On the 20-year anniversary of the Bellingham Incident in Bellingham, Washington, Pipeliners Podcast host Russel Treat welcomes retired pipeline professional Larry Shelton to share his first-hand recollections and reflect on the importance of pipeline integrity management. Operations Excellence (OE) is the driving force of Mr. Shelton’s story. He defines OE as “achieving business goals with no harm to any person, property, or the environment.” Simply stated, the mantra is “Business Goals, No Harm.” The mantra has a deep emotional connection for Mr. Shelton, whose professional career was forever-changed in 1989 when the Exxon Valdez oil spill in Alaska created a permanent mark for pipeliners such as himself working for the Alyeska Pipeline Service company. Ten years later, the Bellingham Incident forever altered the community of Bellingham, Washington. The Olympic Pipeline ruptured on June 10, 1999, due to a similar series of “domino” events as Exxon Valdez. At the time, Mr. Shelton was ARCO’s pipeline integrity representative. He walked the path of the gas rupture that cost human life. In those moments, he saw the human element of operational excellence, realizing that it dwarfs numbers, records, and programs. In the 20 years since the Bellingham Incident, Mr. Shelton has served on numerous industry committees and work groups, including chairman of the API Operations Technical Group. He also served on the Office of Pipeline Safety’s Hazardous Liquid Technical Advisory Committee. In his experience, Mr. Shelton has come to realize that “Business Goals, No Harm” is a difficult balance, but it must be done. Listen to his poignant reflections in this sobering and valuable episode of the Pipeliners Podcast.

Recorded on-site at PSIG 2019 in London, Russel Treat and Giancarlo Milano of Atmos International discuss the factors that go into determining batch arrival time of product that is moved through a pipeline during slack line operations. This insightful conversation includes a discussion of the variables that affect batch delivery, the importance of communicating accurate ETAs to operators, the models and calculations used to support accurate arrival time, the technology used to enhance accuracy, and much more. Prepare to geek out over the confluence of math and physics!

Pipeliners Podcast host Russel Treat hosts part two of a conversation with Adam Hill of Kepware/PTC on how to simplify EFM data collection using the latest technology. In this episode, you will learn about the history of data collection in SCADA systems, the difference between the primary data polling protocols, the importance of edge communications for building the architecture that connects field devices to the host server, how to integrate IT and OT using today’s technology, and much more.

Pipeliners Podcast host Russel Treat welcomes first-time guest Adam Hill of Kepware/PTC to discuss the fundamentals of Open Platform Communications (OPC) used in pipeline automation systems. You will learn about the most important terminology used in OPC, how OPC technology has changed over time since starting as a Microsoft platform, the introduction of a Unified Architecture to connect legacy systems in one framework, the role of the OPC Foundation in helping set industry standards for open communication, and much more. Listen to this valuable technological discussion pertaining to pipeline operations.

In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat recaps the 2019 AGA Operations Conference held in late April and early May in Nashville. Russel recaps the most important takeaways and conversations during the conference, his role in hosting a Q&A on the NTSB Most Wanted List with pipeline executives, the results of several informal polls about pipeline activity, and the latest efforts to support pipeline safety.

In the fifth of a series of episodes, Pipeliners Podcast host Russel Treat welcomes the “Three-Phase Flow” trio of Dan Sensel, Jason Dalton, and Kyle Miller from Marathon Pipe Line to discuss the importance of planning and cooperation to maximize hydraulic design. You will learn how changes to pipeline design plans can significantly impact the engineering work, why the product being moved is just as critical as knowing how much product will be moved in the pipe, and how to enhance collaboration upfront to maximize ROI over the long haul.

In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat recaps the 2019 API Pipeline Conference and Control Room Forum held in April in Phoenix. Russel recaps the most important takeaways from the conference, gives his perspective on the conversations held throughout the conference, and provides updates on rulemaking. Topics covered include the state of pipeline safety 20 years after the Bellingham incident, understanding how to interact with Native Americans, pipeline SMS, building a culture of pipeline safety, high-performance HMI, and more critical topics.

This episode of the Pipeliners Podcast features Russel Treat and first-time guest Keith Coyle discussing the significance of the U.S. pipeline safety law being considered for re-authorization later this year. You will learn about the basic structure of the Pipeline Safety Act that will be discussed for reauthorization, how the reauthorization and appropriation process works in Congress, the historical impact of pipeline incidents on legislation and regulation, why new technology should be incorporated into the latest standards, and more valuable information.

This episode of the Pipeliners Podcast features Russel Treat and first-time guest Jon Naylor discussing the process of securing pipelines in the field. Listen for the historical and current technology used to secure joints, the different types of methods used, the current testing standards, the importance of the three t’s of industrial joint integrity, and more valuable insight.

In the fourth of a series of episodes, Pipeliners Podcast host Russel Treat welcomes Dan Sensel, Jason Dalton, and Kyle Miller from Marathon Pipe Line to discuss the ongoing maintenance and monitoring of leak detection systems. The discussion focuses on specific pipeline situations involving instrumentation, leak detection, optimizing alarms, pressure and metering considerations, the accuracy of measurement equipment, batched products, and more topics. Listen for real-world applications that you can apply to your operation and role to support leak detection, safety, and risk mitigation.