Making light work of Safety Management Studies

Australia’s largest gas pipeline network owner and operator, APA Group is responsible for more than $21 billion of energy assets across Australia.

Under Australian Standard AS/NZS 2885, APA Group and other gas pipeline asset owners are required to conduct cyclic Safety Management Studies (SMS) for all pipeline assets to ensure Australian pipeline standards and regulatory compliance are periodically maintained. Also it ensures the key stakeholders are fully informed of the processes and the operational risks associated with the assets are well understood and managed.

Since 2018, APA Group have been using Mipela’s X-Info SMS suite to automate this process and continue to utilise X-Info SMS suite to efficiently manage periodic reviews of safety management studies and conduct interactive validation workshops using GIS information and aerial imagery data.

WA based Risk Engineer, Kashif Kazi has conducted SMS workshops for various APA pipeline assets in WA State, namely Leonora Gas Lateral, Parmelia Gas Pipeline, Thunderbox Lateral, Jundee and Wiluna Gold Lateral.

“X-Info SMS suite provides a standardised and efficient approach to conduct the validation workshops and a tool to prepare required SMS inputs, collate data and produce outputs. This not only saving time but providing a consistent methodology for 5-yearly periodic operational SMS reviews for all APA assets. The system generates reports that show the spatial representation of threats, assets, and risks using the current and historic SMS review data for each asset, interactive use of GIS and aerial imagery mapping so staff can quickly reference and assess the status of any generic or location specific threats. This enables SMS workshop participants and key stakeholders to better plan resources, create appropriate actions, as required, manage and minimise the pipeline risk for as low as Reasonably Practicable,” said Kazi.

Looks like Kazi and APA’s other state based Risk Engineers are smashing these SMS studies out of the park!