Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Pipeline Integrity And Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Enbridge advancing probabilistic risk models and inline inspection program; PHMSA rulemaking on hold
Summary
Enbridge described progress on probabilistic risk models for transmission and distribution integrity, increased inline inspection (ILI) work, and noted that federal PIPES Act‑driven rulemakings remain paused by the federal administration.
SALT LAKE CITY — Enbridge Gas Utah reported progress on pipeline integrity programs, saying it selected a vendor to develop probabilistic risk models for transmission and distribution integrity and that the company is adding inline inspection (ILI) capability across its transmission and feeder systems.
Richard Kaiser, Enbridge Gas Utah, told the technical conference that the company selected a vendor (named in the presentation as Janet) to develop probabilistic risk models and expects implementation in 2026. Kaiser described the work as an intensive year‑to‑year program of model development and calibration for both distribution integrity and transmission integrity management programs.
The nut graf: The integrity program mixes traditional assessment methods and expanding use of inline inspection (ILI) — including robotic ILI for lines where flow or configuration limits traditional ILI — and the company said it is investing in launchers/receivers, cleaning and separation facilities, and pigging projects to inspect more miles of pipe and to target High Consequence Areas (HCAs).
Kaiser reported that 31 miles were assessed in the prior year using a combination of ILI and external corrosion direct assessment; the company found 30 anomalies that were evaluated or remediated. He said transmission pickable‑pipe percentage is now “a little over 50%” and that the company will add one to two new ILI segments each year. He addressed regulators’ questions about cyclical mileage variations, explaining that mileage can vary because some pipelines have been reclassified, new pipelines added, and work is scheduled around contractor and equipment capacity.
Kaiser also noted the federal pipeline safety regulation work driven by the PIPES Act of 2020 remains paused at the PHMSA rule stage due to administrative changes at the federal level; he said those timelines are uncertain and Enbridge is monitoring developments.
Ending: Enbridge characterized the reliability program as ongoing and iterative, with a commitment to increase inline inspection coverage, adopt probabilistic risk tools and continue remediation work on identified anomalies.
