OPS Programs

Compliance and State Programs

OPS believes that an effective compliance program is one that encourages industry to maintain and enhance pipeline integrity. OPS is working with its state partners and the pipeline industry to improve a good transportation safety record that statistically has shown no significant change over the past ten years. We are exploring non-regulatory approaches to improve pipeline integrity and give operators options to correct problems that will achieve the best long term safety results. We are also updating our regulations to reflect best industry practices by making them more performance-based and less prescriptive. Under this partnership approach, we focus on the best safety solutions developed by mutual agreement and de-emphasize collecting penalties for insignificant safety violations. We believe that this cooperative relationship increases the potential for improvements that address pipeline integrity.

To understand more about the operation of specific pipeline facilities, OPS is planning routine inspections more effectively, downplaying paperwork review, and emphasizing physical inspections. Instead of assessing penalties for minor safety infractions, OPS inspectors are noting deficiencies and actively encouraging good operating practices by sharing best practices and working with operators to achieve improvements.

Even prior to the FY 1995 budget increase, performance measures indicating how OPS allocated inspection resources for CY 1992-1994 reflected a 50% increase in time spent inspecting pipelines even though staffing levels had only increased 19%. We planned our inspections more carefully and were able to work with operators to shift our focus from records review to more on site physical inspections. Additionally, during that time frame, OPS increased new construction inspection by 62% and accident investigation by 156%.

The other major activity to improve pipeline integrity is our risk management initiative. OPS is developing working partnerships with State agencies and industry to explore how risk management programs can be successful as an alternative to the existing regulatory system. The goal is having operators design and implement plans that, with regulatory approval, best use their companies' resources to address risks inherent in their individual systems.

OPS plans to use the interactive approval process we designed for the Oil Pollution Act of 1990 (OPA) program of spill response plan review and approvals as a model for risk management program review and approvals. OPS has learned valuable lessons from two years experience working with hazardous liquid operators on their oil spill response plans mandated by OPA. Working cooperatively with industry, we achieved complete compliance by the statutory deadline. In addition, the working relationships developed in the approval process provided a foundation of trust and cooperation that has paid valuable dividends in successfully planning OPA emergency response exercises. OPS sees a strong parallel between the success of the OPA experience and the opportunity to create a safer pipeline system through risk management approaches with pipeline operators.

Work is underway through a joint government/industry team on design of a new performance measurement system to establish a baseline for the safety level operators have achieved under existing minimum Federal safety standards. We are identifying new types and multiple levels of measures are resulting, from operator-specific to global, societal outcomes. Examples include measures of operator performance, such as percent of lines internally inspected and repaired; OPS performance, such as percent of pipelines covered by acceptable risk management programs; and overall safety performance, such as number of pipeline incidents in high population areas or environmentally sensitive areas, and so on. These initiatives demonstrate OPS' enhanced commitment to working with industry, States, and other pipeline stakeholders to wisely use resources to better protect people and the environment.

Number of Pipeline Safety Inspections Conducted on a Yearly Basis since Fiscal Year 1990

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Workload Measures

Number of Comprehensive Onshore Pipeline Facility Inspections by Fiscal Year

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Estimated Inspection Intervals by Federal Region for Onshore Units

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