1. Pipeline Personnel Qualification
ASME B31Q Update
Presented by
Jerry Schmitz, P.E.
Southwest Gas Corporation
B31Q Technical Committee Chair

2. Historical Perspective
1999: PHMSA published Operator Qualification (OQ) rule
2002: NTSB labeled Operator Qualification as “unsatisfactory”
2003: PHMSA issued 13 areas they considered as gaps in the rule
2003: Four public meetings held to address the 13 issues
2003: ASME B31Q Project Team formed to develop a technically sound, holistic, consensus standard for the qualification of pipeline personnel
2005: PHMSA amended OQ rule to address training, on-the-job performance and reporting significant plan changes
2006: ASME published the first edition of B31Q

3. 13 Implementation Issues
Scope of OQ inspections
Evaluation of knowledge, skills and abilities
Re-evaluation intervals
Maintenance vs. New Construction
Treatment of Emergency Response
Missing covered tasks (excavation)
Extent of documentation
Generic vs. task specific Abnormal Operating Conditions
Treatment of Training
Criteria for small operators
Use of directing and observing
Noteworthy practices
Persons contributing to an accident

4. ASME B31Q
American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) selected as entity to help develop and house standard
ASME B31Q committee selected
State and Federal Regulators
Operators from all segments of the industry
Contractor community
Industry Associations
Trade Associations
Vendors
Started August 2003 and published 2006

5. ASME B31Q

6. Underlying Principles of ASME B31Q
Scope covers tasks that impact the safety or integrity of the pipeline
Technically based
Prescriptive and Performance options
Performance options should have higher expectations on processes
Limited number of simple processes for each technical issue with freedom to develop operator’s own methods

7. Underlying Principles of ASME B31Q
Clear – should be clear and concise
Durable – adequate for multiple cycles
Complete – answers all known technical issues
Sound – technically sound foundation
Use existing rule where practical
Not a regulatory document

8. Major Aspects of ASME B31Q
Based on holistic approach to address OQ programs in full, not pieces
Addresses 12 of PHMSA’s 13 implementation issues
Fourteen chapters in B31Q
Prescriptive language
Performance language (equivalent options for all major requirements)
Eight Non-mandatory Appendices
Integrated Task List

9. B31Q Standard Content Foreword Introduction Definitions References
Qualification Program
Determining Covered Tasks
Abnormal Operating Conditions
Training
Evaluation
Qualifications
Portability
Program Effectiveness
Communicating the Qualification Program and Managing Changes
Documentation Requirements
Bibliography

10. Non Mandatory Appendices
Appendix 5A – Integrated Task List
Appendix 5B – Summary of Integrated Task List
Appendix 5C – Task List Development Process
Appendix 5D – Evaluation Criteria

11. Non Mandatory Appendices
Appendix 6A – Abnormal Operating Conditions (AOCs)
Appendix 8A – Evaluation Method Selection
Appendix 9A – DIF Analysis for Subsequent Qualification Intervals
Appendix 11A – Program Implementation and Effectiveness Appraisals

12. ASME B31Q Benefits Standardized task list
Standardized requalification frequencies
Identifies key qualification components
Allows for portability
Rationales are embedded in document
Accepted by PHMSA

13. Overview of B31Q Committee
Part of B31 Committee
History
B31Q Project Team
B31Q Technical Committee
Membership
32 voting member positions
About 10 contributing members

14. Organization of Committee
Chair
Vice-Chair
Secretary
Teams (Sub-Committees)
Team 1: Technical Issues – Task Related
Team 2: Technical issues – Non Task Related
Team 3: Administrative
Membership Diversity
Hazardous Liquids - Federal Regulators
Gas Transmission - State Regulators
Gas Distribution - Contractors
Small Operators - Labor
Industry/Trade Assoc. - Vendors

15. Key Issues Being Addressed
Work-in-progress from 2006 Standard
Editorial refinement
New tasks
Other items

16. Work-in-Progress from 2006 Standard
Portability
Jobs vs. Tasks
Qualification exemptions
New construction

17. Editorial Refinement Program effectiveness AOC list items
Scope and forward revisions
Typographical corrections

18. New Covered Tasks Under Consideration
Purging
Pigging
Operations and maintenance of auxiliary equipment
Dehydrators
Separators
Heaters
Coolers

19. Other Non Task Related Items Under Consideration
New technology
Long-term degradation of physical abilities

20. Ways to Participate Comments to secretary Work through members
Attend meetings
Upcoming meetings
Nashville, October 20-21, 2009
Albuquerque, March 2010
Web site:
Search on B31Q Committee

21. ANSI Process Technical Committee approval B31 Committee approval
Public comments
Publication of approved revisions

22. Standards vs. Regulations Keeping Things in Perspective
International standards
No jurisdictional bounds
Regulators can adopt all or part of a standard

23. PHMSA Perspective
B31Q addresses the OQ non-compliance issues found to date.
PHMSA has publicly stated –” If you meet ASME B31Q, you will meet the regulation.”

24. Summary Value of current standard More work to be done
Your participation is welcome
Using the standard now and in the future

25. Questions