[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 143 (Thursday, July 25, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 60489-60491]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-16414]



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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

[Docket No. PHMSA-2024-0043]


Pipeline Safety: 2024 Risk Modeling Public Workshop

AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), 
Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice of public workshop and request for comments and 
abstracts.

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SUMMARY: This notice announces a public workshop on risk modeling 
methodologies and tools for the evaluation of gas, carbon dioxide 
(CO2), and hazardous liquid pipelines. The notice also 
requests comment on the topic, including submission of supporting 
abstracts of relevant engineering and technical modeling considerations 
to support improvement and advancement in pipeline risk management, 
such as modeling methods that follow PHMSA's report on Pipeline Risk 
Modeling, Overview of Methods, and Tools for Improved Implementation, 
issued in February 2020.

DATES: The public workshop will be held on October 23 and 24, 2024 
(time to be determined). Public comments for consideration at the 
workshop can be submitted to the docket until October 9, 2024. 
Abstracts must be submitted to the docket by August 16, 2024. All 
comments and abstracts must be submitted to Docket No. PHMSA-2024-0043. 
Anyone who would like to attend the public workshop must register by 
October 1, 2024. Individuals requiring accommodations, such as sign 
language interpretation or other ancillary aids, should notify Janice 
Morgan by phone at 202-815-4507 or by email at [email protected] no 
later than October 1, 2024. For additional information, see the 
ADDRESSES section of this notice.

ADDRESSES: The 2024 Risk Modeling Public Workshop will be held in 
person in Houston, Texas (exact location and website address to be 
determined). The location, instructions, and final agenda will be 
posted to Docket No. PHMSA-2024-0043 once they are finalized.
    Presentations: Presentations will be available on the workshop 
website and on the E-gov website at www.regulations.gov at Docket No. 
PHMSA-2024-0043, no later than 30 days following the workshop.
    Submitting Comments: Members of the public may submit written 
comments either before or after the workshop. Comments should reference 
Docket No. PHMSA-2024-0043 and may be submitted by any of the following 
ways:
     E-Gov Web: www.regulations.gov. This site allows the 
public to enter comments on any Federal Register notice issued by any 
agency. Follow the online instructions for submitting comments.
     Mail: Docket Management System, U.S. Department of 
Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, West Building Ground Floor, 
Room W12-140, Washington, DC 20590-0001.
     Hand Delivery: DOT Docket Management System, West Building 
Ground Floor, Room W12-140, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, between 9:00 
a.m. and 5:00 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday, except federal holidays.
     Fax: 202-493-2251.
    Instructions: Identify the docket number at the beginning of your 
comments. If you submit your comments by mail, please submit two 
copies. To receive confirmation that PHMSA has received your comments, 
please include a self-addressed stamped postcard. Internet users may 
submit comments at www.regulations.gov.
    Confidential Business Information: Confidential Business 
Information (CBI) is commercial or financial information that is both 
customarily and actually treated as private by its owner. Under the 
Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. 552), CBI is exempt from public 
disclosure. If your comments in response to this notice contain 
commercial or financial information that is customarily treated as 
private, that you actually treat as private, and that is relevant or 
responsive to this notice, it is important that you clearly designate 
the submitted comments as CBI. Pursuant to 49 Code of Federal 
Regulations (CFR) 190.343, you may ask PHMSA to provide confidential 
treatment to information you give to the agency by taking the following 
steps: (1) mark each page of the original document submission 
containing CBI as ``Confidential;'' (2) send PHMSA a copy of the 
original document with the CBI deleted along with the original, 
unaltered document; and (3) explain why the information you are 
submitting is CBI. Submissions containing CBI should be sent to 
Kandilarya Barakat, DOT, PHMSA-PHP-80, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, 
Washington, DC 20590-0001. Any commentary PHMSA receives that is not 
specifically designated as CBI will be placed in the public docket.
    Privacy Act: DOT may solicit comments from the public regarding 
certain general notices. Comments, including any personal information 
provided, are posted without changes or edits to https://www.regulations.gov. DOT posts these comments as described in the 
system of records notice (DOT/ALL-14 FDMS), which can be reviewed at 
www.dot.gov/privacy.
    Docket: For access to the docket to read background documents or 
comments received, go to www.regulations.gov. Follow the online 
instructions for accessing the dockets. Alternatively, you may review 
the documents in person at the street address listed above.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lee Cooper, Engineering Operations 
Supervisor, Engineering and Research Division, by phone at 202-913-3171 
or by email at [email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    Pipeline risk models are foundational to the assessment of 
operational pipeline risk. federal pipeline safety integrity management 
(IM) regulations require pipeline operators to use risk assessments. 
PHMSA's integrity management regulations (49 CFR part 192, subpart O 
and subpart P; 49 CFR195.452) require the continual evaluation of 
threats to pipelines, and evaluation of methods to minimize the 
likelihood of a release as well as address the consequences of 
potential releases. Risk models are a primary tool pipeline operators 
use as part of this evaluation process and are generally referred to as 
a ``risk analysis'' or ``risk assessment.'' A risk model is a set of 
algorithms or rules that use available information and data 
relationships to perform a risk assessment. The risk model is a 
simplified representation of a pipeline system and represents the 
relation of important risk factors.
    To meet integrity management standards, a risk modeling approach 
must be able to adequately characterize all pipeline integrity threats 
and consequences concurrently, as well as be able to evaluate the 
impact of various measures on reducing risk.
    In September 2015, PHMSA hosted a public workshop on risk modeling 
where various comments were presented and discussed with interested 
stakeholders. Information regarding the previous public workshop can be 
found at Docket No. PHMSA-2015-0139. Following the public workshop, 
PHMSA organized a risk modeling work group (RMWG) to gather information 
regarding state-of-the-art pipeline risk modeling methods and tools; 
the use of those methods and tools; and the

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resulting data in operator IM programs. In February 2020, PHMSA issued 
the resulting report, ``Pipeline Risk Modeling, Overview of Methods and 
Tools for Improved Implementation,'' which presented several 
conclusions:
     The overriding principle in employing any type of risk 
model/assessment is that it supports risk management decisions to 
reduce risks.
     While different risk model types have different 
capabilities for evaluating risk reduction actions, the quantitative 
system model or probabilistic models are more versatile and provide 
greater capabilities to provide risk insights and support decision 
making. Such models are not necessarily more complex nor need more data 
than other types of risk models.
     Pipeline operators should take ongoing actions to improve 
and update data quality and completeness over time. However, the type 
of risk model to employ in pipeline risk analyses should not depend 
primarily on the perceived initial quality and completeness of input 
data because all models utilize the available data. Instead, operators 
should select the best model approach and then populate the model with 
the best information currently available on risk factors or threats for 
each pipeline segment and improve that data over time.
     It is important for risk models to include modeling of 
incorrect operations, which includes human interactions and human 
performance, that are significant to the likelihood of failure or have 
a significant effect on consequences of a failure (e.g., inappropriate 
controller restart of pumps, realistic emergency response time 
scenarios, design, and construction human errors, etc.).
     It is important for pipeline risk models to include the 
potential effects of how threats interact in ways that can increase 
risk. Therefore, when a risk analysis involves multiple threats, the 
effects of ``interactive threats'' or dependencies on likelihood of 
failure should be clearly evaluated.
     Varying levels of sophistication are possible in the 
analysis of the consequences of a failure. However, it is important to 
consider an applicable range of scenarios (even if they do not have a 
high probability of occurrence) to capture the full spectrum of 
possible consequences.
     The characteristics of pipeline facilities that affect 
risk may be significantly different than those of line pipe, but the 
same basic risk assessment principles apply and the same types of 
models may be applied.
    In addition, section 119 of the Protecting Our Infrastructure of 
Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2020 directed PHMSA to 
commission a study to assess regulatory standards and criteria for 
deciding when automatic and remote-control shutoff valves should be 
installed on existing hazardous liquid and gas transmission pipelines 
in high consequence areas (HCAs). The National Academies of Sciences, 
Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) conducted the study of potential 
methodologies for the installation of automatic or remote-controlled 
shut-off valves and released its findings in February 2024. The study 
included several recommendations, one of which suggested PHMSA 
``further the pipeline industry's use of quantitative models for IM 
risk analysis as well as sound and consistent methods for establishing 
the benefits of safety measure.'' The recommendation specifically 
includes recommendations to:
     Require the use of quantitative risk modeling by all 
pipeline operators for their IM programs, except when an operator can 
make a compelling justification for the use of another risk assessment 
method.
     Provide the pipeline industry with practitioner-oriented 
technical guidance for conducting state-of-the-art pipeline risk 
analyses using quantitative models and for estimating the benefits of 
alternative risk reduction measures, including public safety benefits 
and interests.
     Encourage recognized standard-setting organizations, such 
as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and American Petroleum 
Institute, to enhance their standards for hazardous liquid and gas 
transmission pipelines by including more technical guidance for using 
quantitative risk models and for obtaining the data needed to develop 
them.
    The 2024 Risk Modeling Public Workshop will provide an opportunity 
to discuss advances in risk modeling approaches and methodologies for 
pipeline and non-pipeline systems, as well as practical ways that 
pipeline operators have adopted and/or adapted methodologies to enhance 
the risk analyses of their systems.
    PHMSA believes that risk models need to evolve in such a way as to 
be more versatile, thus leading to improved implementation to further 
reduce the risk of pipeline integrity threats to the public, property, 
and the environment. PHMSA is particularly interested in improvements 
to pipeline risk models, and what operators have adopted and/or adapted 
to risk models as part of the risk analyses of their systems.

Public Workshop and Request for Comments

    To this end, PHMSA will hold the 2024 Risk Modeling Public Workshop 
to discuss and receive public feedback on recent advancements and 
improvements in risk analyses and risk models. PHMSA invites the public 
to comment and submit research abstracts on engineering and technical 
modeling considerations related to advancements in pipeline risk 
models, as well as risk modeling methodologies used in non-pipeline 
applications, and practical ways that operators can adopt and/or adapt 
such methods to the risk analyses of their systems. PHMSA will review 
all submitted abstracts and may choose to select abstracts for 
presentation during the workshop.
    To be considered for presentation, authors must submit abstracts of 
250 words or less to Docket No. PHMSA-2024-0043 by July 30, 2024. If 
selected, PHMSA will notify the author of their selection by August 30, 
2024. Each author of a selected abstract will then provide a short 
presentation to be used during the workshop. This will be due by 
September 30, 2024.
    Specific examples of applications are encouraged. PHMSA is 
interested in engineering and technical modeling considerations, 
including, but not limited to, the following:
     Quantitative system and probabilistic risk approaches;
     Treatment of human performance, including both likelihood 
and consequence aspects;
     Consideration of threats and their interactions in risk 
assessments;
     Modeling challenges associated with the transportation of 
hydrogen, hydrogen blends, or carbon dioxide;
     Identification, evaluation, and comparison of preventive 
measures and mitigative measures;
     Cost/benefit analysis for risk reduction options; and
     Continual evaluation of integrity and general risk 
management decision making.
    PHMSA is not always able to publish a notice in the Federal 
Register quickly enough to provide timely notification of last-minute 
changes that impact scheduled workshops. Therefore, individuals should 
check the workshop website listed in the ADDRESSES section of this 
notice or contact Lee Cooper by phone at 202-913-3171 or by email at 
[email protected], regarding any possible changes. PHMSA invites 
public participation and public comment on the topics addressed in this 
public

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workshop. Please review the ADDRESSES section of this notice for 
information on how to submit written comments.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on July 22, 2024, under authority 
delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2024-16414 Filed 7-24-24; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P