Plan de Gestión de Integridad de Tuberías

En Florida City Gas, su seguridad es nuestra prioridad. Es por eso que estamos comprometidos a mejorar y analizar continuamente nuestras líneas.

De acuerdo con las regulaciones federales, Florida City Gas ha implementado un programa de gestión de integridad para las tuberías en las áreas de alta consecuencia de la empresa. La gestión de la integridad de las tuberías es un proceso para evaluar y mitigar los riesgos de las tuberías en un esfuerzo por reducir tanto la probabilidad como las consecuencias de los incidentes. Es un proceso sistemático e integral diseñado para proporcionar información para asignar de manera efectiva los recursos para las actividades apropiadas de prevención, detección y mitigación. El programa se basa en los cimientos existentes de las normas de seguridad de tuberías que abarcan el diseño, la construcción, las pruebas, la operación y el mantenimiento que han existido durante muchos años.

Obtenga más información sobre los requisitos reglamentarios federales.

Estos son los pasos básicos en el proceso de gestión de integridad:

Identificación de áreas de alta consecuencia (HCA, por sus siglas en inglés)
Ubicaciones a lo largo del sistema de tuberías que cumplen con los criterios para identificarlas como tales. Generalmente, son áreas con alta densidad de población o con instalaciones difíciles de evacuar, como hospitales, prisiones o escuelas, y ubicaciones donde la gente se congrega, como iglesias, edificios de oficinas o parques.

Identificación de amenazas y evaluación de riesgos
Se evalúa la información sobre segmentos de la tubería para identificar las amenazas o problemas y evaluar los riesgos.

Análisis de riesgos
Un proceso sistemático donde se identifican los peligros potenciales de la operación de una instalación y se estiman las probabilidades y consecuencias de potenciales eventos adversos. Se asigna un puntaje a cada segmento de la tubería según el riesgo estimado.

Among these Requirements are the Following:

8/31/04

An Operator must report to OPS indicating the company has begun its preliminary assessments. Thereafter, an Operator must submit a full reporting to OPS of the four overall performance measures using semi-annual reports submitted within two months of June 30 and December 31 each year in accordance with §192.945. Florida City Gas is in compliance.

12/17/04

An Operator of a covered pipeline segment must develop and follow a written integrity management program that contains all the elements described in §192.911 and that addresses the risks on each covered transmission pipeline segment.

The initial integrity management program must consist, at a minimum, of a framework that describes for each of the 16 elements identified in §192.911:

  • The process for implementing each program element
  • How relevant decisions will be made and by whom
  • A schedule for completing the work to implement each program element
  • How the information gained from experience will be continuously incorporated into the program.

This framework will evolve into a more detailed and comprehensive program. Florida City Gas is in compliance.

12/17/04

Complete the initial HCA identification of the pipeline system.Florida City Gas is in compliance.

See FAQ 14 on the OPS IMP Web site which indicates that all High Consequence Areas (HCAs) must be identified as part of this initial framework completion.

2/28/05

An Operator must submit its first full reporting to OPS of the four overall performance measures.

Florida City Gas is in compliance. Note: Hereafter, Operator must submit semi-annual reports within two months of June 30 and December 31 each year.

12/17/06

An Operator’s ability to use a prorated building count to determine High Consequence Areas expires per §192.903. Florida City Gas did not prorate.

12/17/07

An Operator must assess at least 50% of the covered segments beginning with the highest risk segments. An Operator must prioritize all the covered segments for the Baseline Assessment in accordance with §192.917(c) and paragraph §192.921(b). Florida City Gas has a plan in place to comply with this mandate and the company is on track to meet it.

12/17/09

An Operator must re-assess a covered segment on which a prior assessment is credited as the Baseline Assessment under §192.921(e)Florida City Gas is not using any prior assessment.

12/17/2012

An Operator must complete the Baseline Assessment of all covered segments. Florida City Gas has a plan in place to comply with this mandate and the company is on track to meet it.

  • Baseline assessment plan – A schedule for performing pipe integrity assessments over the 10-year baseline period is developed. Risk assessment results are used to prioritize the projects. The worst 50% must be assessed by December 17, 2007 and the other 50% by December 17, 2012. The method of integrity assessment is also selected for each segment and becomes part of the plan along with the schedule. More than one method may be required depending on the threats identified.
  • Integrity assessment – The pipe segments are assessed according to the schedule and methods identified in the Baseline Assessment Plan. There are three primary assessment methods:
  1. Inline inspection – an inspection tool, often called a “smart pig,” is run through the pipeline to evaluate the pipe’s condition.
  2. Pressure test – the pipe is pressured to at least one and one half its normal operating limit to test the strength of the pipe. Water is usually used to pressure the pipe during the test.
  3. Direct Assessment – a structured, multi-step evaluation is conducted to identify potential problem areas.