The Association of Oil Pipe Lines is committed to further improvements despite a 99.99% safe petroleum liquids delivery rate, AOPL Pres. and Chief Executive officer Andrew J. Black said as the organization released the 2015 API-AOPL Annual Liquids Pipeline Safety Performance Report & Strategic Plan on Feb. 5. AOPL compiles the report annually with the American Petroleum Institute.
“Even with that delivery rate for crude oil and products pipeline, we are pushing for further safety improvements through a host of industry-wide efforts from leak detection to emergency planning and response,” Black said.
In 10 Key Pipeline Performance Results Takeaways, the report listed declines since 1999 of 50% in liquids pipeline incidents along pipeline rights-of-way, 76% in corrosion-caused pipeline incidents, and 78% in incidents caused by third parties. AOPL said most incidents in 2013 were small: 35% were under 1 bbl, two-thirds were 5 bbl or less, and only 20 were larger than 500 bbl.
It said the petroleum liquids pipeline industry’s 2015 Pipeline Safety Improvement Strategic Goals & Initiatives are based on stakeholder engagement, safety expert recommendations, review of safety data and results, and lessons learned from pipeline incidents. Operators plan to improve inspection technology capabilities, enhance threat identification and response, expand safety culture and management practices, and boost response capabilities, AOPL said.
“In 2015, pipeline operators will complete development of industry-wide recommended practices (RPs) begun in 2014 on pipeline crack detection and management, pipeline safety management systems, leak detection program management and emergency planning and response,” it said. “Industry-wide implementation of these RPs is a central theme of 2015.”
Pipeline operators also will develop industry-wide guidance on the appropriate uses of hydrostatic pressure pipeline testing and an RP for pipeline construction quality management systems, AOPL added.
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