Tag Archives: X-Info SMS suite

Making light work of Safety Management Studies

Australia’s largest gas pipeline network owner and operator, APA Group is responsible for more than $21 billion of energy assets across Australia.

Under Australian Standard AS/NZS 2885, APA Group and other gas pipeline asset owners are required to conduct cyclic Safety Management Studies (SMS) for all pipeline assets to ensure Australian pipeline standards and regulatory compliance are periodically maintained. Also it ensures the key stakeholders are fully informed of the processes and the operational risks associated with the assets are well understood and managed.

Since 2018, APA Group have been using Mipela’s X-Info SMS suite to automate this process and continue to utilise X-Info SMS suite to efficiently manage periodic reviews of safety management studies and conduct interactive validation workshops using GIS information and aerial imagery data.

WA based Risk Engineer, Kashif Kazi has conducted SMS workshops for various APA pipeline assets in WA State, namely Leonora Gas Lateral, Parmelia Gas Pipeline, Thunderbox Lateral, Jundee and Wiluna Gold Lateral.

“X-Info SMS suite provides a standardised and efficient approach to conduct the validation workshops and a tool to prepare required SMS inputs, collate data and produce outputs. This not only saving time but providing a consistent methodology for 5-yearly periodic operational SMS reviews for all APA assets. The system generates reports that show the spatial representation of threats, assets, and risks using the current and historic SMS review data for each asset, interactive use of GIS and aerial imagery mapping so staff can quickly reference and assess the status of any generic or location specific threats. This enables SMS workshop participants and key stakeholders to better plan resources, create appropriate actions, as required, manage and minimise the pipeline risk for as low as Reasonably Practicable,” said Kazi.

Looks like Kazi and APA’s other state based Risk Engineers are smashing these SMS studies out of the park!

Systematising pipeline risk management

Australia’s largest gas pipeline network owner and operator, APA Group is responsible for more than $21 billion of energy assets across Australia.

Under Australian Standard AS2885, APA Group are required to conduct Safety Management Studies (SMS) on all pipelines to ensure compliance and that key management personnel are fully informed of the operational risks associated with the operating assets.

In 2018, APA Group started using Mipela’s X-Info SMS suite to automate this process. X-Info SMS suite is specifically designed to provide pipeline owners with a comprehensive system that can manage their tasks associated with the operation, maintenance, suspension of operation, decommissioning and abandonment along with all their proposed transmission pipeline asset projects AS2885 workflows, quality control and reporting. Where a threat is identified as “credible” and failure is possible, the risk must be managed to ALARP (As Low as Reasonably Possible). X-Info SMS suite guides participants through an Initial Risk Assessment workflow and Residual Risk Assessment to reach ALARP.

Since that first project, APA Group have completed 12 workshops for more than twenty pipelines using X-Info SMS suite. The design SMS workshop for the Western Outer Ring Main project (Victoria) was the latest to be undertaken. APA Group have also loaded over 300 pipeline assets into the SMS database in preparation for the next round of workshops.

“Using a proven methodology and sound system like X-Info SMS suite not only saves a considerable amount of time from study to study but the automated reporting and reminders are critical in managing any identified threats,” said Phill King, Manager Systems and Assurance at APA Group. “Being able to quickly reference and analyse the status of our threats enables us to also to better resource plan and minimise the risk for all,” King added.

Moving forward, the next steps in the APA SMS story is to plan and “flatten the curve” for the upcoming SMS reviews.

What is X-Info SMS suite?

X-Info SMS suite (Safety Management Study) is specifically designed to provide pipeline owners with a comprehensive system that can manage their tasks associated with the operation, maintenance, suspension of operation, decommissioning and abandonment of their pipelines. In addition, X-Info SMS suite also manages data relating to any proposed transmission pipeline asset projects AS2885 workflows, quality control and reporting.

Why use X-Info SMS suite?

Pipeline owners use X-Info SMS suite to gather, store, display and report on information pertaining to design, safety and operational related hazards that cause or are capable of causing loss of pipeline integrity associated with the pipeline infrastructure (as set out in AS2885).

  • New Assets – X-Info SMS suite can provide a full pipeline safety management study.
  • Operational Asset – Safety management study reviews (five year Workshop style review).
  • Change Management – Local adhoc reviews as necessary for specific issues, for example new crossings, excavations, new tie in points, change of location class (development.
How it works
Threat library

Uses pre-configured threats for common crossings. Add specific physical and procedural protections unique to your asset. Threats can be associated locations via point and section geometries. Non-location threats are also captured against the entire asset.

Actions

Assigns actions to field teams to complete – reminder emails automatically notify responsible parties.

Risk Assessment

Where a threat is identified as “credible” and failure is possible, the risk MUST be managed to ALARP (As Low as Reasonably Possible). X-Info SMS suite guides participants through an Initial Risk Assessment workflow and Residual Risk Assessment to reach ALARP.

Case study

Specific details have been removed for confidentiality purposes.

  • Three pipelines
    • Pipeline A – approx. 5km – 97 threats
    • Pipeline B – approx. 200 km – 552 threats
    • Pipeline C – approx. 5km – 61 threats
  • 456 crossings
  • 727 threats
  • 80 follow up actions
  • SMS workshop completed in 2 days.

Putting your pipeline Safety Management Study information in one place

“Transmission pipelines have long operational lives (in Australia the Roma to Brisbane is our oldest operating highpressure pipeline in excess of 49 years), the environments around them change over time as do personnel responsible for planning, designing, constructing, commissioning, operating, maintaining and decommissioning. These changes are likely to have effects on a pipeline. In the short term, change will be associated with increased construction activity and its associated risk, in the long term change may alter the risk profile of a pipeline. This is particularly true on the urban fringe of towns and cities, where population growth and housing pressures lead to increasing expansion of urban boundaries and the transformation of rural and semi-rural land into suburban and urban environments containing residential, commercial and industrial communities.”
‘Guideline for investigations of land use around pipelines to guide initial location classification under AS 2885’ (August 2014)

It is now 21 years since AS 2885.1-1997 was published with its ground breaking section SAFETY, developed to provide a methodology for the pipeline industry to demonstrate the safe design, and construction of high pressure transmission pipelines. The SAFETY process was renamed ‘SAFETY MANAGEMENT STUDY’ (SMS) in the 2007 revision of AS 2885.1. Now the greatest change guiding our way forward has been the relocation of all details of safety management to a new standard “AS2885.6 Part 6:2017 Pipeline safety management” with final comments recently submitted 10 August 2018.

Mipela GeoSolutions X-Info SMS suite is a configurable, out of the box solution to capture, manage, display and report for your AS2885 proposed and operating pipelines:

  • Design parameters
  • SMS Workshop attendance record(s)
  • Location Class and Secondary Class assessments including definition of high consequence areas
  • Show typical threats which correspond to the whole pipeline route and location specific threats (point and length)
  • Protective measures (both procedural and physical)
  • Display radiation contours in the event of full bore rupture
  • Risk evaluation
  • Actions captured in a workshop which would need to be completed in time
  • Integration with your businesses Asset, Dial Before Your Dig, Encroachment, GIS Services, Integrity and Lands Management systems for history of contact and previous surveys.

X-Info SMS suite – Safety Management Study

X-Info SMS suite is the latest offering by Mipela that is specifically designed to provide pipeline owners with a comprehensive system that can manage the Clients tasks associated with the operation, maintenance, suspension of operation, decommissioning and abandonment along with all their proposed transmission pipeline asset projects AS2885 workflows, quality control and reporting.

AS2885 requires Licensee Approval for Safety Management Studies. X-Info SMS suite ensures that Client’s key management personnel are fully informed of the operational risks associated with the operating assets. It is a commercial off the shelf (COTS) solution that gathers, stores, displays and reports on information pertaining to design, safety and operational related hazards that cause or are capable of causing loss of pipeline integrity associated with the pipeline infrastructure (as set out in AS2885).

X-Info SMS suite can provide a full pipeline safety management study (generally for new assets), safety management study reviews (generally a five year style review) and local adhoc reviews as necessary for specific issues.

Benefits

  • Updates and revises your pipelines Threat Libraries to maintain AS2885 compliance
  • Location analysis
  • Threats identification
  • External interference protection in accordance with AS2885 standard
  • Other threats and mitigation measures
  • Failure analysis
  • Risk evaluation
  • Reports and outstanding actions
  • Filing – numerous types of important data.
A word from the Boss
Effective land management across the Gas Pipeline Victoria
It’s the stuff you don’t see that’s keeping you safe
x-infocus tips and tricks
Ampol joins our Client Community!
#projectMAD Special Invitation (14th Year) – RideWithUs!
Staff profile
I’m in a pickle
OLDER POSTS
A Word from The Boss
Mipela are Proud to Protect Qeno’s Botany Assets using the Power of X-Info Assurance suite
Update on our process improvement Kamapim project
x-infocus
Product Update
Mousemats
Staff Updates
Ensuring Smoother User Management: Your Collaboration can Expedite the Process
SA Power Networks – Committed to Ensuring Security
‘Tis the Season
A Word From The Boss
Our cloudy outlook has never looked so rosy
Update on our process improvement Kamapim project
infocus
Product update
Let us in!
Staff update
Providing you that extra level of assurance
Do you have reporting fatigue?
Mipela has invaded New Zealand!
A Word From The Boss
Focus on the complex, the urgent and the sensitive
Update on our process improvement Kamapim project
Making light work of Safety Management Studies
Safeguarding access and data integrity – the significance of using personal credentials to log onto software
A Word from the Boss
Reporting Stakeholder Information to the Regulators
Global Excavation Safety Conference awards Australia’s Glen “Cookie” Cook as the World’s Damage Prevention Hero of the Year 2022
Adding extra assurance to your BYD automated response system
A word from The Boss
APGA POG Incident database
What integration with SPEAR means to Jemena
Sentanil product focus
A word from The Boss
A truly epic project
The true power of data automation for Jemena
Update on our process improvement Kamapim Project
A word from The Boss
Tweed Shire Council using technology to deliver value to ratepayers
Women in Pipelines Forum (APGA)
A word from the Boss
Using software to safely plant trees
How mapping retirement homes helps LendLease manage its 14,000 dwellings
Utilising Map Activities
When it rains it pours
A word from The Boss
Stakeholder management and a global wind energy company
ERA Water automates its asset protection with X-Info DBYD suite
A word from the Boss
ARTC implements X-Info DBYD suite as their automated response system
Beware the Spreadsheet
If you are breaking ground out in the field – we have you covered!
A word from the boss
When community focus is key to the success of your project
How Gladstone Area Water Board saves time processing permits using X-Info DBYD suite
Mipela delivers more efficiencies to APA Group
Helping protect Queensland assets is at the tip of your fingers
Responsive engagement, requires intuitive interactions
Managing Cultural Heritage across Barada Barna land
“The Power of Communication” – see your world from a new perspective
Ever wondered how TransLink manage their Bus Stops?
Managing contaminated land compliance
APGA moves Pipeline Engineers Competency System (PECS) to a a new platform
“Doing the right thing”
Systematising pipeline risk management
The APGA Knowledgebase has moved to a new platform
These are challenging times
Experience really counts when it comes to stakeholder management
City of Greater Dandenong implements DBYD automated response system
Some days are great, some days are good, some days are bad
Stakeholder management – the answer is blowing in the wind
Flavour of the month – renewable energy projects
3 proven ways to empower technology
Automation in Remote Regions Delivers Multiple Benefits to Council
Powering through South Australia
Bringing  together data, systems and people
There’s no watering down the importance of DBYD responses at Allwater
Tanami Gas Pipeline data integrity and materials traceability
Incident management and risk analysis of Australasia’s pipelines
Greater Shepparton City Council moves to X-Info DBYD suite
What is X-Info SMS suite?
Putting your pipeline Safety Management Study information in one place
Making Lodging DBYDs Easier
Drawing in the Power of Collaboration
Desktop GIS Analysis for Preliminary Route Selection
X-Info DBYD suite Perfect Fit for ATOM
First Gas Land Management
Managing Your Information
Managing Your Information – from beginning to end
The importance of data across the life of your assets
Mipela assist Luminous Energy in planning solar farms in Queensland
Tasmanian Irrigation
The Value of X-Info Plans Management – Zinfra
Together, we grow
X-Info Plans Management
Real time data capture and reporting in remote field environment made possible with X-Info Aware
X-Info SMS suite – Safety Management Study
Property Information Service made easy
Your competitive advantage in field service management
Remote field task management and data capture providing results for real time consumption for Veolia
TGP optimises their field workforce with mobile data capture app
More than just maps… How do we add value to your GIS?
Working together as a team towards greater success
Automated back end processes provides Gladstone Area Water Board with improved responsiveness for issuing of permits
Four steps for effective business process improvement
Field Data Conversation Efficiency
Treasure your data?
New, bold, brilliant – X-Info Aware
SEA Gas improves efficiency of land management
Reach your business potential with X-Info Aware
Perfect match: X-Info Connect and Maintenance Connection