Integrity Management

Small Operator Inspections

Louisiana Department of Natural Resources/Pipeline Safety Seminar

August 14, 2003

Small Liquid Operator Work Group

Why it was formed

Who’s involved

Implementation approach

Implementation timeframes

Expected outcomes

Why it was formed

Established to develop an inspection approach applicable to smaller hazardous liquid operators.

To design an approach that can be used by state and federal inspectors

Establish a model that can be utilized for gas IM

The Participants

Comprised mostly of State inspectors Minimal OPS/TSI Contract Support

Chuck McDonald, CA SFMDana Arabie, LA DNRPat Raichel, NY DPSTommy Lancaster, AL PSCRandy Vaughn, TX RRCHossein Monfared, OPS WesternBruce Hansen, OPS HQDeWitt Burdeaux, TSICycla Support

Key Workgroup Activities

Identify “small” operators

Utilize known information about these operators to; support inspection scheduling identify areas of inspection focus Identify inspection resource allocations

Select operators across a broad spectrum for “pilot” inspections to test the process

Key Workgroup Activities

Evaluate IM inspection process and adjust for small operators

Conduct “pilot” inspections for liquid program states

Develop protocol based small operator inspection process

Develop general IM training and OJT process

Inspection Development Timeframes

“Pilots” conducted for four states – five small operators

Development meeting last week of August

Continue inspections/OJT through mid-2004.

Hand-off inspections to States and regions when they are assured a quality inspection process has been developed

Expected Outcomes

A flexible inspection process and methods that support consistent application of a protocol-based approach.

Maximized coordination between federal and state agencies to avoid duplication of effort and promote efficient use of inspection resources.

Expected Outcomes

An inspection approach which adjusts the level of resource expended for the inspection to the risk of operations, complexity of facilities and organization

Develop and communicate a process that makes sense to various constituencies (e.g., state program managers and commissioners, OPS management, Congress, industry, and the public).

Expected Outcomes

Maximize training opportunities for state and federal inspectors.

An inspection approach that will be applicable for inspection of small natural gas operators when the gas IM rule becomes final