NYSEARCH | Threat ID™ Tool Online
(Interacting Threats for Natural Gas Transmission Pipelines)
Description: NYSEARCH completed a comprehensive, systematic database study and developed a methodology that delineates and quantifies the potential interacting threats and the increased likelihood or risk impact attributable to interacting threats for in-service natural gas transmission pipeline segments. The threat interactions and their developed algorithms are based on subject matter expert (SME) analysis of actual pipeline incident data in the United States. For incorporation into relative risk ranking models, interacting threat risk impacts on an operator’s specific pipeline segments are quantified in a now available easy-to-use online tool.
Status: This tool is now available online to the project sponsors (who already have access) and to companies who can purchase an online subscription to this solution.
Cost: The cost for a one-year subscription to this online tool is $7,500.
More Information: DOT regulations and ASME B31.8-S require that pipeline operators consider all threats to pipeline integrity. As noted in recommendations P-15-10, P-15-16, and P-15-17 to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), the collection and evaluation of previously identified multiple threat interaction data are important considerations in natural gas transmission pipeline risk assessment programs. The approach was developed for this online tool in accordance with the regulatory requirement to consider “all threats to pipeline integrity” including the interactive nature of threats.
Tool Capabilities:
An interactive threats database was assembled by merging SME analyzed real pipeline incident data collected from the DOT’s database and Kiefner’s in-house failure database that were compiled over the course of more than two decades. While many significant threat interactions envisioned by subject matter experts were supported in the incident data analyses, other significant threat interactions were identified and quantified that were not originally envisioned by subject matter experts. The result is a spreadsheet-based pipeline segment interactive threat assessment tool for users of relative risk models, in either 9 - threat or expanded 20 - threat versions (ASME B31.8-S), which is relatively simple to understand and implement.
The NYSEARCH THREAT ID™ tool allows the user the capability to download specific pipeline segment threat data from an operator’s relative risk model. The output consists of individual and total interactive threat risk scores determined for each pipeline segment.