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Training & Publication:
Publications are provided by OPS to define the scope and support the goals of each program. Additional information such as papers, summaries, and meeting plans have been included to describe activities involved in creating and instituting these programs.
OPS sponsors a number of training activities designed to familiarize government and industry personnel with the requirements of pipeline safety regulations and to educate federal and state inspectors in compliance requirements, inspection techniques, and enforcement procedures. These activities include in-depth classroom training at the Department's Transportation Safety Institute located in Oklahoma City, OK. as well as at various regional and state seminars.
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Publications |
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Newsletters |
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Training at TSI |
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Download
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| Assessment of the need for an improved inspection program for Master Meter Systems |
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Environmental Assessment
Longhorn Pipeline
The proposed Longhorn Partners Pipeline (LPP) project would convert the former
Exxon Pipeline Company pipeline, transporting crude oil from Crane to Baytown,
Texas, to a refined products pipeline transporting primarily gasoline and
diesel fuel from Houston to El Paso, Texas. The purpose of the Longhorn system
is to provide refined petroleum products to third-party common party carrier
pipelines accessing markets in west Texas, New Mexico, and Arizona. The Environmental
Assessment (EA) is based on the condition of the pipeline as it existed at
the commencement of this process in the spring of 1999, and includes (1) a
description of the proposed project; possible alternatives, including 'no
action' and rerouting; (2) a description of the affected environment; (3)
an analysis of the effects on safety and the environment, including a pipeline
integrity analysis and risk assessment; (4) consideration of comments from
the public, the parties, the cooperating agencies; and, (5) mitigation measures
and other components. The initial view is that the EA supports a Finding of
No Significant Impact (FNSI), when accompanied by the substantial mitigation
elements detailed in the EA, and no significant impacts to the human environment
will result from the operation of the pipeline. The FNSI would be contingent
upon operation of the proposed project with mitigation measures that would
be implemented prior to, and following, start-up of the pipeline.
Title
PDF Format
EPA website
where the full Longhorn Pipeline Environmental Assessment can be viewed
and downloaded in PDF format.
The following
files are courtesy of EPA Region 6:
Executive
Summary
Preliminary
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI)
Letter indicating
availablity and locations of public meetings
Locations
(addresses) where the full Longhorn Pipeline Environmental Assessment
can be obtained.
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| Health and Human Services Certified Laboratories |
Unusually Sensitive Areas
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| Public workshop on areas Unusually Sensitive to Environmental Damage |
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| Damage Prevention Quality Action Team (DAMQAT) |
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| Results of Workshop on Unusually Sensitive Areas |
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| Drinking Water Resources Discussion Point Paper |
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| April 2000 Workshop Summary | 400wssum.htm |
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Regulatory Development
This section contains Title 49 Regulations Part 190-199 (revised as of October 1998).
This section contains OPS Interpretations based on Title 49 Regulations.
This section contains OPS Waivers based on Title 49 Regulations.
This section contains OPS Rule-making Summaries that describe and provides status information on each docketed Office of Pipeline Safety rulemaking.
This section contains Notices of Proposed Rule-making that describe the substance and terms of the proposed regulation.
The Risk Management
Program Standard
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| The Risk Management Program Standard |
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You can also request a hardcopy version of the standard by sending E-mail to Janice Morgan at OPS.
Description of the Standard
The Risk Management Program Standard, developed by the joint government / industry Risk Management Program Standard Team, describes the necessary basic elements and characteristics of a pipeline company risk management program. The program standard is to be used by:
- individual pipeline companies that are developing risk management programs for internal use
- individual pipeline companies that are developing specific proposals to submit for consideration in the Risk Management Demonstration Program
- OPS as a basis for developing the processes it will use to review risk management demonstration projects and approve specific risk management demonstration project proposals submitted by individual companies
This program standard defines the program and process elements of a comprehensive risk management program that all risk management demonstration project proposals shall contain, but allows flexibility to each company to customize its risk management program to fit its particular needs and corporate practices, provided that the program supports the scope and goals of the demonstration project proposal. This program standard also includes a program evaluation and improvement element that enables programs to evolve as experience is gained.
The Demonstration
Project Regulatory Framework
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| Framework II |
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The Regulatory Framework, which will soon be published in the Federal Register and available for download from this site, describes the Pipeline Risk Management Demonstration Program required by the Accountable Pipeline Safety and Partnership Act of 1996. The Demonstration Program will invite pipeline operators to propose risk management projects for one or more parts of their pipeline systems that, upon approval by OPS, will substitute for the existing Federal safety standards in providing the basis for Federal oversight of pipeline safety and environmental protection.
The Regulatory Framework describes the activities already underway to prepare for the demonstration program, and the next steps in the process. It describes the objectives to be achieved by the demonstration projects; provides needed guidance for pipeline operators who may wish to participate; and invites public involvement in the process through various opportunities for public comment and public meetings.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Elizabeth M. Callsen, Office of Pipeline Safety, Research and Special Programs Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, 400 Seventh Street, S.W., Washington D.C. 20590-0001, telephone 202-366-4572.
Pipeline Risk
Management Documents
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| The Risk Management Program Standard |
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| The Risk Management Demonstration Project Regulatory Framework |
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The Risk Management Program Standard
The Joint Risk Management Program Standard Team, comprised of representatives from federal and state regulators, the oil and gas industries, and the public produced this document that describes the necessary basic elements and characteristics of a pipeline company risk management program.
The Risk Management Demonstration Project Regulatory Framework
This document, also published in the Federal Register, describes the processes by which the Office of Pipeline Safety will receive, review, approve, and monitor pipeline company risk management demonstration programs.
Risk Management Demonstration Project Performance Measures
(will be available for download)
The Joint Performance Measures Team, comprised of representatives from federal and state regulators, the oil and gas industries, and the public produced this document that describes the performance measures that will be used to ascertain the effectiveness of the risk management demonstration project.
These newsletters provide status reports on the progress of risk management activities within OPS and the pipeline industry, tutorials on basic risk management concepts, articles on risk management, and much more.
Risk Management Conference/Public Meeting Proceedings
Conference/Public Meeting Proceedings will be available from the First Pipeline Risk Management Conference held in McLean, Virginia in November, 1995, the Second Pipeline Risk Management Conference held in Houston, Texas in April, 1996, and the Third Pipeline Risk Management Conference held in New Orleans, Louisiana, in January, 1997.
Pipeline Risk
Management News
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| Pipeline Risk Management Demonstration Project - Electronic Town Hall Meeting |
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This page contains news and announcements
concerning Pipeline Risk Management, including upcoming conferences, quality
team meetings and public meetings. Items on this page are listed in reverse-chronological
order. Older items are retained unless no longer applicable.
Pipeline Risk Management
Newsletter
The following Newsletters are currently
available for on-screen viewing and downloading in pdf format:
Oil Pollution Act (OPA) Newsletter
Transportation Safety Institute
Compliance Inspection Comprehensive Operator Qualification
- Operator_Qualification/O_Quals.zip (.pdf format))
- Operator_Qualification/O_Quals1.zip (.doc format)