Safety and Design Standards

For this natural gas producer, establishing new gathering stations and extending pipelines are a way of life – as is compliance with regulations governing pipeline construction, operations and safety.

Recognizing the need for regulatory-compliant yet company-specific standards that can be easily understood and consistently applied, the client asked SKW to do the legwork. The task combined researching and reviewing internal and external regulatory resources with the application of SKW’s engineering design skills. The effort focused on three areas:

Environmental Survey Guidelines for new pipeline routes

Foundation Standard for gas compressors at new gathering stations

General Pipeline Standards for pipeline bends, blow down valve sizing and hot taps

The standards are company-specific in that they cover only applicable cases. For example, the standard for pipeline bends takes account of the older, larger pigs that are still in service on the line.

The result is a set of standards designed to be used – typically no more than several pages in length and illustrated with easy-to-understand charts, drawings and examples. Although brief, the standards include the technical data on which they are based. This establishes the guidelines as practically relevant.

The project involved both revision of existing internal standards and development of new ones applying to contractors, such as the Environmental Survey Guidelines . In developing the standards, SKW demonstrated its capacity for grasping the essence of the engineering problem or regulatory intent – and conveying that information in a clear, concise, and engaging manner. Assured functionality, efficiency and safety of pipeline operations are the benefits.