Solution Overview
Building a Pipeline Safety Management System (PSMS) is an intricate, multistage process with requirements unique to the individual utility. UDC takes a GIS-centric approach to architecting your PSMS solution through enabling the data marshaling, spatial capabilities, and multisystem integration needed to meet new compliance standards and requirements. Our solution evaluates your data, systems, and level of automation and provides an architecture of your PSMS. We can also provide data management and field services to address any gaps, implementation support, and system integration as part of your overall PSMS solution.
Mega Rule Guidelines
The new PHMSA “Mega Rule” adds to the growing list of guidelines and expectations for pipeline operators. Some of the expectations focus on several area for operators:
- Updating and verifying incomplete data going back as much as fifty years
- Automating paper records to be utilized for analysis versus paper records
- Requiring additional risk assessment
- Requiring additional Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure (MAOP) analysis, verification, and coverage
- Increasing reporting and analysis to new areas or areas that were previously not covered
- Addressing the requirement for reliable, traceable, verifiable, and complete records
Need for Automation and a Digital Approach
To satisfy the Mega Rule requirements, it seems clear that pipeline operators will take the following actions:
- Assessing current records
- Determining gaps
- Fixing and digitizing record gaps
and most importantly…
- Automation
Pipeline operators will need to focus on automating their recordkeeping practices with an automated system capable of matching and automating the requirements of the Mega Rule, as well as, following the American Petroleum Institute’s Pipeline Safety Management System Guidelines for pipeline operators.
Building a Pipeline Safety Management System
The American Petroleum Institute (API) issued guidelines for pipeline operators regarding the development of a PSMS that will provide the backbone for pipeline operators regarding planning, assessing risk, and actively maintaining and reporting compliance. This would include being able to respond authoritatively to the PHMSA Gas Mega Rule and other Federal or Local compliance rules as they evolve over time.
As the API points out, the backbone of the PSMS will need to be automation of pipeline assets and associated information. This automation will be in a manner that provides integration between systems the operator may or may not have today. API also points out the level of integration and the system capabilities will likely be new to most operators, even though it will draw on existing systems.
Required Systems Supporting Automation
The building of a PSMS will come from a systems integration effort rather than buying a single product “off of the shelf”. At this point in the evolution, each operator will need to design and implement an integrated system based upon individual systems and requirements. Leaning on our experience with gas utilities/operators and their systems, we suggest that the automation to support your PSMS will come from a mix of the following systems being integrated:
UDC sees the base of the system being GIS as it is a well-suited data governance system but more importantly lets you visualize and display results to everyone that needs to share in the results.
UDC Capabilities to Assist Mega Rule Compliance
Solution Architecture – UDC would assist you with the designing and architecting your specific PSMS solution based upon your priorities, needs, your data, and leveraging your current automation.
Data Management – UDC can also help you get your data organized, digitized, and inventoried for gaps.
Field Collection / Data Verification – UDC can provide the services to correct those information gaps, including Field Work capabilities.
Consulting Solutions & Partnerships – UDC can provide you with the Design and the System Architecture and help your Team to get the system implemented and deployed.
System Integration – We can assist to integrate GIS and component systems of your PSMS