Features

New Control Room Management Regulations Require Structured Management Approach

On Dec. 3, 2009, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published its final regulations for control room management (CRM). These regulations were the result of a multi-year effort to address concerns expressed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB).

Authored by: W. R. (Bill) Byrd, PE, President, RCP Inc. | Sneak Preview from February's Issue

Making Money with Mobile Workforce Management

If your projects typically yield $1 million or more in hard-dollar benefits and have a three- to six-month payback, then life is good. But if you would like to experience such gains regularly, then you might consider implementing in-the-field decision-support systems, which can result in tremendous ongoing cost savings and operational improvements.

Authored by: Charles Mohrmann | Sneak Preview from February's Issue

Station Configuration Impacts Availability, Fuel Consumption and Pipeline Capacity-Part 2 Of 2

The number of compressors installed in each compressor station of a pipeline system has a significant impact on the availability, fuel consumption and capacity of the system. Depending on the load profile of the pipeline, the answers may look different for different applications.

Sneak Preview from February's Issue

Video Pipeline Monitoring Offers A Tool To Avoid Costly Losses

We’ve heard of CPM, or computational pipeline monitoring. Isn’t it time that we embrace the opportunities of VPM: video pipeline monitoring? For years, pipelines have relied on traditional equipment for monitoring; that is, basic instrumentation brought back to the control room via some networking method.

Authored by: Steve Rubin, President, Longwatch Inc., Norwood, MA | Sneak Preview from February's Issue

Sailing Into Unknown Waters: A New World Order For Natural Gas?

It only seems like a short time ago that oil prices were over $100 a barrel, natural gas prices in the U.S. and UK were high, spot LNG cargoes into the Far East were priced at over $20 per MMBtu and experts in the energy industry were mainly concerned about whether the world could afford the high prices.

Authored by: Mike Fulwood and Brian Little, Nexant | January 2010 Vol. 237 No. 1

Configuration Impacts Availability, Fuel Consumption And Pipeline Capacity

Authored by: Matt Lubomirsky, Rainer Kurz, Pavel Klimov and Saeid Mokhatab | January 2010 Vol. 237 No. 1

Harnessing Entrepreneurial Energy: Houston Technology Center Boosts Texas Innovators

Since the Houston Technology Center (HTC) opened for business ten years ago, it has pushed dozens of companies through its client program. In 2007 HTC President Walter Ulrich cited the HTC’s impact on the Houston-area economy as $225 million a year.

Authored by: Erin Nelsen, Online Editor | January 2010 Vol. 237 No. 1

An Emissions Solution On Two-Stroke Lean-Burn Engines

The internal combustion engine (ICE) fueled by natural gas has moved in the direction of efficiency and environmental friendliness with lean-burn technology. Cameron’s AJAX®LE uses a CleanBurn™ prechamber type of combustion system that allows for operation with very stable combustion at lean air fuel mixtures.

January 2010 Vol. 237 No. 1

Crossing For 320-Mile CO2 Pipeline Challenges New HDD Company And Crew

Starting a new horizontal directional drilling company in the current economic conditions can be challenging, but John Dagenhart has seen the ups and downs of this industry during his 18-year career in the trenchless industry and is using this experience to help guide his newly formed company.

January 2010 Vol. 237 No. 1

Natural Gas Is The Key To Our Low-Carbon Future

From Copenhagen to the U.S. Congress, policymakers are deeply engaged on climate change and looking for innovative solutions to advance a low-carbon future. Not enough of the conversation has focused on the vast opportunity found right here in North America in clean, abundant natural gas.

Authored by: Regina Hopper, President/CEO, America’s Natural Gas Alliance | January 2010 Vol. 237 No. 1