[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 185 (Tuesday, September 24, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 77966-77968]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-21794]


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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

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(PHMSA), Department of Transportation (DOT).

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: This notice provides amendments to the time, website 
information, dates, and other details of a notice published July 25, 
2024, announcing a public workshop on risk modeling methodologies and 
tools for the evaluation of gas, carbon dioxide (CO2), and 
hazardous liquid pipelines.

DATES: The public workshop will be held on October 23 and 24, 2024, 
from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. EST (8 a.m.--5 p.m. CST). Public comments for 
consideration at the workshop must be submitted to Docket No. PHMSA-
2024-0043 by October 11, 2024. Anyone who would like to attend the 
public workshop must register by October 11, 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 to [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 at the Whitehall Houston Hotel, 1700 Smith 
Street, Houston, TX 77002. The instructions and final agenda will be 
posted to Docket No. PHMSA-2024-0043 once they are finalized. The link 
to the meeting registration is: https://primis-meetings.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/4c97d810-9c86-4299-9c01-73c27f08fc07.
    Presentations: Presentations will be available on the meeting 
website and on the E-gov website at www.regulations.gov, 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 a.m. 
and 5 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 Janice 
Morgan, DOT, PHMSA-PHP-4,1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, Washington, DC 
20590-0001 or emailed to [email protected]. 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 DOT Docket Management 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: This notice provides amendments to details 
of a notice published July 25, 2024 (89 FR 60489).

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, subparts O 
and P; 49 CFR 195.452) require the continual evaluation of threats to 
pipelines, methods to minimize the likelihood of a release, and 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 to gather information 
regarding state-of-the-art pipeline risk modeling methods and tools, 
the use of those methods and tools, and the 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

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capabilities to provide risk insights and support decision making. Such 
models are not necessarily more complex nor need more data compared to 
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 and 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. The National Academies of Sciences, 
Engineering, and Medicine 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 measures.'' The study included 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 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.
    In response to the initial Federal Register Notice, authors 
submitted abstracts to Docket No. PHMSA-2024-0043. If selected, PHMSA 
will notify authors of their selection by September 30, 2024. Each 
author of a selected abstract will then provide a short presentation to 
be used during the workshop. Presentations must be submitted via email 
to [email protected] no later than October 15, 2024.
    Specific examples of risk 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 comment on the topics addressed in this 
workshop. Please review the ADDRESSES section of this notice for 
information on how to submit written comments.
    Issued in Washington, DC, under authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.

Alan K. Mayberry,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2024-21794 Filed 9-23-24; 8:45 am]
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