NGA Gas System Engineering Design Review Webinar Series March 8 & 9, 2021

Gas System Engineering Design Review Webinar Series

A Safety Management System Perspective

March 8 & 9, 2021

Over 100 people attended the 2-day webinar on March 8-9, 2021 addressing "Engineering Design Review" which was co-organized by NGA, GTI, and The Blacksmith Group.

The NTSB recommendation following the 2018 Merrimack Valley incident regarding the use of PE's sent a strong message to the industry to take a fresh look at current practices regarding the process of engineering design review.

Bob Wilson of NGA notes: "The workshop demonstrated broad commitment by our members and others throughout the industry to seek out improvements in the Engineering Design Review Process as evidenced by EDR Guideline collaboration. We will continue to look at sustainable implementation solutions for Guideline adoption focused on a layers-of-protection approach using competent, accountable SME's (including the use of PE's), in balance with the complexity of design, to meet the intent and safety benefits of the recommendation. We believe the end-to-end focus on design-constructability-commissioning of assets embedding PSMS elements supports our parallel goals of operational ownership/accountability, risk mitigation and maximizing public safety value."

NGA is grateful to Mark Hereth of The Blacksmith Group for facilitating this timely, thought-provoking Workshop, and to the many outstanding presenters who provided great expertise in this area.

Commissioner Diane X. Burman of the NYS Public Service Commission, Recent Chair, NARUC Committee on Gas, and Current Chair of the NARUC-DOE Natural Gas Partnership, said that it is important to continue conversations such as this workshop to help improve pipeline safety and "enhance pipeline safety with innovative ideas." The bottom line, she said, is ensuring the integrity, reliability and safety of the system.
Bob Wilson of NGA reviewed the NGA Guideline for EDR in all its facets.
Vanessa O'Neil of GTI and Dave Keeling, President, Keevestic, Inc., discussed GTI's "Competent Engineer Certificate Program."
Robert Hall, Director, Railroad, Pipeline, and Hazardous Materials Investigations for the NTSB, addressed "Design Review as a Strategic Approach to Risk Mitigation: Lessons Learned."
Alan Mayberry, Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety, PHMSA, discussed RP 1173 "in Action" through the Design Review Process as a tool to address safety culture.
Mark Hereth and Stacey Gerard of The Blacksmith Group addressed "Connecting Engineering Design Review to Key PSMS Elements."

It was a comprehensive and informative program. Speaker presentations can be found here:
https://www.northeastgas.org/2021_eng_design_presentations.php