Pipeline Safety: Gas and Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Risk Models, 40843-40844 [2018-17659]

Download as PDF Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 159 / Thursday, August 16, 2018 / Notices DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration [Docket No. PHMSA–2018–0050] Pipeline Safety: Gas and Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Risk Models Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), DOT. ACTION: Notice and request for comments. AGENCY: PHMSA is publishing this notice to seek public comments on a report developed to support improvements in gas and hazardous liquid pipeline risk models titled ‘‘Pipeline Risk Modeling—Overview of Methods and Tools for Improved Implementation’’ (Pipeline Risk Modeling Report). Pipeline risk models are a foundational part of the assessment of operational pipeline risk. Federal pipeline safety integrity management (IM) regulations require pipeline operators to use risk assessments. Based on the results of pipeline inspections and failure investigation findings, both PHMSA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) have identified general weaknesses in the risk models often used by pipeline operators in performing risk assessments for their IM programs. The Pipeline Risk Modeling Report considers the major types of pipeline risk models, and the effectiveness of each type in supporting risk assessments, as applied to pipeline operator decisions. DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before September 17, 2018. ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted in the following ways: E-Gov Website: https:// www.regulations.gov. This site allows the public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice issued by any agency. Fax: 1–202–493–2251. Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12–140, Washington, DC 20590–0001. Hand Delivery: Room W12–140 on the ground level of DOT, West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. Instructions: Identify the docket number, PHMSA–2018–0050, at the beginning of your comments. Note that sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES SUMMARY: VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:15 Aug 15, 2018 Jkt 244001 all comments received will be posted without change to https:// www.regulations.gov, including any personal information provided. You should know that anyone is able to search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, business, labor union, etc.). Docket: For access to the docket or to read background documents or comments, go to https:// www.regulations.gov at any time or to Room W12–140 on the ground level of DOT, West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays. If you wish to receive confirmation of receipt of your written comments, please include a self-addressed, stamped postcard with the following statement: ‘‘Comments on PHMSA– 2018–0050.’’ The Docket Clerk will date stamp the postcard prior to returning it to you via the U.S. mail. Please note that due to delays in the delivery of U.S. mail to Federal offices in Washington, DC, we recommend that persons consider an alternative method (internet, fax, or professional delivery service) of submitting comments to the docket and ensuring their timely receipt at DOT. Note: Privacy Act Statement: DOT may solicit comments from the public regarding certain general notices. DOT posts these comments, without edit, including any personal information the commenter provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of records notice (DOT/ALL–14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at www.dot.gov/privacy. Mr. Steve Nanney, Project Manager, PHMSA, by telephone at 713–272–2855, or by email at Steve.Nanney@dot.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA is issuing the Pipeline Risk Modeling Report to support improvements in pipeline risk models and requests public comments. Both PHMSA and NTSB have identified a need to address the risk models often used by pipeline operators in performing risk assessments for their IM programs and provide guidance where appropriate. NTSB has issued three recommendations to PHMSA in this area. NTSB Recommendation P–15–10 recommends that PHMSA update guidance for gas transmission pipeline operators and inspectors on the evaluation of interactive threats, including the listing of all threat interactions that must be evaluated and FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: PO 00000 Frm 00100 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 4703 40843 acceptable methods to be used.1 NTSB Safety Recommendation P–15–12 recommends that PHMSA evaluate the safety benefits of the four risk assessment approaches currently allowed by the gas integrity management regulations; determine whether they produce a comparable safety benefit; and disseminate the results of your evaluation to the pipeline industry, inspectors, and the public.2 Lastly, NTSB Recommendation P–15–13 recommends that PHMSA update guidance for gas transmission pipeline operators and inspectors on critical components of risk assessment approaches, including (1) methods for setting weighting factors, (2) factors that should be included in consequence of failure calculations, and (3) appropriate risk metrics and methods for aggregating risk along a pipeline.3 PHMSA is addressing these recommendations through the Risk Modeling Report process. PHMSA organized a Risk Modeling Work Group (RMWG) composed of representatives of state and federal pipeline regulators, pipeline operators, industry organizations, national laboratory personnel, and other stakeholders. The purpose of the RMWG was to gather information regarding state-of-the-art pipeline risk modeling methods and tools, the use of those methods and tools, and the resulting data in operator IM programs. The Pipeline Risk Modeling Report provides an overview of methods and tools for improved implementation based on the results of the RMWG. The RMWG meeting notes and presentations can be reviewed at: https:// primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rmwg/index.htm. The Pipeline Risk Modeling Report considers the major types of pipeline risk models, and the effectiveness of each type in supporting risk assessments, as applied to pipeline operator decisions. The four major risk model categories considered for gas and hazardous liquid pipelines are: • Qualitative; • Relative Assessment/Index; • Quantitative System, and • Probabilistic. Each model category is characterized by the model inputs, outputs, and algorithms and was evaluated according to its ability to support pipeline risk management decisions and regulatory requirements. 1 https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.recsearch/ Recommendation.aspx?Rec=P-15-010. 2 https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.recsearch/ Recommendation.aspx?Rec=P-15-012. 3 https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.recsearch/ Recommendation.aspx?Rec=P-15-013. E:\FR\FM\16AUN1.SGM 16AUN1 40844 Federal Register / Vol. 83, No. 159 / Thursday, August 16, 2018 / Notices The Pipeline Risk Modeling Report focuses on the applicability of the different risk model types to various risk management decisions required by the Federal pipeline safety IM regulations, including: • Risk Priorities for Baseline Integrity Assessments; • Identification of Preventive Measures and Mitigative Measures; • Evaluation and Comparison of Preventive Measures and Mitigative Measures; • Consideration of Threats and their Interactions in Risk Assessments; • Benefit-Cost Analysis for Risk Reduction Options; • Integrity Assessment Interval Determination; and • Support of Continual Evaluation of Integrity and General Risk Management Decision Making. PHMSA invites interested persons to participate by reviewing the Pipeline Risk Modeling Report on gas and hazardous liquid pipeline risk models in docket no. PHMSA–2018–0050 at https://www.Regulations.gov, and by submitting written comments, data, or other views. Please include any comments on potential safety and environmental impacts that may result from issuance of the Pipeline Risk Modeling Report. Before finalizing the Pipeline Risk Modeling Report, PHMSA will evaluate all comments received on or before the comment closing date. PHMSA will consider each timely-filed, relevant comment we receive in making any changes to the final Pipeline Risk Modeling Report. Comments received after the closing date will be evaluated to the extent practicable. Issued in Washington, DC, on August 9, 2018, under authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.97. Alan K. Mayberry, Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety. [FR Doc. 2018–17659 Filed 8–15–18; 8:45 am] sradovich on DSK3GMQ082PROD with NOTICES BILLING CODE 4910–60–P VerDate Sep<11>2014 17:15 Aug 15, 2018 Jkt 244001 DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Veterans, Notice of Meeting The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) gives notice that a meeting of the Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Veterans will be held Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, September 11, 12, and 13, 2018. The meetings will be conducted at the Department of Veterans Affairs National Headquarters, at 811 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420, in Conference Room 6132. The agenda for these three days will begin at 8:00 a.m. and end at 4:30 p.m. The meetings are open to the public. The purpose of the Committee is to review the post-war readjustment needs of combat-theater Veterans and to evaluate the availability, effectiveness and coordination of VA programs available to meet Veterans’ readjustment service needs. The Committee reviews issues related to promoting Veterans’ access to VA services, provision of readjustment counseling services at Vet Centers, and coordination of care between the Vet Centers and VA medical facilities. On Tuesday, September 11, the agenda will feature briefings from the Readjustment Counseling Service (RCS) Chief Officer regarding the current activities of the RCS Vet Centers to include the full scope of outreach and readjustment counseling being provided to combat-theater Veterans, Service members and their families. The briefing will also provide a status report regarding the RCS organizational transition to a single point of service within the general organizational transformation of the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). On Wednesday, September 12, the Committee will focus on VA mental health services and best practices for coordinating VA mental health services with RCS readjustment counseling PO 00000 Frm 00101 Fmt 4703 Sfmt 9990 services to better serve the combattheater Veteran population. To this end Committee members will receive briefings from VA’s mental health leadership on the types and distribution of psychiatric disorders currently being presented by OIF/OEF Veterans and the various treatment regimens provided for their care inclusive of psychotherapy and psychopharmacology. VA Mental Health and RCS leadership will additionally present on the collaborative activities currently underway between RCS and the Office of Mental Health and Suicide Prevention to achieve lifesaving outcomes for at risk combattheater Veterans and Service members. On Thursday, September 13, the Committee will engage in strategic discussions for the purpose of formulating conclusions, perspectives and recommendations for developing its 20th annual report to Congress. No time will be allocated at this meeting for receiving oral presentations from the public. However, members of the public may direct written questions or submit prepared statements for review by the Committee before the meeting to Mr. Charles M. Flora, M.S.W., Designated Federal Officer, Readjustment Counseling Service, Department of Veterans Affairs, 810 Vermont Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20420. Because the meeting will be in a Government building, please provide valid photo identification for check-in. Please allow 15 minutes before the meeting for the check-in process. If you plan to attend or have questions concerning the meeting, please contact the Readjustment Counseling Service (10RCS) action group by email VHA10RCSAction@va.gov or call (202) 461–6525. Dated: August 13, 2018. Jelessa M. Burney, Federal Advisory Committee Management Office. [FR Doc. 2018–17708 Filed 8–15–18; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE P E:\FR\FM\16AUN1.SGM 16AUN1

Agencies

[Federal Register Volume 83, Number 159 (Thursday, August 16, 2018)]
[Notices]
[Pages 40843-40844]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2018-17659]



[[Page 40843]]

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2018-0050]


Pipeline Safety: Gas and Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Risk Models

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
DOT.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: PHMSA is publishing this notice to seek public comments on a 
report developed to support improvements in gas and hazardous liquid 
pipeline risk models titled ``Pipeline Risk Modeling--Overview of 
Methods and Tools for Improved Implementation'' (Pipeline Risk Modeling 
Report). Pipeline risk models are a foundational part of the assessment 
of operational pipeline risk. Federal pipeline safety integrity 
management (IM) regulations require pipeline operators to use risk 
assessments. Based on the results of pipeline inspections and failure 
investigation findings, both PHMSA and the National Transportation 
Safety Board (NTSB) have identified general weaknesses in the risk 
models often used by pipeline operators in performing risk assessments 
for their IM programs. The Pipeline Risk Modeling Report considers the 
major types of pipeline risk models, and the effectiveness of each type 
in supporting risk assessments, as applied to pipeline operator 
decisions.

DATES: Interested persons are invited to submit comments on or before 
September 17, 2018.

ADDRESSES: Comments may be submitted in the following ways:
    E-Gov Website: https://www.regulations.gov. This site allows the 
public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice issued by any 
agency.
    Fax: 1-202-493-2251.
    Mail: Docket Management Facility; U.S. Department of Transportation 
(DOT), 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building, Room W12-140, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001.
    Hand Delivery: Room W12-140 on the ground level of DOT, West 
Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC, between 9:00 a.m. 
and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except Federal holidays.
    Instructions: Identify the docket number, PHMSA-2018-0050, at the 
beginning of your comments. Note that all comments received will be 
posted without change to https://www.regulations.gov, including any 
personal information provided. You should know that anyone is able to 
search the electronic form of all comments received into any of our 
dockets by the name of the individual submitting the comment (or 
signing the comment, if submitted on behalf of an association, 
business, labor union, etc.).
    Docket: For access to the docket or to read background documents or 
comments, go to https://www.regulations.gov at any time or to Room W12-
140 on the ground level of DOT, West Building, 1200 New Jersey Avenue 
SE, Washington, DC, between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through 
Friday, except Federal holidays. If you wish to receive confirmation of 
receipt of your written comments, please include a self-addressed, 
stamped postcard with the following statement: ``Comments on PHMSA-
2018-0050.'' The Docket Clerk will date stamp the postcard prior to 
returning it to you via the U.S. mail. Please note that due to delays 
in the delivery of U.S. mail to Federal offices in Washington, DC, we 
recommend that persons consider an alternative method (internet, fax, 
or professional delivery service) of submitting comments to the docket 
and ensuring their timely receipt at DOT.

    Note:  Privacy Act Statement: DOT may solicit comments from the 
public regarding certain general notices. DOT posts these comments, 
without edit, including any personal information the commenter 
provides, to www.regulations.gov, as described in the system of 
records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
www.dot.gov/privacy.


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. Steve Nanney, Project Manager, 
PHMSA, by telephone at 713-272-2855, or by email at 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: PHMSA is issuing the Pipeline Risk Modeling 
Report to support improvements in pipeline risk models and requests 
public comments. Both PHMSA and NTSB have identified a need to address 
the risk models often used by pipeline operators in performing risk 
assessments for their IM programs and provide guidance where 
appropriate. NTSB has issued three recommendations to PHMSA in this 
area. NTSB Recommendation P-15-10 recommends that PHMSA update guidance 
for gas transmission pipeline operators and inspectors on the 
evaluation of interactive threats, including the listing of all threat 
interactions that must be evaluated and acceptable methods to be 
used.\1\ NTSB Safety Recommendation P-15-12 recommends that PHMSA 
evaluate the safety benefits of the four risk assessment approaches 
currently allowed by the gas integrity management regulations; 
determine whether they produce a comparable safety benefit; and 
disseminate the results of your evaluation to the pipeline industry, 
inspectors, and the public.\2\ Lastly, NTSB Recommendation P-15-13 
recommends that PHMSA update guidance for gas transmission pipeline 
operators and inspectors on critical components of risk assessment 
approaches, including (1) methods for setting weighting factors, (2) 
factors that should be included in consequence of failure calculations, 
and (3) appropriate risk metrics and methods for aggregating risk along 
a pipeline.\3\ PHMSA is addressing these recommendations through the 
Risk Modeling Report process.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    \1\ https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.recsearch/Recommendation.aspx?Rec=P-15-010.
    \2\ https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.recsearch/Recommendation.aspx?Rec=P-15-012.
    \3\ https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.recsearch/Recommendation.aspx?Rec=P-15-013.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

    PHMSA organized a Risk Modeling Work Group (RMWG) composed of 
representatives of state and federal pipeline regulators, pipeline 
operators, industry organizations, national laboratory personnel, and 
other stakeholders. The purpose of the RMWG was to gather information 
regarding state-of-the-art pipeline risk modeling methods and tools, 
the use of those methods and tools, and the resulting data in operator 
IM programs. The Pipeline Risk Modeling Report provides an overview of 
methods and tools for improved implementation based on the results of 
the RMWG. The RMWG meeting notes and presentations can be reviewed at: 
https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/rmwg/index.htm.
    The Pipeline Risk Modeling Report considers the major types of 
pipeline risk models, and the effectiveness of each type in supporting 
risk assessments, as applied to pipeline operator decisions. The four 
major risk model categories considered for gas and hazardous liquid 
pipelines are:
     Qualitative;
     Relative Assessment/Index;
     Quantitative System, and
     Probabilistic.
    Each model category is characterized by the model inputs, outputs, 
and algorithms and was evaluated according to its ability to support 
pipeline risk management decisions and regulatory requirements.

[[Page 40844]]

    The Pipeline Risk Modeling Report focuses on the applicability of 
the different risk model types to various risk management decisions 
required by the Federal pipeline safety IM regulations, including:
     Risk Priorities for Baseline Integrity Assessments;
     Identification of Preventive Measures and Mitigative 
Measures;
     Evaluation and Comparison of Preventive Measures and 
Mitigative Measures;
     Consideration of Threats and their Interactions in Risk 
Assessments;
     Benefit-Cost Analysis for Risk Reduction Options;
     Integrity Assessment Interval Determination; and
     Support of Continual Evaluation of Integrity and General 
Risk Management Decision Making.
    PHMSA invites interested persons to participate by reviewing the 
Pipeline Risk Modeling Report on gas and hazardous liquid pipeline risk 
models in docket no. PHMSA-2018-0050 at https://www.Regulations.gov, and 
by submitting written comments, data, or other views. Please include 
any comments on potential safety and environmental impacts that may 
result from issuance of the Pipeline Risk Modeling Report.
    Before finalizing the Pipeline Risk Modeling Report, PHMSA will 
evaluate all comments received on or before the comment closing date. 
PHMSA will consider each timely-filed, relevant comment we receive in 
making any changes to the final Pipeline Risk Modeling Report. Comments 
received after the closing date will be evaluated to the extent 
practicable.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 9, 2018, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2018-17659 Filed 8-15-18; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 4910-60-P
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.