In recent years, the number of oil pipeline accidents has increased, also involving urban areas and the civilian population.
An oil pipeline, while connecting establishments subject to the “Seveso” legislation for which it must be prepared, in accordance with art. 14 paragraph 5 and Article 15 paragraph 2 of Legislative Decree 105/15, and the contents of Annex 3 and Annex B of this decree, a safety management system is not subject to this regulatory body.
In 2015, the US pipeline industry (oil and gas pipelines) defined the characteristics of a Pipeline safety management system. Created at the specific request of the “U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) “, API Recommend Practice 1173 (RP) was developed in collaboration with U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and NTSB.
The objective of the API RP 1173 is to provide a framework for developing and implementing a new Safety Management System, through the use of existing management programs, drawing on its own or external experience in the sector, to define complete the managerial elements capable of minimizing risks during the pipeline life cycle. The proactive approach makes it possible to anticipate all possible deviations from the established conditions, identifying responsibilities, through a clear and precise definition of roles, reinforcing the concept of leadership at all levels, encouraging non-punitive reporting and regularly monitoring activities.
The proposed management structure needs to be flexible to adapt to existing systems or to different conditions, and applicable to pipeline systems of different sizes and areas. The number of people and the resources employed, in fact, can vary sharply, but the elements that make up the pipeline safety management structure are common and apply to organizations of all sizes, in an appropriately modulated manner.
The activity consisted in the preparation of a “Safety Management System of an oil pipeline” in accordance with the requirements of API 1173, without neglecting what is also indicated in Annex B to Legislative Decree 105/15
An “oil pipeline system” generally consists of three main assets, each of which belongs to a different manager, so the risk analysis and the creation of documents must constantly refer to the need for coordination of all those involved.
The following documents have been prepared for this management system: Policy Document, Management System Manual, Management Procedures and related attachments.
