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
Technical Committee Workgroups
| Workgroup | Committee | Name | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| WG | Analysis Committee | GPA 2177 - Revision | The purpose of this revision is to address issues with the lower bound of the repeatability and reproducibility statements of 2177, while addressing on‐line chromatography. |
| WG47 | Analysis Committee | Liquid Sample Introduction | The scope of this standard is to describe the guidance and requirements for introduction of representative samples of natural gas liquid mixtures including natural gas condensates for analysis by laboratory and on‐line equipment. |
| WG48 | Analysis Committee | Round Robin Accountability | 1. Work with standard work groups to identify data required from a round robin to produce needed R&R. 2. Review the round robin while in progress to ensure data needs are being met. 3. Final sign off on round robin once all data has been received. |
| WG49 | Analysis Committee | Spreadsheet Maintenance | Maintain spreadsheets as corresponding documents are updated. |
| WG71 | Analysis Committee | GPA 2174 - Revision | The purpose of this revision is to address several industry needs including: sizing of composite samplers and mixing of samples including time and strokes, as well as several procedural issues which have been seen in the field. In addition, there is a need for procedures on sampling refrigerated NGL/LPGs |
| WG73 | Analysis Committee | GC Conversion from Helium to Hydrogen | The purpose of this working group is to establish a document that provides best practices and safety considerations for those looking to convert gas chromatographs from helium to hydrogen carrier gas. |
| WG89 | Analysis Committee | C10+ Analysis for GPA 2103 Compounds | The purpose of this work group is to establish a new GPA Midstream tentative standard for the analysis of heavier hydrocarbon liquids referenced in GPA 2103, such as natural gasoline through crude oil, with a C10+ report output. |
| WG91 | Analysis Committee | Identifying Significant Errors in Hydrocarbon Dewpoint | To investigate the reasons for hydrocarbon (HC) liquids appearing in a gas pipeline despite HC dew point measurements indicating dry gas, and to develop a guideline document for accurately identifying and quantifying/measuring the presence of liquids in natural gas flows. |
| WG93 | Emissions Committee | Gathering Lines Emission Factor Update Project | This will oversee the project to establish an industry wide emission factor for leaks on gas gathering lines for use in future pipeline Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) requirements and potentially in both the API Compendium of Greenhouse Gas Emissions Methodologies and EPA Greenhouse Gas Reporting Program Subpart W updates. |
| WG97 | Emissions Committee | Methane Slip Data Midstream Study | This workgroup will work to develop a study to understand the rate of methane slip from engines in the midstream industry. This data can be used in future Subpart W advocacy to potentially update the emission factor. |
| WG98 | Emissions Committee | Rod Packing Measurement Protocol | Develop a rod packing measurement protocol that helps guide GPA Midstream member companies in peforming consistent measurement of rod packing emissions per EPA's OOOOb and Subpart W requirements. |
| WG99 | Emissions Committee | EEMDL Flare Destruction Efficiency | Work with GPA Midstream to ensure there is midstream input in the University of Texas Energy Emissions Modeling and Data Lab (EEMDL) flare destruction efficiency study (Phase 1). |
| WG | Facility Committee | Facilities Design Recommended Practices - Revision | The purpose of this revision is to update the 2016 version to include up to date recommended practices. |
| WG96 | Facility Committee | Pressure Safety Valve Sizing Documentation | Create GPA Midstream guidance for facility operators to determine record keeping requirements related to PSV scenario evaluation and sizing calculations. Provide guidance to support midstream facilities including those under the jurisdiction of PSM, DOT, and other regulating agencies, as well as non-PSM regulated facilities. |
| WG65 | Integrity Committee | Facilities Integrity Inspection Guidance (PSM Facilities) - Revision | Update recently published GPA Midstream guidance document references throughout the document. |
| WG81 | Integrity Committee | Vertical Can Pump Integrity | To provide an overview of vertical can pump potentials for damage and or design deficiencies, and integrity methods to consider for monitoring them. |
| WG82 | Integrity Committee | Corrosion Control Documents and Integrity Operating Windows | Develop guidelines for the creation of CCD's and IOW's within a companies mechanical integrity program. |
| WG85 | Integrity Committee | Guidelines for Reapplying Used Plants and Equipment Update - Revision | Update the document and align it to current integrity procedures and standards using RAGAGEP (Recommended and Generally Accepted Good Engineering Practices). |
| WG90 | Integrity Committee | Engineering Suitability and Fitness‐for‐Service | To provide guidance on Engineering Suitability and Fitness‐for‐Service principles as it applies to assets in service for OSHA PSM and EPA RMP facilities. |
| WG92 | Integrity Committee | Brazed Aluminum Heat Exchangers - Revision | This workgroup will update the bulletin with information learned since the last issued update including the latest revision of ALPEMA. |
| WG94 | Integrity Committee | Digitization of Inspection Data | In the overall management of the data necessary to implement and maintain fixed equipment assets in midstream facilities, the coordination of the data collected and available for mechanical integrity data needs to be clearly identified, stored, and made accessible for other modules in the mechanical/asset integrity system. |
| WG95 | Integrity Committee | Industry RAGAGEP Guideline | Provide an inclusive list of documents in the industry related to mechanical integrity and develop a short synopsis of each document that states its use in the industry for reference from our documents in the Integrity Committee. |
| WG14 | Measurement Committee | GPA 2172 - Revision | The technical effort will cooperate with the AGA working group in their revision of AGA 5 with the intent of having technically equivalent documents. |
| WG77 | Measurement Committee | Multi‐Path Ultrasonic Metering at or Near Hydrocarbon Dew Point of Natural Gas | Create a tentative standard for multi‐path ultrasonic metering for single phase natural gas applications at or near hydrocarbon dew point. |
| WG80 | Measurement Committee | Building and Troubleshooting Midstream Material Balances | The purpose of this workgroup is to establish a GPA method that defines a standard methodology for material balances of gathering and processing assets that recognizes the different causes of measurement imbalances. |
| WG79 | Pipeline Committee | Pipeline Facility Integrity Guidelines | Develop guidelines for gathering & pipeline transmission facilities integrity for safety, operational excellence, and integrity superior performance. T |
Interaction with other GPA Midstream Committees/Outside Organizations
Committee members work with other technical committees, as well as with the American Gas Association, American Petroleum Institute and the American Society for Testing and Materials.
