Pipeline Safety Trust
2011 Annual Conference
New Orleans
Leak Detection
Liquid Pipeline Systems
Larry Davied
Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P.
larry.davied@magellanlp.com
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Magellan Midstream Partners, L.P.
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Tulsa, Oklahoma Headquarters
Midwestern Based Pipeline System
85 Fuels Terminals (East Coast, Midwest, Gulf Coast)
~ 11,000 Miles of Liquid Pipelines
4” to 36” Diameter (11” Weighted Average)
Products Transported:
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Gasoline, Diesel, and Jet Fuel
Crude Oil
Heating Oil
Propane and Butane
Anhydrous Ammonia
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Pipeline SCADA Systems
• SCADA
– Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition
• Provides Remote Monitoring and Centralized Control
Capabilities
• Data Points Monitored includes:
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Line Pressure
Flow Rate
Temperature
Pump/Motor/Engine Information
Product Density/Gravity
Tank Levels
Safety Device Information
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SCADA Systems
• Allow for Remote:
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Opening/Closing of Valves
Starting/Stopping Pumps
Switching Tanks
Starting/Stopping P/L Deliveries and Receipts
Observing Terminals and Stations via video cameras
Alarm Receipts and Operational Notices
Directing Field Personnel
Contacting Emergency Responders
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SCADA Operating Console
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Pipeline Monitoring
DOT PHMSA Regulations
• CPM Leak Detection (195.134) – Design
• CPM Leak Detection (195.444) – Operations
and Maintenance
• Pipeline Integrity Management (195.452) –
Leak Detection for High Consequence Areas
• Control Room Management (195.446) – NEW
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DOT PHMSA
Control Room Management - NEW
• August 2011 Effective Date (for most sections)
• Sections
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(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)
(g)
(h)
(i)
(j)
General
Roles and Responsibilities
Adequate Information
Fatigue Mitigation
Alarm Management
Change Management
Operating Experience
Training
Compliance Validation
Compliance and Deviations
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Pipeline Monitoring
API Recommended Practices
• API 1130 – Computational P/L Monitoring
for Liquids
• API 1164 – SCADA Security
• API 1165 – SCADA Displays
• API 1167 – SCADA Alarm Management
• API 1168 – P/L Control Room Management
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Leak Detection and P/L Monitoring
Liquid Operator R&D Sponsored Projects
• PL-1
• PL-1-1
• PL-1-2
• PL-1-3
• PL-2-1
• ROW-3
Small Leak Detection for Liquid Pipelines
Small Leak Detection in Liquid Pipelines –
External Leak Detection Evaluation and
Development
New Look at Pipeline Variable Uncertainties and
Their Effects on Leak Detection
Alternatives For Small Seeper Leak Detection
During In-service Hydrotesting
Review and Develop Improved Technologies to
Monitor Station / Facility Integrity at Unmanned
Locations
Conceptual Pipeline Integrity & Security
Management [RAM Program]
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Liquid Pipeline Systems
SCADA Leak Detection
• Significant historic and ongoing efforts and focus from
Regulators, Public, Operators, and Industry
Consultants/Contractors
• Highly dedicated industry work groups focused on
improvements, including development of Standards and
Recommended Practices
• Significant historic and ongoing Research and Development
and applied SCADA software, hardware, and pipeline
instrumentation systems
• SCADA upgrades and enhancements frequently deployed
• Post Incident scrutiny from Public, Regulators, Legislators,
and Operators
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…… And Yet …..
We still sometimes struggle with PROMPT:
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Recognition,
Response, and
Reporting
of Pipeline Leaks.
RUPTURE and LARGE VOLUME RELEASE events present the
highest risk to Public Safety and Environmental Impact.
While valuing the significant efforts and results in the
pursuit of quicker detection of ever smaller releases, WE
MUST BE GREAT IN “3R EXECUTION” for P/L Ruptures
and Large Volume Release Events.
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AOPL/API Leadership
Leak Detection Initiatives
• August 2011 Formal Commitment to PHMSA for
Operators to Improve Liquid P/L Safety
• 7 Prioritized Initiatives
• Leak Detection Improvement Initiative
– Focus: P/L Ruptures and Large Volume Releases
– Elements: Prompt Recognition, Response, and
Reporting (3 R’s)
– Goal: We Must be GREAT at 3R Execution
• Recommended Leak Detection Evaluation on all
Liquid Transmission Pipelines (PHMSA ANPRM)
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Leak Detection – Liquid Pipelines
Keeping People Safe
And
Protecting the Environment
Are Paramount
• #1 Goal:
Don’t Have Leaks
• #2 Goal: Quickly Recognize and React to
Actual and Suspected Release Events
• #3 Goal:
Minimize False Alarms
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Leak Detection Challenges
(to name a few)
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Original P/L System design and configuration
Varying vintage SCADA and leak detection applications
Batched Systems – Multiple Products
Multiple Phase Products
Reversible Flow Systems
Transient and Steady State flow conditions
Turbulent and Laminar Flow transitions
Intermittent P/L operations
Step change product temperature gradients
Elevation induced hydraulic variations
Varying P/L diameters, telescoping systems, restrictions, block
valves, Tees, relief systems, control valves, and unique physical
characteristics
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Leak Detection Challenges
(to name a few - MORE)
• Multiple pump configurations – series, parallel, varying and
multiple speed, electric and engine drives
• Branch connections and multiple inlets, outlets, and partial
flow alignments
• Slack line and product separation static conditions
• Instrumentation type, quantity, vintage, accuracy, and
repeatability
• Communication outages and back-up systems
• Signal scan and refresh rates
• Errant signal and data filtering
• SCADA generated alarm quality and quantity
• Operator sensory overload
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Leak Detection Challenges
(to name a few – MORE - Plus)
• Human Factors
• Fatigue
• Relatively low incident rates of system failures for each
operating company, and consequently even lower for each
individual pipeline controller – experienced based learning
opportunities
• Simulator and hydraulic modeling training quality and frequency
variances.
• HVL versus Crude versus Condensate versus Refined Products
physical property and hydraulic characteristics operated within a
single SCADA console
• HCA versus non-HCA system variances
• Varying individual operating procedures
• Employee turnover and training time for new Controllers
• External and internal resource availability
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Leak Detection Challenges
• While challenges exist, SCADA Systems are capable of
detecting actual and suspected leaks, from large to small
rate releases
• Equally important, SCADA Systems can detect when a
pipeline segment is “behaving abnormally”
• Difficult, does not imply “Impossible”, although there are
limits imposed by science, technology, and application
• One of the biggest challenges is accurately distinguishing
between actual release events and false alarms.
• False alarms can effectively desensitize the SCADA
Operator, with a potential over reliance upon analysis and
hydraulic rationalization (“I’ve seen this before, and it was caused by
xxxx, so we can dismiss as a false alarm”)
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3R Execution Challenges
• Strategic Shift (Large vs Small Releases)
• Culture (React vs Analyze)
• Applications (Distinguish Rupture from “all
other events” and line imbalance signals)
• Training, Drills, and Simulations Focus
NOTE: 3R Execution is not dependent upon
new technology or new SCADA Systems
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3R Path Forward
• AOPL/API Liquid Pipeline Leadership Commitment
• Leak Detection Initiative Work Group Established
• Pilot Work Group Being Formed
• Information sharing on how to “teach” SCADA Systems to:
SCREAM RUPTURE!
• Gather Input from Public, Emergency Responders, and
Regulators on Pipeline Rupture Report
– Should we distinguish between Confirmed Releases, Suspected
Releases, and False Alarms?
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Leak Detection Initiative
We’re All in this Together
Performance Gaps associated with P/L Rupture
and Large Volume Release Events are an
Industry Focus
Liquid Pipeline Operators share a common goal
to safely and responsibly
operate and maintain our assets
We Need Your Input, Feedback, Ideas, and Energy!
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