Safety

Mysterious Gas Leaks from Russian Pipelines to Europe Raise Sabotage Fears

Europe was investigating leaks in two Russian gas pipelines that churned up the Baltic Sea on Tuesday and raised concerns from Copenhagen to Moscow about sabotage on infrastructure at the heart of an energy standoff.

Things to Keep in Mind When Choosing Valves

(P&GJ) — Oils processing occurs in multiple stages and requires specialized piping systems to handle different fluids. Additionally, oils and their products are explosive, with traces of hazardous gases. As such, valves and other components of the piping systems must provide leak and emission-free transportation of fluids.

Canadian Wildfires Force Trans Mountain Pipeline Workers to Evacuate Site

A camp housing workers for the Trans Mountain oil pipeline expansion project in southern British Columbia was evacuated on Monday due wildfires in the region, although flows on the existing pipeline are not impacted, Trans Mountain Corp. said.

Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion Sparks Fire in Louisiana Waters

The U.S. Coast Guard said on Thursday that it was responding to a natural gas pipeline explosion at Lake Lery, Louisiana, and there have been no reports of injuries, casualties or pollution at this time.

Looking for ways to improve system uptime, enhance plant safety and reduce maintenance costs?

Several key factors can impact system performance, including: design and maintenance best practices, unintuitive operation, and undiagnosed operational issues can all impact system performance.

Bulk Carrier Beached After Collision with LNG Tanker in Gibraltar

An LNG tanker and a bulk carrier have collided off Gibraltar, leaving the latter beached, authorities in the British overseas territory on the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula said on Tuesday.

Case Study: Improved Efficiency of Integrity Programs Using EMAT Technology

Various inline inspection (ILI) tools exist for different line operating conditions and defect morphologies. To address these varying conditions and morphologies, operators often need to run multiple ILI tools receiving results in separate or combined reports.

Oceaneering Freedom AUV System Achieves TRL 6 for Pipeline Inspection

Oceaneering said on Monday its Freedom AUV, following an extensive testing and qualification program, has achieved Technology Readiness Level 6 on a 1-9 scale, as assessed by an expert industry group with representation from TotalEnergies, Chevron, and Equinor.

Serious Injury Reported at TC Energy’s NGTL Pipeline Work Site in Alberta

The Canada Energy Regulator said work was stopped at the TC Energy’s NGTL Edson Mainline work site near Caroline, Alberta, after it was notified of a serious, non-fatal injury on Thursday.

Two Oil Pipelines Destroyed by Explosives in Nigeria, Officers Arrest Four

Nigerian police said on Tuesday two oil pipelines that feed the Brass export terminal, one of Nigeria's export streams operated by Italian group Eni, were recently blown up by explosives.

US Offshore Oil Output to Restart After Pipeline Fix

A damaged oil pipeline component that disrupted output at several offshore U.S. Gulf of Mexico platforms was repaired late Friday, a Louisiana official said, with producers moving to reactivate some of the halted production.

Oil Output Halted at Seven US Gulf Platforms on Pipeline Outage

U.S. offshore oil producers Shell, Chevron and Equinor on Thursday halted operations pumping hundreds of thousands of barrels per day, citing an onshore pipeline leak that a local official said should take about a day to fix.

US Coast Guard Responds to Oil Spill in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana

The U.S. Coast Guard said on Monday it was responding to an oil spill at the Hilcorp Caillou Island facility in Terrebonne Bay, Louisiana.

Energy Transfer Reports Pipeline Leak from Last Month in Louisiana

Energy pipeline operator Energy Transfer LP has disclosed a pipeline rupture in Louisiana last month that released 8.2 million cubic feet of natural gas, according to a report filed with the U.S. National Response Center.

PHMSA Strengthens Safety Requirements for Over 300,000 Miles of Natgas Pipelines

The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) transmitted a final rule on Thursday that will strengthen the safety and environmental protection on more than 300,000 miles of gas transmission pipelines.

PRCI Leading the Way into the Energy Future

When a small group of pipeline operators at a conference realized they were each experiencing brittle cracks in their pipelines, they also realized the power of collaboration. Within two short years of pooling resources and research, a solution presented itself to end the decades-long issue.

Gas Pipeline Damaged in Ukraine's Kherson Region, No Sign of Disruption in Supply to EU

A gas pipeline has been damaged as a result of a strike by the Ukrainian armed forces near the Kakhovka hydroelectric power plant in Ukraine's Kherson, a region currently controlled by Russian forces, TASS reported on Monday, citing the regional administration.

Venezuela's Oil Minister Denounces Attack on Gas Pipeline

Technical personnel at Venezuela's state-run oil company PDVSA and firefighters were putting out a fire on a natural gas pipeline in the country's east, Oil Minister Tareck El Aissami said on Twitter on Sunday.

Identifying, Minimizing Sinkhole in Pipeline Rights-of-Way

Kentucky and Pennsylvania have several areas within their borders susceptible to karst formations, including sinkholes and surface depressions. These states also have substantial resources available for pipeline companies to review when attempting to identify locales with sinkholes as well as areas that are prone to karst formations.

Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Gas Pipe Explodes Sparking Wildfire in Pennsylvania

A segment of Kinder Morgan’s Tennessee Gas Pipeline running through Clermont, PA, reportedly exploded Tuesday igniting a wildfire in the surrounding area, The Bradford Era reported on June 13.

Gazprom: Nord Stream Gas Pipeline's Safety Depends on Stranded Turbine

Kremlin-controlled energy giant Gazprom said on Wednesday it could not guarantee the safe operation of a critical part of the Nord Stream 1 gas pipeline because of doubt over the return of a turbine from Canada.

Michigan Regulators Request More Information on Enbridge’s Line 5 Pipeline Tunnel Project

State of Michigan regulators on Thursday ordered Canada's Enbridge Inc. to file additional information on safety and engineering for its proposed Line 5 oil pipeline tunnel, describing Enbridge's current application as "deficient."

Natural Gas Pipeline Explodes in Fort Bend County, Texas

A pipeline rupture led to an explosion on Thursday morning in rural Fort Bend County, Texas, with emergency crews extinguishing the fire shortly after the burst, according to Fox News.

Petroperu Requests Emergency Declaration After Pipeline Attack

State-owned Petroperu asked the government to declare a state of emergency for a major crude oil pipeline last week, after it suffered a series of cuts in an Amazonian region of the country that it described as "an unprecedented attack."

PHMSA Blocks Restart of Freeport LNG Plant Citing Unsafe Conditions

U.S. pipeline safety regulator PHMSA on Thursday said it found unsafe conditions at a Texas liquefied natural gas export facility and will not allow owner Freeport LNG to restart the plant until an outside analysis is complete.

Texas RRC Approves Rule to Ready Natural Gas Industry for Weather Emergencies

The Texas Railroad Commission (RRC), which oversees the state's oil and natural gas industries, approved a proposed weatherization rule to help protect Texans during emergencies that could occur any time of the year.

Emerging Trends, Approaches in Engineering Assessments Pipeline Safety

The increased application of robust engineering assessments/fitness-for-service evaluations is expected to play out in several key ways.

Texas RRC Commissioners Assess Unusually Heavy Amount of Enforcement Fines

The Railroad Commission of Texas assessed $1,008,396 in fines with pipeline operators and excavators ticketed $476,200 for violations of the Commission’s Pipeline Damage Prevention rules, the Commission said on Wednesday.

Freeport LNG Plant Suffers Explosion, Nearby Residents Evacuated, Police Say

A explosion and fire on Wednesday hit the massive Freeport LNG liquefied natural gas plant on the Texas Gulf Coast, prompting an evacuation of nearby residents in Quintana, Texas.

Norway LNG Plant Resumes Output, Boosting Gas Exports

Norway's Hammerfest liquefied natural gas plant has restarted production following a fire almost two years ago, boosting the country's gas exports, operator Equinor said on Thursday.