Exercise Prelude

Paul Youngman

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Exercise Prelude

Exercise Prelude took place on the 5th and 6th of November with the final report being published by the HSE on their website last month.

Overview of results What was within scope for Prelude Observations

Key indicators Key responses

Areas for further work Transporter focussed actions Shipper focussed actions

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Exercise Prelude

Scope of Exercise Prelude

Prelude was focused on Network Emergency Management Team actions and downstream load reduction

Testing of Primary and Secondary Transporters and new control rooms

Prelude was run to a script that went through each stage of a Gas Deficit Emergency

No development of strategy or time available for consideration of the “what if’s”

Upstream involvement and actions were limited to communication tests / exchange of forms

Wider interactions with DECC and external communications were also out of scope

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Exercise Prelude – General Observations

New processes introduced for Moffat Interconnector worked well

Communications from NEMT to the Distribution Network Control rooms was effective

Communications and processes need aligning to reflect changing industry structure

All transporters reported that the quality of site contact details was poor

Improvement in the number of sites that when contacted would load shed

Improvement by sites in understanding what is required of them

Improvements by Transporters in call handling and the escalation of issues

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Firm load shedding - Overall

Percentage of Site SOQ Load Shed by LDZ

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

LDZ

Perc

enta

ge

Opus

Prelude

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Firm load shedding - Overall

Percentage of Site SOQ Load Shed by LDZ

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

LDZ

Percen

tage

Opus

Prelude

Improvement compared to exercise Opus in the percentage of SOQ Load Shed

Performance of the top 4 LDZ was 75% of the total SOQ contacted being load shed

Action on all transporters to adopt the best practice of the best performing networks

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Firm load shedding – contact details

Firm Load Shedding Exercise Results

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Moscow Neptune Opus Prelude

Exercise

Perc

enta

ge

Successful (could turn off) Could not turn off Total sites where contact was made Contact details incorrect

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Firm load shedding – contact details

Contact details incorrect

Consistently high 32.89 %. Every third phone call made was to an incorrect number.

Improvement in action taken where contact is made

Decrease in “could not turn off” and increase in “Successful - can turn off”

Firm Load Shedding Exercise Results

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

Moscow Neptune Opus Prelude

Exercise

Perc

enta

ge

Successful (could turn off) Could not turn off Total sites where contact was made Contact details incorrect

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Exercise Prelude - Observations

Shippers were frustrated by fax communications

Duplicate faxes being sent by transporter control rooms during the exercise

SC2004 fault resulted in restoration notices being repeatedly sent after the end of the exercise

Some shippers unaware of new control room structure / effect on emergency communications and processes

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Exercise Prelude - Actions

Working with Transporters to improve:

Communication with Shippers and Supplementary Transporters detailing the changes to distribution network control rooms

Maintaining a commitment to “Best Practice” and adoption of it.

Establishing a better understanding of isolation and the restoration process

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Exercise Prelude - Actions

Working with Shippers to improve:

Provision of emergency contact details

Methods of communication and information provision

Awareness of any process changes

Understanding of the types and scopes of a Network Gas Supply Emergency

Clear understanding of the commercial processes

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Summary of Section Q Emergency Contact requirements.

  Large Firm

Interruptible   >25000 therms

>50000 therms

Site Manned 24 Hours

24 hour Emergency Contact and Job Title 1-5 1-5 1-4

Emergency Contact Telephone Number 1-5 1-5 1-4

Fax   1 1

Site Not Manned 24 Hours

24 hour Emergency Contact and Job Title 3-5 3-5 3-4

Emergency Contact Telephone Number 3-5 3-5 3-4

Fax   1 1

In addition to User contact details the User is responsible for providing the following site emergency contacts. (TPD Q 2.3 and 2.4)

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Contact Details

Responsibility of Users to update Emergency Contacts in line with the UNC and their contract with consumers

Key Features:

Fax and 24 hour where applicable

Relevant individual at site Has authority to act in accordance with instructions from Transporter Alternate contacts where appropriate

Integration with site and organisational plans

Obligation for all to co-operate under GSMR to protect public safety

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Report and contact details

The full results of Exercise Prelude are now available from the HSE website

http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/supply/information.htm

For further information please contact the emergency planning team

gasops.emergencyplanning@uk.ngrid.com

Paul Youngman – Emergency Planning Manager (GNCC) Tel: 01926 654151