Pipeliners Podcast host Russel Treat welcomes first-time guest Jeremy Groover of Industrial Degauss to discuss the technology behind demagnetizing pipe for welding purposes. In this episode, you will learn about why pipes need to be demagnetized, the connection to inline inspection (ILI), and how to demagnetize pipe. Jeremy also takes listeners inside the process of demagnetizing pipe quickly and efficiently, which alleviates the headache of costly downtime.
Aug 21, 2018•29 min
Pipeliners Podcast host Russel Treat welcomes new guest Stephen Sponseller from PTC to discuss the important topic of SCADA communications software and where the technology is going. In this episode, you will learn about edge computing and the importance of capturing data for real-time analysis, how the devices used in the field continue to change and improve because of new technology, and the next big change in the next 3-10 years using AI. “I think three years from now, we're going to see this...
Aug 12, 2018•38 min
The Pipeliners Podcast is continuing a series on inline inspection (ILI) with Marc Lamontagne of the Lamontagne Pipeline Assessment Corporation. In this episode, host Russel Treat and Mr. Lamontagne discuss the important roles of geometry and mapping for inline inspection. In this episode, you will learn about the caliper and geometry tools used for inline inspection, why it’s important to have accurate maps to track the movement of a pipeline due to changes in the environment, why highly-traine...
Aug 07, 2018•29 min
The Pipeliners Podcast is continuing a series on inline inspection (ILI) with Marc Lamontagne of the Lamontagne Pipeline Assessment Corporation. In this episode, host Russel Treat and Mr. Lamontagne discuss the use of ultrasonics for inline inspection. In this episode, you will learn about the use of ultrasonic tools to capture information about corrosion and cracking, the advantages of using ultrasonic compared to MFL for inline inspection, the technology available for ultrasonic ILI, and more....
Jul 31, 2018•29 min
In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat welcomes back measurement expert Ardis Bartle to discuss the Bureau of Land Management Onshore Order, which governs measurement for producing properties on the land managed or owned by the BLM a/k/a the U.S. government. Why should pipeliners care about the new BLM onshore order? Listen to this important episode to understand the implications for the pipeline industry, the latest rules in-play, and how politics influenced the new BLM or...
Jul 24, 2018•33 min
In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat welcomes back Giancarlo Milano of Atmos International to discuss the critical topic of simulators for pipeline training. The discussion focuses on three types of trainers typically used to support pipeline operations, the methods used to build up competency and measure the competency of a controller or operator, the importance of being able to interact with the SCADA and HMI, and more valuable training-related topics.
Jul 17, 2018•34 min
Pipeliners Podcast host Russel Treat flies solo in this episode with a recap of the important information and developments from the 2018 AGA Operations Conference held in Washington, D.C. In this episode, you will learn about the primary conversations during the conference including cybersecurity and its impact on gas control, the latest on NTSB’s involvement in pipeline incident investigations, updates to the PHMSA regulatory rulemaking process, advanced pipeline safety requirements at the stat...
Jul 10, 2018•28 min
Russel Treat is pleased to welcome back measurement advocate and industry consultant Ardis Bartle to the Pipeliners Podcast to discuss the latest trends in measurement training. The episode is based on the whitepaper on trends in training that Ardis presented at the AGA Operations Conference in June. Ardis discusses her research on where measurement technicians are learning their trade, why failures happen in the field, the importance of creating clarity about measurement in the industry, and ho...
Jul 03, 2018•31 min
The Pipeliners Podcast is kicking off a new series on inline inspection (ILI) with Marc Lamontagne of the Lamontagne Pipeline Assessment Corporation. Host Russel Treat and Mr. Lamontagne begin the series discussing magnetic flux leakage (MFL) technology. In this episode, you will learn about the value of MFL as the workhorse of inline inspection, how MFL can help discover metal loss, and the limitations of this technology. Stay tuned for more episodes in this inline inspection series covering co...
Jun 26, 2018•27 min
The Pipeliners Podcast is excited to deliver a series of episodes with Giancarlo Milano of Atmos International. In this fifth and final episode of the series on leak detection, Russel Treat and Giancarlo reverse roles with Giancarlo interviewing Russel about leak alarm response. In this episode, you will learn about the technological side of setting up leak alarms in the SCADA system, the importance of training controllers to respond to alarms, how software can reduce false alarms, and other imp...
Jun 19, 2018•34 min
The Pipeliners Podcast is excited to deliver a series of episodes with Giancarlo Milano of Atmos International. In this fourth episode of the series on leak detection, Russel Treat and Giancarlo discuss rupture detection. In this episode, you will learn what type of leak classifies as a rupture, the importance of your systems and measurements to provide visibility and alarming if a leak reaches the level of a rupture, how to properly address a rupture in a complex system, and other key topics re...
Jun 12, 2018•28 min
The Pipeliners Podcast is excited to deliver a series of episodes with Giancarlo Milano of Atmos International. In this third episode of the series on leak detection, Russel Treat and Giancarlo discuss Negative Pressure Wave technology. In this episode, you will learn how this technology is used to determine whether there is a leak in a pipeline, when and where this technology is helpful in specific environments to protect high-consequence areas, and how this technology allows you to conduct lea...
Jun 05, 2018•28 min
The Pipeliners Podcast is excited to deliver a series of episodes with Giancarlo Milano of Atmos International. In the second episode of the series on leak detection, Russel Treat and Giancarlo discuss the statistical volume balance model for leak detection. In this episode, you will learn how the SVB model uses statistics to calculate the probability of a leak in a pipeline using key factors. You will also learn about the importance of the Sequential Probability Ratio Test to deliver the calcul...
May 28, 2018•37 min
The Pipeliners Podcast is excited to kick off a series of episodes with Giancarlo Milano of Atmos International. In the first episode of the series on leak detection, Russel Treat and Giancarlo discuss the real-time transient model for leak detection. In this episode, you will learn about the technical details of leak detection, the latest technology that supports RTTM, and the resources that help pipeline operators implement, maintain, and diagnose using the real-time transient model. In the ne...
May 22, 2018•39 min
In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat provides a recap of the API Pipeline Conference and Cybernetics Symposium. Listen to Russel share his perspective on the various sessions and conversations related to pipeline safety and compliance. Also, Russel provides an important report on the regulations and recommended practices that were discussed at the conference. Pipeline operators can learn more about what is currently in place, what was tabled, and what is coming down the p...
May 15, 2018•24 min
Industrial Cybersecurity expert Clint Bodungen returns to the Pipeliners Podcast to discuss an important trend for pipeline safety and training: the gamification of cybersecurity. In this episode, you will learn about Clint’s new product designed to enhance the training capabilities in pipeline operations and other relevant industries. Russel and Clint will walk through pipeline incidents and events in a simulated environment to get an idea of this futuristic technology that is designed to help ...
May 07, 2018•29 min
Team Training is a hot topic in the pipeline industry following the latest regulatory requirement issued by PHMSA for control room management. In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, learn from an industry veteran of more than 50 years, Charles Alday, who shares his knowledge of team training, roles and responsibilities, and unique training methods. You will also learn about the importance of the most basic communication in a pipeline operation to ensure clarity and understanding. This is esp...
Apr 30, 2018•33 min
In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, Russel Treat welcomes the president of the Texas Pipeline Association, Thure (pronounced “Tur-ee”) Cannon, to discuss pipeline regulations at the state level. You will learn about the differences between pipeline regulation at the state versus federal level, how Texans uniquely manage intrastate pipeline activity, and the latest research on the economic impact of the oil and gas pipeline industry on the Texas economy. If you are interested in pipeline r...
Apr 24, 2018•28 min
In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat welcomes Nicholas Guinn of Summit Offshore Systems, Inc. to discuss the importance of IT for SCADA build and the logistics of managing compressors in pipeline operations. You will learn about the importance of understanding who will be using data and how the data will be used in a pipeline operation to define the SCADA system. You will also learn about various options for compressor optimization and how to prepare to adopt futuristic t...
Apr 15, 2018•34 min
Have you considered advocating for the energy and pipeline industries? You don’t need an official position or a big title to advocate for smart energy practices in our country. In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, find out how David Holt of the Consumer Energy Alliance works with big players in Washington, D.C., oil and gas companies, and everyday Americans to find energy solutions that work for every community. You will also learn about the importance of educating friends, family, neighbo...
Apr 10, 2018•34 min
This episode of the Pipeliners Podcast captures the importance of meter proving to generate accurate measurements from a pipeline and save companies money. To help identify key issues in the field, Russel Treat welcomes industry expert Jane Williams to the podcast to discuss meter proving, the frequency of conducting proving measurements, how to correctly conduct a prove, the different types of meters available to conduct measurement, plus more topics. Download this episode to get a better under...
Apr 03, 2018•30 min
In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, Russel Treat welcomes Daniel Nagala of UTSI International Corporation to discuss the latest cybersecurity threats and awareness issues facing the pipeline industry. The conversation focuses on what Mr. Nagala has seen in the field -- both domestically and internationally -- to identify the various challenges facing pipeline operators. Included is how to integrate new system capabilities with legacy systems without exposing operators to security risks. A...
Mar 26, 2018•30 min
How much data is enough? This is a common question when evaluating your data acquisition capabilities and the individual needs of your pipeline operation, particularly when considering the Computational Pipeline Model (CPM) approach to leak detection. However, there is a better question to ask: what am I trying to do, what are the limitations of my SCADA infrastructure and how much data do I need to accomplish each critical function? In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat a...
Mar 19, 2018•33 min
For the first time on the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat dives into the fundamentals of pipeline leak detection with guest Giancarlo Milano of Atmos International. In this episode, you will learn about the fundamentals of leak detection including external and internal prominent approaches to leak detection. Then, Giancarlo walks listeners through various computerized approaches beginning with basic mass balance through to the more complex real-time transient model (RTTM) for leak detectio...
Mar 12, 2018•33 min
Russel Treat welcomes guest Ardis Bartle to the Pipeliners Podcast to discuss the importance of measurement standard operating procedures. In this episode, you will learn about field practice, the contracts and standards in the industry that dictate how SOPs should be implemented, managing legacy procedures that are inherited with an acquired company, and how changes to measurement technology affect SOPs. You will also learn about the most important acronyms in measurement standard operating pro...
Mar 05, 2018•32 min
For the first time on the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat dives into the topic of measurement analytics. To facilitate the discussion of this important topic affecting the future of the pipeline industry, Bruce Wallace of Peak AI Solutions joins Russel to discuss analytics, Big Data, learning algorithms, and more relevant issues. Listeners will learn about the different schools of thought related to learning algorithms, the importance of a measurement data management system, and how artifi...
Feb 27, 2018•34 min
Before you can take a deep dive into SCADA technology, you need to understand how to simplify the SCADA build. In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, Russel Treat and guest Scott Williams review the ins and outs of setting up SCADA systems, getting buy-in from key stakeholders, and cutting off issues in the beginning to prevent headaches later in the process. You will learn that simplifying the SCADA build is about analyzing your available systems, planning the build, communicating in all ph...
Feb 20, 2018•30 min
In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, you will learn about the important topic of inline pipeline inspection with guest Marc Lamontagne. Included is a discussion of the history of pigging and the three categories of threats to pipeline integrity. You will be in the same position as host Russel Treat walking through the pigging process, what tools are available to identify specific integrity threats, and the difference between axial and circumferential magnetic tools. Finally, the discussion...
Feb 13, 2018•32 min
Would you like to know how a DOT-compliant control room is built from scratch? Do you want to understand the latest details of what should be included in a control room to comply with the CRM Rule? In this episode of the Pipeliners Podcast, host Russel Treat welcomes Matt McClure of Oasis Midstream to discuss his experience standing up control rooms. This discussion covers the full spectrum of what goes into a new control room, including furniture, rest areas, SCADA systems, High Performance HMI...
Feb 06, 2018•35 min
In the first Pipeliners Podcast episode of 2018, host Russel Treat welcomes Ross Adams back to the podcast to discuss the timely topic of control room team training. This episode goes into detail about the new frequently asked questions (FAQs) published by PHMSA at the start of this year. What do the FAQs mean for implementing the latest roles and responsibilities? What do they mean for the team training requirements for the pipeline control room? Also included in this episode is background on w...
Jan 29, 2018•33 min
