GPA Midstream’s Pipeline Design, Operation & Maintenance group is responsible for technical matters concerning pipeline design, operation and maintenance. The committee studies gas, liquid, and multi-phase flow pipeline design (mechanical, materials, instrumentation) including construction, testing, integrity, leak detection, welding practices, NACE requirements, regulatory compliance, mapping and GIS, optimization, and modification. The committee is also responsible for software used in pipeline design, including pipeline simulators and leak detection. Work includes pipeline pressure regulation, safety devices and control room operations but does not include pipeline custody transfer measurement, product sampling and analysis, material testing, permitting or gas distribution systems. This committee meets twice per year, usually in April and October.
View the Pipeline Design, Operation & Maintenance Committee Charter.
Typical Member
Typical committee members are individuals with appropriate job responsibilities and/or expertise involving them in the design, operations and maintenance of pipelines. This committee accepts volunteers with appropriate experience, and members may also be assigned by a GPA Midstream member company.
Benefits of Membership
The committee provides a forum for pipeline operators to share practices related to compliance with federal, state and local pipeline regulations.
Products & Services
Committee projects for the design engineer may include:
- Pipeline Design Checklist
- Hydrotesting Plans and Procedures
- Pigging Operations and Automated Pigging Systems
- Pipeline Leak Detection
Pipeline Committee Work Groups
- Pipeline Project and Design Check List
- Pressure Test Plans & Procedures
- Proposed Work Group: Damage Prevention Best Practices
- Proposed Work Group: Launcher/Receiver Standard Design
- Proposed Work Group: Minimizing Emissions During Meter Calibrations/Plate Inspections
- Proposed Work Group: Pipeline Leak Detection
- Proposed Work Group: Recommendation for Valve Spacing for Gas and Liquid Lines
Interaction with other GPA Midstream Committees/Outside Organizations
The committee works with other GPA Midstream technical committees and provides technical support to GPA Midstream’s Pipeline Safety Committee, which monitors safety and legislative and regulatory pipeline issues, particularly PHMSA and equivalent state agencies. The Pipeline Committee also gets reports from the Oklahoma State University Institute of Technology’s (OSUIT) Pipeline Integrity Program.
