Continuing Excellence in Pipeline Program Optimization
2022 has been a year full of challenges, changes, and a return to ‘normal’ for all of us here at P.I. Confluence. We’ve celebrated returning to conferences and in-person meetings and working with clients. As we close out the year, we’d like to share some noteworthy highlights and accomplishments from 2022.
Software & Updates in 2022
In 2022, we continued to advance our software applications through updates focused on improving user experience and functionality. This includes 7 updates to ICAM, a part of ProgramMgr. We made advancements in cross-platform software integrations and are working towards a large enhancement package to roll out in 2023.
Integrated Compliance Activity Management (ICAM) is a configurable cloud-based application designed to manage, schedule, track, document, and report the execution of your programs.
ICAM provides a consistent, standardized approach to organizational requirements such as process, workflow, and communications management allowing you to document the Who, What, When, Where, Why, and Why Not.
ICAM allows users to:
- Perform a complete Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle across all units.
- Support recordkeeping, quality assurance, and management of change.
- Perform process evaluations to support continuous improvement.
- Track implementation and supporting documentation of program activities.
- Meet PHMSA requirements for an Integrity Management program.
It has also been essential to us to include client feedback to influence changes in our software – we worked with our clients throughout 2022 to incorporate their input in changes to our solutions.
Audit Support
Our clients have trusted our expertise when they receive an audit notice, and we were proud to offer industry-leading support for multiple audits – all of them with no NOPV (Notice of Proposed Violation), thanks to our efforts.
Pipeline SMS as a P&M Effort Whitepaper
Transmission pipeline operators have traditionally focused on preventing and mitigating physical risks and threats to pipeline assets. The Pipeline Safety Management System (PSMS), as defined in API 1173, can be used as an additional preventive maintenance program to reduce the risk of organizational failure and improve safety. By implementing PSMS as a preventative maintenance program, operators can identify and address common sources of organizational failure, including plans, procedures, processes, resources, scheduling, training, equipment, communications, recordkeeping, performance, and management of change. Our white paper “Pipeline SMS as a P&M Program for Transmission Pipelines” discusses how to utilize PSMS as an additional preventive maintenance program for transmission operators.
ComplyMgr Nominated for Pipeline & Gas Journal Award
ComplyMgr, part of the POEMS® Program Suite, was named a finalist in the Best Management Advancement Technology category at the Pipeline & Gas Journal Awards this year.
The award recognizes a pipeline-related advancement in technology during the year that improves management practices by advancing methodology or improving other efficiencies.
ComplyMgr
ComplyMgr enables operators to achieve audit readiness through comprehensive management of the audit process. It streamlines pipeline compliance management and includes a centralized document repository for managing your organization’s governing documentation – policies and related procedures and forms.
ComplyMgr Users Can:
- Gain confidence in your programs and the ability to pass the PHMSA audit.
- Document Your Pipeline Program Compliance
- ComplyMgr provides pipeline operators and regulatory managers with the tools they need to document their pipeline programs and their compliance with regulations (e.g. PHMSA).
- Confidently answer the question, “Did you do what you said you would do?” when performing annual program reviews and preparing for the audit.
- Perform self-assessments that enable operators to identify:
- Gaps in written policy versus what is required by PHMSA
- Gaps in implementation versus PHMSA requirements
- Gaps in recordkeeping practices versus what PHMSA requires.
And most importantly: have a comprehensive understanding of where your program’s gaps are in advance of the audit, and develop an audit cheat sheet to easily answer all inspection questions.
Guest Appearances on The Pipeliners Podcast
Pipeliners Podcast episode 221 featured Sheila Howard discussing the key aspects of data, dashboards, and pipeline risk management to support an effective safety management program in pipeline operations.
Listen to this episode to learn about the role of organizational failure in high-profile pipeline incidents, how to use the PDCA cycle to address issues such as human error, how to support proper data collection, and how to identify and address other risk factors. Sheila and Russel also shared tips for pipeliners regarding safety and risk management and discussed the value of having the right tools for the job.
Mallory Gill, Sr. Regulatory Analyst, joined the Pipeliners Podcast to discuss program management and its common challenges, what ComplyMgr is, its benefits, and where the industry is headed as far as control room auditing.
She also talked about the challenging aspects of fitting into compliance, why it is important to be careful when doing PHMSA inspection protocol research, and how there is always a way to simplify and streamline a process.
Looking forward to 2023!
We want to thank all of our clients for their continued trust and support, which has led to another successful year at P.I. Confluence!
We’re excited about all of the opportunities we’ll have in 2023, including more conferences, more audit assistance, and further software development. We will continue adding value to the industry by sharing valuable content on our blog and monthly newsletter.
We hope you have a wonderful holiday season and a Happy New Year!
-The P.I. Confluence Team
