WKM Consultancy; Sampling of Projects
As an independent consultancy, WKM has been a primary investigator and consultant in numerous pipeline technical projects for over 100 clients. Clients include major pipeline operators in the U.S. and overseas, consulting engineering companies; academicians; pipeline regulatory agencies; attorneys engaged in pipeline issues; and insurance companies. A sampling of projects completed include the following (in some cases, sponsoring company names have been omitted at their request):
- Conduct independent and owner/operator-assisted pipeline risk assessments on thousands of miles of pipeline systems worldwide. Create detailed risk assessment systems for some of world’s largest hydrocarbon and water transmission, gathering, distribution, and processing operations.
- Designed, installed, trained, and provided oversight for migration of desktop risk management systems to enterprise database environment.
- Set-up and administer pipeline integrity management programs for both gas and liquid systems for mid-stream operator of ~1,100 pipeline miles. Oversee all aspects of IMP execution and participate in audits.
- Designed and conducted risk assessments on underground hydrocarbon storage facilities with related surface facilities and pipelines.
- Design and implement pipeline risk assessment models for two large operators of North Slope AK oil and gas production fields. Highly sophisticated models incorporate unique arctic threats and operating conditions, and thousands of individual inspection results accumulated over several decades. Includes forecasting module that provides economic analysis for repair/replace/abandon decision-making.
- Design risk assessment model for specific class of gas distribution service pipelines for operator of over 75,000 such services in US. Participate in presentation of model and results to public utility commission overseeing gas distribution systems.
- Team member of IMP committee overseeing all aspects of regulatory IMP programs; six different companies with gas gathering, gas transmission, gas distribution, hazardous liquids gathering, hazardous liquids transmission assets.
- Develop risk assessment algorithms for facilities—pump stations, tank farms, compressor stations, metering stations, etc.
- INGAA Technical Committee member, serving on two technical committees, on behalf of a large gas pipeline operator.
- Design specialized risk assessment models specifically for pipelines with unusually high exposures to geohazards.
- Design specialized risk assessment models to measure risk in offshore pipelines with changes in burial and seabottom stability conditions.
- Design specialized risk assessment models to measure risk in non-hydrocarbon pipelines associated with facilities in 33 countries.
- Design specialized risk assessment models to measure risk associated with encased pipelines.
- Develop and support, as technical leader of project teams, risk assessments for major pipeline systems in China, Mexico, Brazil, Ecuador, Canada, Bolivia, France.
- Design risk assessment system for major gas transmission/distribution company; apply risk assessment to distribution system of over 4M services.
- Set up IMP programs, gas and liquid, for operator of small pipeline system in connection with chemical processing facility.
- Prepare report and make presentation to international development bank executives on subject of ROW encroachments and land use risk issues in Bolivia.
- Consult with designers of pipeline risk assessment software. Establish specifications and capabilities; support product development; beta-test programs.
- Assist in design of new risk assessment model to meet IMP requirements for operator of over 6,000 miles of natural gas transmission pipelines.
- Risk assessment study and report for ~4,000 km, large diameter natural gas pipeline across China.
- Risk assessment study and pilot program for several existing and pending liquid and gas hydrocarbon pipelines in China.
- Preparation of full regulatory integrity management plan (IMP) for ethylene, propylene, and other HVL pipelines in Louisiana, including dispersion calculations, hazard zone estimations, and risk assessment model.
- Comparative assessment and report on competing pipeline risk assessment methodologies for gathering systems in Oklahoma and Texas and refined products transportation in the NE
- Preparation of various risk reports and analyses documents for regulatory approval process of on-and offshore pipeline project proposed between Canada and U.S. in Pacific Northwest.
- Development of risk assessment methodology for tank farms and pump stations for major pipeline operating company.
- Risk assessment study and failure investigation on special plastic pipe installations for major urban gas distribution systems in NE U.S.
- Pilot risk assessment of 200 mile system and subsequent expansion to cover 5,400 mile large diameter hazardous liquid pipeline system;
- Development of risk management and MAOP determinations for hazardous liquid and gas pipeline systems countrywide in Bolivia;
- Pre-installation risk assessment study of a new large diameter, high-pressure offshore pipeline in Taiwan.
- Risk assessment consultations and field investigation of a major pipeline in Republic of Georgia involving conversion of portions of an old Soviet pipeline system.
- Risk management training for gas distribution system operators in Colombia, SA.
- Pipeline system risk evaluation for proposed hazardous liquid pipeline in Michigan, as part of preparations for Public Services Commission hearings;
- Under direction of US regulatory agencies (EPA, DOT, and DOJ), produce consulting reports on pipeline technical issues and risk management for conversion of crude oil pipeline to gasoline service, in Texas;
- Conducting pipeline risk management training sessions for all regional offices of National Association of Pipeline State Regulators (NAPSR), under contract for Department of Transportation, Office of Pipeline Safety;
- Risk assessment study and report for City of San Diego water department including all transmission pipelines, pump stations, reservoirs, and treatment plants.
- Identification of high consequence areas and preparation of integrity management plan for Louisiana hydrocarbon complex.
- Risk assessment and management report for proposed butadiene pipeline through congested urban area in south Texas.
- System safety and integrity evaluation study for purchasers of a crude oil pipeline system in Texas;
- Conduct risk assessment analysis for major terminals and HVL pipelines in Mexico;
- Development of risk assessment and risk management systems for a major city gas distribution system
- Evaluation and performance estimation report on SCADA system leak detection capabilities for crude oil system in Texas;
- Design and cost estimation for new pipeline risk management software suite of tools.
- Serve on technical advisory committee for Canadian pipeline software and technology company
- Development of procedures manuals and training materials for refinery and terminal operations;
- Create software programs for purchase order management and regulatory compliance ‘tickler’ for natural gas transmission company in Texas.
- Evaluation of operations and maintenance procedures for hydrogen pipeline operated in south Texas;
- Evaluation of pipeline safety systems and regulatory compliance for chemical plant in Louisiana
- Consultant for technical software acquisitions to publishing company specializing in the oil and gas industry;
- Create software for refinery to track progress towards regulatory compliance of operations and maintenance procedure manuals.
- Numerous reports and consultations with attorneys representing pipeline companies; parties injured by pipelines; and municipalities concerned with pipeline issues.
- Serve as associate instructor for PHMSA training of IMP inspectors–multi-year engagement.