Collaborating With a Team of Pipeline Safety Management Experts to Assess Natural Gas Utility Companies

The client, an oil and gas industry trade association, hired an Antea Group pipeline safety management system (PSMS) assessor to work as part of a team of industry experts to assess multiple natural gas utility companies across the United States.   

In collaboration with regulators and industry experts, the client developed a recommended practice to help pipeline operators enhance risk management and promote continuous improvement of pipeline safety performance. Unbiased third-party assessments are a key part of evaluating PSMS maturity and effectiveness and benchmarking against peers. Independent 3rd party assessors are utilized to perform the assessments and provide operators with industry best practices, suggested improvement, and collaborative support performed by experts in the Pipeline industry. 

Antea Group supports multiple operators, in collaboration with other industry experts, to perform those third-party assessments. Each element of the PSMS is evaluated by performing a comprehensive review of all management system documents, performing in person interviews to develop a better understanding of maturity, and finally, verifying effectiveness of the PSMS in the field. A full written report is developed, and the assessment team meets to justify feedback and calibrate maturity and effectiveness score.   

Each operator is provided full access to their results, helping them to evaluate current successes and where there are opportunities for improvement. 

As a result of the assessments, pipeline safety is/was improved for internal and external stakeholders in multiple locations across the United States. The sharing of industry best practices by the assessment team and pipeline operators also improves pipeline safety for people and the environment.