would be difficult for an individual and a pipeline operator to resolve all issues between them (there are sometimes quite a few individuals with issues), it is expected by the general public that the State officials should develop, pass laws and establish regulations to resolve or lessen any severity of these issues. When some of the general public realized that not all pipelines operating in the State of Texas were regulated, especially those operating in sensitive areas that would raise concern for public safety should a leak occur, they looked to their elected officials to address this issue and do something about it. Thus the development and passing of House Bill 2982 in 2013.

What Does HB 2982 Consist Of?

HB 2982 is basically an add-on of the Texas Natural Resources Code. It adds new language to Chapter 117, which pertains to hazardous liquids and carbon dioxide pipelines as follows:

For gas gathering pipelines, HB 2982 adds to the Texas Utilities Code, Chapter 121 a new paragraph (8) to Section 121.201(a) as follows:

Introduction

Corrosion personnel were probably one of the first groups, if not the first in the maintenance crews to develop and use databases to compile data collected during their field surveys. They would use these databases to later analyze, and make several determinations; from checking the current protection status of their systems, forecasting future needs, and even to demonstrate why improvements may be needed, and later use them to assist in developing annual budgets, upgrades or repair estimates.

These databases were great at providing information and data at a moment’s need, simply by querying the particular information within the database. These databases were generally only accessed and used by the corrosion department, but could later be reviewed by others as well, but only as read-only files. Of course, only the corrosion personnel would have read and write privileges.

Computer History – 101

It was not too many decades ago when a whole room would be designed and dedicated to just one computer system. These earlier computer systems required a lot of room and actually needed a cooling system that would prevent the computers from overheating. Now the same capabilities of these earlier computers are provided in computers that are hand-held, and can do much more than their early predecessors. It seems there is at least one computer involved in almost all we do today, and in some cases through initial design, computers are actually needed. For example, should an aircraft’s computer fail, in some of the latest models, it would be very difficult, probably even impossible to the pilot.

Today computers have made such pipeline processes as engineering, design, operations and even maintenance much quicker and much more efficient. The computer’s first real in-roads to the pipeline industry came as a need in both engineering and design, but today some pipeline systems are controlled, monitored and operated, for the most part by computers. It is safe to say, and a lot of people would agree that most of what we do today so effortlessly, may have been very difficult to achieve before the inroads of the computers.

Computer Uses Today

Let us briefly consider some of the needs of the computer today within the pipeline industry that were not even considered in pipeline industry’s early history. The computational pipeline monitoring (CPM) systems, for example can be found in use today in almost all pipeline systems in some aspect or another. Some of the earlier CPM systems seem simple by today’s standards, but they were basically designed and installed to better detect and alarm the operators of leaks, should any occur, allowing them to more quickly get the situation or incident under control. These systems were earlier designed to do little more than monitor the pipeline’s input and output pressure, temperature and flow rates; in some cases, should it detect any difference, it would alarm the operator to its detection, but these have since gotten much more sophisticated and now play a much bigger role in the scheme of things.

Probably developed because of the CPM, or perhaps nothing more than just a natural progression of things, the pipeline owners and operators have raised the bar, or up the ante as it were, by installing supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. Today with the ever-developing use of the computer, several pipeline systems can virtually be monitored and control from one central remote location. And of course, as the computers become more lean and productive, so do the peripherals and programming needs.

As computer systems and their needs have grown, so has their uses. By doing what is expected of various computer systems, and their programing, a lot of data is acquired and stored. Early on, the primary reason for this data collection and storage was merely due to the fact that the SCADA system needed it to make certain decisions, react automatically to alarms or to maintain control within the pipeline’s designed parameters. The pipeline industry also quickly realized that the data collected and stored by the computers could be very useful in answering various questions that may arise from a specific period of time during the pipeline’s past operation, such as during an emergency, or during an abnormal operating situations. It now has become a normal mode of operation to query a system’s database from time-to-time to answer many questions, or maybe just to simply satisfy one’s own curiosity as to how well a recent alteration to the pipeline system is performing.

Database Access

The pipeline industry is in a mode of sorts, now where there exists for each pipeline system several different computer systems and programs, all managing their independent areas of concern and having their own separate databases. As the needs change through design and/or regulations we have become more aware of the need and conveniences of accessing all these databases to accommodate the many changes in operations, design and other facets of owning a pipeline. In the past, when fewer programs were used, it had not been too much of a problem to have a separate database for each program, because of information, whenever needed, one would just go to that particular program, access whatever the database had available, and go on to the next database if more information were thought to be needed, and hoped to be available. It is quickly becoming the norm that more than one database access for information is needed to satisfy a particular issue or situation. Because the databases were originally designed to merely satisfy a particular program’s needs, sometimes not all data retrieved from multiple databases seems to merge well together in a real meaningful manner. This is where a program such as SunNet Solution’s MyDat@IQTM begins its introduction into the history of computers and computer programming.

The Many Uses Of MyDat@IQTM

Most of this discussion will be centered on an integrity management program (IMP), and how well MyDat@IQTM assists in improving the performance of any IMP and its end results. However, MyDat@IQTM has much more to offer in other areas such as project management, operator qualification, public awareness, accounting, and etc.

Most pipeline operators’ IMP, just in their nature, have become massive database user, and really should be. As we all know one requirement for a good IMP to perform properly, with good results, is having all available information quickly within an operator’s reach. The IMP regulations have been in place now for many years, and because of this, the pipeline operator has amassed tons of data and employs many different databases full of good and useful data. Within these pre-existing databases, there lies some very valuable and much needed information. Some of this data has probably been available for years and probably forgotten, but just the same, provides very important information for so many processes within the IMP that are needed and required. Any good IMP needs to be ever-aware of all historical data, no matter how insignificant it may seem at the time it was first entered, and should be data considered during all phases, or implementation of the many IMP processes. As is the nature of program databases, all data collected and stored, no matter the collection process or format used, is associated with a particular pipeline system, or a segment within a pipeline system. MyDat@IQTM can be programmed to understand these and many more associations by knowing just where to find data when needed – again, no matter how insignificant that data may have seemed initially. This database manager does not discriminate when considering available data, if data is available for whatever reason; MyDat@IQTM will bring it to the forefront offering it up as a possible consideration, no matter if any IMP process being implemented.

Risk Analysis

Without being asked MyDat@IQTM will always be aware these records exist, and will bring them and others like them to the forefront for consideration, no matter what task or process is being performed. Once the risk analysis program is made aware of these records, including relative details that MyDat@IQTM has extracted, the risk analysis results will be much more exact; a threat that may have gone unnoticed is now elevated to its proper level of consideration. After all, if a pipeline coating has already failed in one area, one should consider the possibility that failure could exist elsewhere, and should be thought of as a valid mechanical integrity threat. MyDat@IQTM will make this, possibly forgotten information relevant.

Preventative and Mitigative Measures (P&MM)

Remediation is complete and a reassessment of risk is performed. The overall risk value for the pipeline system has been reduced, and because not all of the existing coating was replaced of course, it is now time to use MyDat@IQTM to determine any P&MM that may be appropriate to reduce the risk value even more. By accessing information from its database and any others available to it, MyDat@IQTM is able to offer up possible P&MM that are available, and will even offer an opportunity to provide possible effects each proposed measure would have on the risk value should they be chosen to implement. If it has in its programming, and has access to necessary financial information, it can also provide an estimate for cost and any risk reduction realized for any possible P&MM considered. After the P&MM are implemented, MyDat@IQTM will simply ask if a risk analysis is wanted, or based on its programing, would just provide the current risk value and can also provide new threat prioritization, as well.

An Off-The-Cuff Discussion with Your Supervisor

Its Monday, and what a weekend! You ended up flying back home from one of your projects on Saturday afternoon. You could not catch a flight back home Friday night (your Friday off – by the way), because you could not get finished with all you needed to, until it was too late to even catch the last flight out. Oh, well it’s not the first time that’s happened; just part of the job.

First things, first; before you delve into anything right off-the-bat that would require more brain power than you have at the moment, you also realize that before you can kick-start your week, you are going to need some coffee. You get to the break room and the coffee pot is already empty.Why can’t people start a new pot of coffee after they empty the pot? While you’re waiting for the coffee to brew, your supervisor enters the break room. It seems you and he are on the same schedule this fine Monday morning. After some polite small talk; seeing you reminds him of a meeting he has later. He mentions that he needs to attend a staff meeting later this morning with the upper echelon to discuss projects of those in his group, and their current status. He says his meeting is not until 10 this morning (it’s already 7:30 but he thinks that should be time enough for me to put together some “updated info” on how my projects are going. Dang-nab-it!

All of a sudden, after a few sips of coffee, recent issues begin to visually run through your tired brain. By “recent”, this means; just late last week. You really have not had time to bare-down on any numbers yet. So much for “gradually easing” into a new work week.

Back at your desk, you begin to gather your thoughts and try to figure some means of pulling this all together. A couple of things you know for sure are the little design glitches that surfaced while the contractor was trying to fit-up some manifold piping, and the fact that the valves are a week late of the forecasted delivery, and still nowhere to be seen. These are both going to cost you some “extras” with your construction contractor, but you are not sure yet just how much. You are already behind schedule, and even though the valve supplier says the deliveries are “any day now”, this really does not help much. You are aware of the secret project grapevine system (you still do not understand how it works), and because of this mysterious system, you know everyone in the office is probably already well aware of these issues, and some may have even expanded their importance a little bit. So you know you need to address these in your little impromptu report this morning. I’m betting someone in that staff meeting will know about these issues, and my supervisor needs to be well informed.

Don’t you hate those little workspace cubicles? No doors to shut while you are trying to concentrate. It seems a lot of things went on last week in your absence, and it seems several coworkers feel a need to fill you in on all of it. Some of the gossip seems very interesting, and you would love to listen in on it, but you really need to pull yourself away, and continue to get that report put together for your supervisor. The phones (both the desk and cell) just keep ringing while your computer chirps away with email arrivals. … Who did they say got promoted to a director’s position? Your brain really wants to brake all this down so you can figure out how you fit-in, since this promotion will no doubt also affect you somehow, – maybe even a possible promotion for you too! Aw, never mind. Got to get back at it!

Just now someone comes by your “cube” and comments that he heard you were at the mercy of the contractor because of some design issues. While following up with the statement that I need to “grab my wallet and hold on, I understand it’s going to cost you a bundle” – I can only wonder how that secret project grapevine system works – amazing! I need to get some more coffee.

Does the above episode bring to mind any Mondays you may have had in your past? It’s typical of a few I’ve had. Thank goodness today we have computers and software programs that are probably much faster than the secret project grapevine system. As a good example, SunNet Solutions ^TM offers a new web base database management software called MyDat@IQ ^TM that never sleeps. It’s always there looking for data to manage. When data is entered by someone, or from another program (i.e. SCADA, updates to historical data, changes to the O&M procedures, etc.) anywhere and in any format; this database manager will be aware of it, and actually understand its relevance and what it represents through its initial customized programing.

Again, consider the above Monday episode and try to envision how using this database manager might have made things a little different.

During the initial conversation with your supervisor, imagine how nice it would have been to tell him you needed just a few minutes to put something together, and you would visit with him to go over it, and even provide him with some reports to take with him to the staff meeting.

So now you are saying “how is that possible at 7:30 on a Monday morning, after being out of the office all of the previous week (including most of Saturday)”.

To begin with, this database management software does not sleep (it’s on the web), and when data is entered somewhere (even through a phone app), it knows about it. It has the weekly and daily work reports that were entered by all your inspectors just this past Friday – once you finally left. It even has your travel expenses you updated this past Saturday night. It’s actually sitting there waiting to see if you would like to finalize your expense statement and send it out.

It has access to all historical data, including actual costs from past, paid and pending invoices, and it also remembers that you have a penalty clause in the purchase order issued to the valve vendors should they miss a delivery date. It can give you man-hours and costs based on past invoices for similar work, and of course this information will be offered up for any editing you might need to do, and actually give you an idea of how much you should expect to pay your contractor for any “extras” – Ha! No need to grab your wallet. And now that you know that you have penalties stated in your valve purchase orders, you may have already covered any “extra” costs for your contractor’s down time. You might want to pass this information along to your valve vendors. Who knows, you may have your valves delivered pretty quickly.

Oops, while you are doing enquiries to MyDat@IQ ^TM you are alerted to the fact that a couple of past invoices from your contractor were actually for too much money according to the specifics in the contract and the weld-count of your welding inspector. Well, my, my, my, who owes who money now? They may need to grab their wallet.

Let’s just overwhelm everyone at the upper-echelon staff meeting by printing out and providing your supervisor with your up to the minute reports. Go ahead and give them the charts that show how well the projects estimated costs, committed expenses and actual expenditures are all tracking so very nicely. Yeah, and go ahead; give them the most updated forecast for completion while you’re at it. And while you’re on a roll, go ahead and give them all this data all broken down to mind bogglingly miniscule items and segments – no problem, and so accurate too!

Now, after just a few minutes conferring with the software, take everything to your supervisor and spend a few minutes bringing him up to date. And look its only 8:30, and your supervisor is loaded for bear. Ok, take a little break now, and start your own rumors and gossip. Tell everyone the talk on the street is that you may be looking at a promotion soon, but be coy about it.

Ok, break over, and back to MyDat@IQ ^TM and on to one of your other projects; the IMP status of the El Paso to Houston, Texas 12” Pipeline system, or whatever system. You should have this done in time for lunch when you and your supervisor plan to discuss how the staff meeting went. Does anyone sense a sequel here?

By Randy Vaughn, SunNet’s Pipeline Database Management Solutions Advisor

What would you like SunNet Solutions to build for your business?

Submit a request at the left hand side of this page to get started today.
Contact us if you have any questions.