Pipeliners Podcast

In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, Russel Treat welcomes Daniel Nagala of UTSI International Corporation to discuss the latest cybersecurity threats and awareness issues facing the pipeline industry. The conversation focuses on what Mr. Nagala has seen in the field -- both domestically and internationally -- to identify the various challenges facing pipeline operators. Included is how to integrate new system capabilities with legacy systems without exposing operators to security risks. Also included in this episode is a discussion of what was learned from the TRISIS malware attack and how to address vulnerabilities. Download this episode to become more aware of cybersecurity issues facing operators!

How much data is enough? This is a common question when evaluating your data acquisition capabilities and the individual needs of your pipeline operation, particularly when considering the Computational Pipeline Model (CPM) approach to leak detection. However, there is a better question to ask: what am I trying to do, what are the limitations of my SCADA infrastructure and how much data do I need to accomplish each critical function? In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat addresses the importance of knowing what you need the data for so that you can decide whether to gather a high volume of data or more detailed, accurate information from your instruments in order to improve performance of your leak detection system. The episode also covers the critical area of timestamping data so that pipeline controllers can read the data correctly, achieve situational awareness, and react appropriately. If you or your team deals directly with SCADA systems, this episode is for you!

For the first time on the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat dives into the fundamentals of pipeline leak detection with guest Giancarlo Milano of Atmos International. In this episode, you will learn about the fundamentals of leak detection including external and internal prominent approaches to leak detection. Then, Giancarlo walks listeners through various computerized approaches beginning with basic mass balance through to the more complex real-time transient model (RTTM) for leak detection, Statistical Volume Balance, and Negative Pressure Wave. Also, you will learn about the latest leak detection technology that is being used in the field and the importance of adhering to the API 1175 standard. Download this informative episode today!

Russel Treat welcomes guest Ardis Bartle to the Pipeliners Podcast to discuss the importance of measurement standard operating procedures. In this episode, you will learn about field practice, the contracts and standards in the industry that dictate how SOPs should be implemented, managing legacy procedures that are inherited with an acquired company, and how changes to measurement technology affect SOPs. You will also learn about the most important acronyms in measurement standard operating procedures: API, AGA, GPA, and SOX. Listen to the episode to find out more.

For the first time on the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat dives into the topic of measurement analytics. To facilitate the discussion of this important topic affecting the future of the pipeline industry, Bruce Wallace of Peak AI Solutions joins Russel to discuss analytics, Big Data, learning algorithms, and more relevant issues. Listeners will learn about the different schools of thought related to learning algorithms, the importance of a measurement data management system, and how artificial intelligence will affect the future of pipelining as new technology is adopted and implemented.

Before you can take a deep dive into SCADA technology, you need to understand how to simplify the SCADA build. In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, Russel Treat and guest Scott Williams review the ins and outs of setting up SCADA systems, getting buy-in from key stakeholders, and cutting off issues in the beginning to prevent headaches later in the process. You will learn that simplifying the SCADA build is about analyzing your available systems, planning the build, communicating in all phases, and making sure teams are on the same page to complete the project.

In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, you will learn about the important topic of inline pipeline inspection with guest Marc Lamontagne. Included is a discussion of the history of pigging and the three categories of threats to pipeline integrity. You will be in the same position as host Russel Treat walking through the pigging process, what tools are available to identify specific integrity threats, and the difference between axial and circumferential magnetic tools. Finally, the discussion concludes with a focus on the technology to capture data from an inline pipeline inspection. Learn how an active data management program or system can help manage risks, find anomalies, and then take action repairing leaks.

Would you like to know how a DOT-compliant control room is built from scratch? Do you want to understand the latest details of what should be included in a control room to comply with the CRM Rule? In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat welcomes Matt McClure of Oasis Midstream to discuss his experience standing up control rooms. This discussion covers the full spectrum of what goes into a new control room, including furniture, rest areas, SCADA systems, High Performance HMI, and more topics of interest. Russel and Matt also discuss the CRM Rule for control room management, including the considerations that go into training controllers to operate in a pipeline control room, ensuring safety and compliance following the Marshall Incident.

In the first Pipeliners Podcast episode of 2018, host Russel Treat welcomes Ross Adams back to the podcast to discuss the timely topic of control room team training. This episode goes into detail about the new frequently asked questions (FAQs) published by PHMSA at the start of this year. What do the FAQs mean for implementing the latest roles and responsibilities? What do they mean for the team training requirements for the pipeline control room? Also included in this episode is background on what originally led to these addendums to the Control Room Management Rule and why the FAQs are an important resource for control room managers.

In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat delivers his take on the PHMSA Pipeline Advisory Committee meetings held in December in Washington, D.C. After attending these meetings, Russel relays the information that came out of the discussions, what the conversations were among industry leaders and regulators, and what is coming in the future for pipeliners. Get ahead of the game before the latest changes are implemented by listening to this week's episode!