NGA Fall ConferencePHMSA’s New Construction Inspection Requirements

Thursday, October 8 3:30-4:30

Mel Ciulla, Unitil

Amendment to 49 CFR 192.305

• PHMSA has delayed, indefinitely, the effective date of the amendment to 49 CFR 192.305 (pertaining to construction inspection). PHMSA will publish a document in the Federal Register announcing a new effective date. The rule as it was written requires an independent inspection of construction tasks (no self‐inspection). Since the issuance of the final rule, AGA has lobbied PHMSA to delay the rule, create a task group to address the concerns voiced by industry and state regulators, and move construction inspection oversight 

forward in a reasonable fashion. 

# of Gas Metered Customers = 77,000# of Electric Customers = 100,500Miles of Main = 1,350Number of Services = 54,259Miles of Transmission = 85Number of Employees = 122 (gas)400 total (gas, electric, central services

Company Profile

Agenda

Challenges

Highlights in Todays PresentationElectronic O&MContractor Oversight/TrainingInspector TrainingInspection ProcessAudits

Quality Management

• In December 2008 Unitil acquired Northern Utilities. Customer base went from 15,000 to 77,000 overnight.

• Unitil began an accelerated main replacement program in both Northern Utility states.

• The amount of contractor crews performing work for Unitil doubled

• Unitil required a robust QA/QC program for contractor/company oversight

• Unitil required a new O&M in a short amount of time to incorporate all of the changes resulting from the acquisition.

Challenges

Highlights

Unitil electronic O&M procedures

Contractor Oversight/TrainingOperation Qualification ManagementExpectationsGPS Mapping 

Overview of Inspector TrainingConstruction / Welding / System MAOP

Construction Inspection ProcessForms / 2015 Results / Remediation's

Construction AuditsForms / Audit Process / Results

Quality Management – Contractor Oversight

Quality Management

Quality Assurance

Procedural Manuals

Training & Contractor Orientation

Quality Control

Construction Inspections

Construction Audits

• Quality Management Starts with Quality Assurance

Procedural Manuals – Electronic field access, tied to OQ & AOC’s

Training & OQ – Contractors are Required OQ through the NGA Regional Plan, (3) Day Contractor Orientation.

Daily Tailboards – Includes an O&M Procedure review and OQ Covered task and AOC Review. 

• Unitil O & M Manual

• Contractor Training 2015

Operator Qualification Management

Unitil Operator Qualification Covered Tasks Tip Card

Unitil Operator Qualification Covered Tasks AOC's Tip Card

Tailboard Conference Plan – Gas Daily

Tailboard Conference Plan – Gas Weekly

Unitil/ Contractor Expectations GPS Mapping

Unitil requires GPS observations to be captured at approximately 50 foot intervals along the main and at strategic locations. 

These strategic locations include tie‐ins, endpoints, service tees, all valves, butt fusion joints, welds, active and repaired leaks, test stations, points of inflection, and mechanical fittings. 

GPS data collection shall be recorded while any existing facility is exposed and visible to the GPS collector.

GPS data collections equipment requires sub‐foot accuracy to ensure professional ‐ grade precision

INSPECTOR TRAINING 2015

Unitil ‐MA / ME / NH

Quality Control – Construction Inspectors

Construction Inspectors – Part of the construction group, Fully Operator Qualified, Mandatory Annual Training, Field Experience.

Span of Control – 1 to 4 Ratio (maximum), Included in project planning, also provides oversight and direction.

Daily Inspections – Electronic and tied to a daily work sheet, required remediation, monthly roll‐up reports to key Contractor & Company personnel .

Expectations System MAOP Validation

QA-QC UPC Construction Inspections (Deficiencies Found – Remediated) 2015

Quality Control – Welding Inspectors

Validate Welder Certifications

Welder Qualification Reports

Weld Map

Weld Map

NDT Report

Quality Control Compliance Audits

Construction Auditors – Part of the compliance group (independent), Fully Operator Qualified, Mandatory Annual Training, Field Experience.

Span of Control – (2) full time auditors cover (35) contractor crews & 6 to 10 Company crews. Also audit other O&M activities.

Inspections – Target goal of (2) audits per month for each contractor crew.

Audit Checklist & Reporting – Includes O&M Procedures, OQ Covered Tasks, Associated AOC’s, Construction Activity, Safety (i.e. PPE, Traffic etc.)

2013/2014 Compliance Audits – All Areas

2013/2014 Compliance Audits – All Areas

New/Renewal Main Work Audit

New/Renewal Service Work Audit

Completed Service Inspections Audit

All Compliance Audits Are Forwarded To The Area Manager, Construction Supervisor, Distribution Supervisor, Director of Gas

Operations and the Contractor Management Staff

Root Cause To Remediation Report Compliance Inspections All Areas

“We Do Realize That We Will Never Be Perfect, But

The Real Measure Is In How We Address

Situations When They Arise” - Unitil

• Ed Connors• Manager, Gas 

Compliance• connors@unitil.com

Find Us Online

www.aga.org

www.truebluenaturalgas.org

http://twitter.com/naturalgasflk

www.facebook.com/naturalgas

www.linkedin.com/company/50905?trk=tyah 

AGA Contractor Oversight Round Table Minneapolis Minnesota

Questions

Late 1800's gas meter made by the D. McDonald & Co. in Albany NY. The porcelain pressure gauge was made by the American Meter Company.

Measures 12.5" high & 8.5" in diameter. The meter is 3.5" in diameter 10 lbs