Carin Meyer, Regulation Compliance Specialist for Atmos International,
explores the importance of regulations and how operators can ensure they
stay up-to-date and compliant.
A
ll pipeline operators must abide by rules and
regulations to be able to operate within their
regions. In regions where regular leak detection
system audits take place, compliance and detailed
knowledge of how they operate is essential. Recommended
practices and standards are incorporated by reference into
regulations in North America (the US and Canada). Regulations
in the US are API RP 1130 (Computational Pipeline Monitoring
(CPM) for Liquids), API RP 1175 (Recommended Practice for
Pipeline Leak Detection) under 49 CFR 195.134 and 49 CFR
195.444 and in Canada, CSA Z662-19 Annex E (Oil and Gas
Pipelines; Sales quality liquid hydrocarbon pipeline leak
detection) under CSA Z662:19 section 10.3.3.1.
Leak detection has always been taken seriously by
operators and owners alike. Gas detection was used by coal
miners in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries during the
Industrial Revolution, and over the last 50 years it has been
enhanced with technology using computers and advanced field
devices. Liquid leak detection was primarily by over and short
reports, aerial flyovers as well as walking the pipeline. All these
traditional leak detection methods remain viable and are still
used today, depending on pipeline classification.
As computers made their way to the pipeline industry
in the 1950s and the term SCADA was coined along with the
evolution of microprocessors and PLC concepts, computational
pipeline modelling could be applied. Advances in
telecommunications have allowed additional data with further
reliability and higher scan rates to come into the SCADA
control room. Technology is continuing to evolve, allowing for
more sensitive and accurate leak detection.
The first edition of API RP 1130 was published in 1995, API RP
1175 was established in 2015 incorporating API TR 1149 (Pipeline
 Variable Uncertainties and Their Effects on Leak Detectability)
and CSA Z662-19 Annex E was established in 1994. The
regulations are reviewed periodically, involving industry leaders
and experts, and multiple versions have been released since the
first publication.
How can companies ensure compliance?
While some pipeline operating companies (POCs) have
dedicated teams to manage leak detection and improvement,
regulatory compliance still offers some challenges. For smaller
operators or those without a significant number of leak
detection engineers, an audit can throw up some difficulties
which require additional support. Larger operators also face
significant challenges as they often have pipelines within or
crossing multiple states that must comply with different local
regulations and face audits from different bodies. They may
also have many different types of regulated pipelines that must
be treated differently from a leak detection standpoint.
Using an external partner offers benefits as they bring
expert knowledge of engineering and deployment of leak
detection systems across many pipelines. It is important to
continuously stay up to date with changing regulations and
nuances explored during audits, and leak detection specialists
can assist POCs large or small with this.
A regulation compliance service consists of, but is not
limited to, gap analysis on existing programmes or creating
programmes to comply with the various regulations. No two
pipelines or operating systems are the same, however, so a
bespoke approach is
required to deliver:

)) Compliance
statements.

) Necessary
procedures.

)) Testing programmes.

)) Training.

)) Gap analysis.

)) Rescue programmes
to support pending
audits.

Compliance is not
just limited to API RP
Figure 1. Historical trend.
1130, API RP 1175 and CSA
Z662-19 Annex E. Within
those best practices/
standards are references
to the following
regulations, meaning
that even more specialist
knowledge can be
required to demonstrate
compliance:

API RP 1168 –
Pipeline Control
Room Management
The purpose of this
recommended practice
is to provide pipeline
operators, and pipeline
controllers, with
guidance on industry
best practices on control
room management
Figure 2. Hydraulic profile. to consider when

14 World Pipelines / AUGUST 2021

developing or enhancing processes, procedures, and training.
This document was written for operators with continuous and
non-continuous operations, as applicable.
API RP 1165 – Recommended Practice for Pipeline
SCADA Displays
This Recommended Practice (RP) focuses on the design and
implementation of displays used for the display, monitoring,
and control of information on pipeline Supervisory Control
and Data Acquisition Systems (SCADA). The primary purpose is
to document industry practices that guide a pipeline company
or operator who wants to select a new SCADA system or
update or expand an existing SCADA system.
API RP 1167 – Pipeline SCADA Alarm Management
This document is intended to provide pipeline operators
with recommended industry practices in the development,
implementation, and maintenance of an alarm management
programme. It provides guidance on elements that include,
but are not limited to: alarm definition, philosophy,
documentation, management of change, and auditing.
API 1164 – Pipeline SCADA Security
This document is structured so that the main body provides
a high-level view of holistic security practices. The annexes
provide further details and technical guidance. Reviewing
the main body of this document and following the guidance
outlined in the annexes assist in creating inherently secure
operations. Implementation of this standard, to advance SCADA
cybersecurity, is not a simple process or one-time event, but
a continuous process. The overall process could take years
to implement correctly depending on the complexity of the
SCADA system. Additionally, the process would optimally
be started as part of a SCADA upgrade project and use this
standard to ‘design in’ security as an element of the new system.
API TR 1149 – Pipeline Variable Uncertainties and
Their Effects on Leak Detectability
This document describes procedures for predicting uncertainties
in the detection of leaks in pipelines using computational
methods based upon physical hydraulic state measurements.
This class of pipeline leak detection methods is commonly
called computational pipeline monitoring (CPM). Many factors
are known to contribute to the effectiveness of CPM and it is
essential to understand the uncertainty in the prediction made
by the CPM algorithm in use regarding the existence, or absence
of leaks.
For further information
Atmos International can not only provide solutions for leak
detection, batch tracking, simulation and theft detection
but also regulation compliance support. PHMSA published
FR 2020-25236 on 11 January, 2021, increasing civil penalty
amounts. Atmos International can review and enhance leak
detection programmes, create programmes and assist with
audit preparation. Current regulations are in place and Atmos
International is here to help meet the compliance requirements.
API 1130
This recommended practice focuses on the design,
implementation, testing and operation of CPM
systems that use an algorithmic approach to detect
hydraulic anomalies in pipeline operating parameters.
The primary purpose of these systems is to provide
tools that assist pipeline controllers in detecting
commodity releases that are within the sensitivity
of the algorithm. It is intended that the CPM system
would provide an alarm and display other related
data to the pipeline controllers to aid in decision-
making. The pipeline controllers would undertake
an immediate investigation, confirm the reason for
the alarm and initiate an operational response to the
hydraulic anomaly when it represents an irregular
or abnormal operating condition or a commodity
release.
API RP 1175
This RP is specifically designed to provide pipeline
operators with a description of industry practices
in risk-based pipeline leak detection programme
(LDP) management and to provide the framework
to develop sound programme management
practices within a pipeline operator’s individual
companies. It is important that pipeline operators
understand system vulnerabilities, risks, and
programme management best practices when
reviewing a pipeline LDP management process,
either for a new programme or for possible
system improvements. This RP focuses on using
a risk-based approach to each pipeline operator’s
LDP, and following the guidance set forth assists
in creating an inherently risk-mitigating LDP
management system. The overall goal of the LDP
is to detect leaks quickly and with certainty, thus
facilitating quicker shutdown and minimising
negative consequences. This RP focuses on
management of LDPs, not the design of leak
detection systems.
CSA Z662-19 Annex E
This Annex applies to sales quality liquid
hydrocarbon pipelines within the scope of
this Standard, with the exception of pipelines
containing a gas phase. The purpose of this
Annex is to provide the requirements for leak
detection based upon internal and external
leak detection methods. This Annex pertains to
methods that provide leak detection capability
consistent with industry practice and technology
which can be reasonably implemented. Operating
companies comply with the design, performance,
maintenance, testing, documentation, auditing,
training, and record retention provisions of this
Annex.
REPRINTED FROM AUGUST 2021 / World Pipelines