An Action Plan & a Roadmap: Implementing Pipeline Safety Management Systems

The client, headquartered in New Jersey, provides safe and reliable natural gas to approximately 700,000 customers across the state of New Jersey. The client’s non-utility businesses promote efficiency, clean technology, and renewable energy by providing customized wholesale commodity marketing and fuel management services, and developing, owning, and operating on-site energy production facilities. The client has approximately 800 internal employees and many contractors to support their initiatives.

Following the Enbridge pipeline incident in 2019, the American Gas Association (AGA) approved a resolution recommending all pipeline operators adopt and implement Pipeline Safety Management Systems (PSMS) within three years. To meet this expectation, the client’s leadership committed to full implementation of the American Petroleum Institute’s Recommended Practice 1173 (API RP 1173). The client engaged Antea Group to identify their current gaps and opportunities.

The scope of work included conducting a Pipeline Safety Management System (PSMS) gap analysis, developing a stakeholder engagement tool, implementing communications and marketing for the initiative, providing a corrective action plan and roadmap, and developing Plan-Do-Check-Act training.

To kick off the assessment, Antea Group held open dialogue sessions and interviews with the executive level leadership team, middle managers, and union leaders. Twenty executive-level leaders, three groups of union leaders, and 48 middle managers were interviewed to assess understanding of API 1173, perception of responsibility to safety as leaders, and the perception of the organization’s commitment to the safety management system.

Antea Group also analyzed the client’s current practices in comparison to API 1173 by conducting a review of documented evidence of system conformance. The PSMS gap analysis covered each of the ten elements in API RP 1173.

10 Key Elements of the PSMS

1. Leadership and Management Commitment
2. Stakeholder Engagement
3. Risk Management
4. Operational Controls
5. Incident Investigation, Evaluation, and Review of Lessons Learned
6. Safety Assurance
7. Management Review and Continuous Improvement
8. Emergency Preparedness and Response
9. Competence, Awareness, and Training
10. Documentation and Recordkeeping

Following the gap analysis, Antea Group produced a corrective action plan and roadmap for implementation. Upon the client’s request, Antea Group also assisted to integrate the gap analysis data points and corrective actions into a Power BI dashboard to be easily managed and tracked by their internal leaders and teams. A stakeholder engagement tool was also developed to support the development communications and internal implementation teams.

Throughout the gap analysis process, Antea Group worked with the client to develop a professionally recorded Plan-Do-Check-Act training to align with their internal training systems. The project team also developed communications, marketing, and branding to drive knowledge and understanding among internal and external stakeholders.

As a result of conducting a comprehensive management system analysis and supporting program development and integration of the PSMS into the culture, the client has been able to surpass their 2021 safety goals in just five months. The client is now able to focus on continuous improvement of their Pipeline Safety Management System.

Antea Group is continuing to support the client by implementing an API 1173 Train-the-Trainer program, harmonizing and revising their internal safety policies, integrating their Quality Assurance Project Plan with the safety management system, developing a lone worker program, and training and supporting the client’s teams to continuously mature their PSMS.