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Annual Update - Gas Distribution System
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This update covers the operation and maintenance of the gas system from this past year. The update will focus on aspects of physical condition, accomplishments, procedural requirements, federal and state oversight and regulatory requirements, capital project accomplishments, development projects support, and the major change in staffing and management of the gas system operation.
This year has seen a few major changes with the gas system operation program, as well as one relatively large system addition with the construction of the Hills Apartments. This apartment complex has not yet gone live but will be a significant change in the size of the system. Other changes that have occurred are the improvements from the Rose Street utilities improvements (capacity to serve and pipe condition upgrades), Mirador Phase II, and the DP Road reconstruction upgrades (capacity to serve and pipe condition upgrades).
The biggest change to the gas system operation and maintenance program is the addition of a dedicated gas system supervisor and full-time gas O&M crew team. In the past, the gas O&M program had to share crews who were also working on water distribution and wastewater collections O&M tasks. As was reported last year, the NMPRC performed an audit on the DPU’s gas system O&M program and records management procedures that resulted in mainly administrative “notices of probable violation.” However, there were some procedural violations that prompted GWS to request organizational change and the addition of the GWS Gas System Supervisor. There are over 90 operator qualification certifications that require full-time oversight, along with all the system O&M “distribution integrity management plan” (DIMP) requirements that must be fully documented to be considered compliant with the PHMSA 49-CFR regulations. It is no longer possible to split crew time between the three utilities and meet all the requirements toward compliance.
Operation and maintenance of the gas system in GWS has been completely reorganized to ensure each year’s set of compliance requirements are met. New schedules have been created with specific workflows (i.e. anode testing, PRV maintenance, odorant checks, pipeline patrol, etc.) that crews work on continuously without interruption. A new program to organize and enter all completed O&M records was integrated into the gas system records management system (Energy WorldNet). Auditors from the NMPRC were consulted in the development of the records management system and organizational structure. They will be aware that our DIMP is tracked through this system the next time the gas system is due for an audit. It will be a familiar process for them to review records.
Generally speaking, the condition assessment of the Los Alamos County gas distribution system is considered “GOOD” on a scale from “POOR” to “EXCELLENT.” Much of the system is in the “EXCELLENT” category thanks to the CIP investment in upgrades made over the past 25 years. The CIP program will continue to follow Public Works’ road improvement projects when necessary. Additionally, condition assessments of the system have revealed some areas with older plastic materials that become brittle over time and will require some “pocket area” upgrades to ensure integrity of the system. Finally, there are still some isolated steel sections that are not being protected from corrosion (cathodic protection) and are subsequently scheduled for replacements. These are short sections in Trinity Drive and a small number of service lines. Leak detection operations are well organized, thorough, continuous, and well documented. The LAC gas system is well below national averages for leaks per 1000 feet of pipeline and customers served (ref: PHMSA Data & Statistics).
The capacity of the gas system to serve the County is excellent. The upgrades to the border stations, where gas from the New Mexico Gas Company enters the LAC gas system, have ensured an adequate supply with ample pressure to serve the far ends of the system during the peak demand periods in the coldest winter conditions.
Attachments
A - Annual Presentation on Gas Distribution System