Achieving Operational Readiness & Compliance for Today’s Pipeline Management

by Payam Yeganeh, Managing Director Black & Veatch Management Consulting and Michael Nushart, Principal Consultant Black & Veatch Management Consulting

Implementing a comprehensive control room management plan in today’s energy market can be a challenging task. Integrating the plan with modern SCADA systems adds additional layers of complexity to the project implementation and the project’s compliance requirements. Taking a holistic view of control room management shows that there are multiple facets depending on your situational point-of-view. Some aspects are specific to pipeline safety code compliance, while others are related to pipeline operations. The nexus of these various perspectives is the safe and efficient transfer of product (gas or hazardous liquid).

A key challenge focuses around defining and integrating the functional components. By examining the drivers for the individual CRM components, it becomes evident that each has its origins in a different business discipline, e.g., engineering, compliance, control & measurement, and operations. Each business discipline brings unique requirements to the Control Room and the Controllers. Additionally, each of the components has different data requirements. This set of conditions creates a need for multi-dimensional thinking when designing SCADA functionality to support Control Room Management and fully achieve operational readiness.

The purpose of the pipeline system is the throughput that supports product purchase, sales and supply functions. System Controllers are responsible for safely moving specified volumes of products through the pipeline system and providing delivery within specific parameters.

The required Operator Qualification skills, supported by specific training, ensure that operations are conducted safely. The Controllers’ understanding of system operation and safe operating pressure and flow enable the effective movement of products, including line-packing, when necessary. Real-time data is the Controllers’ primary tool.

Effective measurement data (pressure, flow and volume) is critical to the system’s commercial operation. Understanding where and how much product is within the system ensures that the Controller effectively moves the product to where it’s needed. The measurement data is also essential for product custody transfer purposes, both into and out of the pipeline system.

Our new Playbook for Operational Readiness continues to expand on this important discussion for today’s pipeline management needs. Additional topics covered in this piece include a discussion on codes and standards, training management, safety and SCADA and CRM integrations and analytics. Downloadable graphics and tables help to provide key management guidance.