Panel Peer Review of PHMSA Pipeline Safety Research Projects: 2009

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 The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA) Pipeline Safety Research and Development (R&D) Program held its first structured peer review of active research projects in February 2006 and the most recent peer review in April 2009. Mandates by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Office of the Secretary of Transportation (OST) govern these reviews and are keeping PHMSA “Green” in addressing research data quality. Conducting these peer reviews via teleconference and the Internet is saving time and resources. It is also working well with panelists, researchers, Agreement Officers’ Technical Representatives and project co-sponsors. Most impressively, the PHMSA approach facilitates attendance from all U.S. time zones, Canada and Europe.

The peer review continues to build on an already strong and systematic evaluation process developed by PHMSA’s Pipeline Safety R&D Program and certified by the Government Accountability Office. The peer review panel consisted of twelve government and industry experts. One of the twelve panelists is an active Government representative from the Minerals Management Service. The remaining eleven panelists are retired Government and retired and active industry personnel who play vital roles as peers for the American Petroleum Institute, the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, the National Association of Corrosion Engineers and other standards developing organizations.

Forty-two active research projects were peer reviewed by expert panelists using 15 evaluation criteria. These criteria were grouped within the following five evaluation categories:

  1. Is the project still relevant to the PHMSA mission?
  2. Is the project still well managed?
  3. What approaches are taken for transferring results to end users?
  4. Is the project well coordinated with other closely related programs?
  5. Is the project producing high quality results?

The rating scale possibilities were "Ineffective," "Moderately Effective," "Effective," or "Very Effective." During the May 2008 review, the average program rating was “Very Effective” for each of the evaluation categories. For this year, 34 projects were rated “Very Effective” with 8 projects ranked as “Effective.” The average sub-criteria scoring were also rated very high and underpin these findings. This marks the fourth annual peer review where the majority of peered projects and the overall program rating were very effective. Additional details are available in Section 7 and Tables 4, 5 & 6 of this report.

Rating Scale
Very Effective4.5 to 5.0 (34 Projects)
Effective3.0 to 4.4 (8 Projects)
Moderately Effective2.0 to 2.9 (0 Projects)
Ineffective0.0 to 1.9 (0 Projects)
Average Program Score4.574

Program Averages - Review Categories and Sub-Criteria
Review Categories and Sub-Criteria Score Rating
1. Is the project still relevant to the PHMSA mission? 4.7 Very Effective
  1.1. Is the project still relevant for enhancing pipeline safety and or protecting the environment? 4.7 Very Effective
  1.2. Does the project support rulemaking, statutory requirements or inspection activities? 4.6 Very Effective
  1.3. Does the project address a technology gap, consensus standard or produce general knowledge? 4.7 Very Effective
2. Is the project still well managed? 4.6 Very Effective
  2.1. Is the project making progress toward the work scope objectives and the PHMSA goals? 4.7 Very Effective
  2.2. Is the project being managed on budget and schedule? 4.5 Very Effective
3. What approaches are taken in transferring results to end users? 4.5 Very Effective
  3.1. Is there a plan for dissemination of results, including publications, reporting, and patents? 4.6 Very Effective
  3.2. How much end user involvement is incorporated into the work scope? 4.5 Very Effective
  3.3. For results that may include marketable products and technologies, are commercialization plans established? 4.6 Very Effective
4. Is the project well coordinated with other closely related programs? 4.5 Very Effective
  4.1. Does the project build on, or make use of, related or prior work? 4.6 Very Effective
  4.2. Is the work of the project being communicated to other related research efforts? 4.4 Effective
  4.3. Has consideration been given to possible future work? 4.4 Effective
5. Is the project producing high quality results? 4.6 Very Effective
  5.1. Are the intended results supported by the work performed during the project? 4.6 Very Effective
  5.2. Are the intended results consistent with scientific knowledge and/or engineering principles? 4.7 Very Effective
  5.3. Are the intended results appropriate for the resources expended? 4.5 Very Effective
  5.4. Are the intended results presented in such a manner as to be useful for identified end users? 4.5 Very Effective
Average Category Score and Rating: 4.6 Very Effective

Project Rankings
Project Rank Contract Project Title Score Score
128 1 DTRS56-03-T-0008 A Comprehensive Update in the Evaluation of Pipelines Weld Defects 4.7 Very Effective
176 2 DTPH56-05-T-0001 Understanding Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) Signals from Mechanical Damage in Pipelines 4.6 Very Effective
141 3 DTRS56-04-T-0001 Nonlinear Harmonic-based Mechanical Damage Severity Criteria for Delayed Failures in Pipelines 4.5 Very Effective
154 3 DTRS56-05-T-0001 Innovative Welding Processes for Small to Medium Diameter Gas Transmission Pipelines 4.5 Very Effective
163 3 DTRS56-05-T-0003 Model Modules to Assist Assessing and Controlling Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) 4.5 Very Effective
104 4 DTRS56-02-T-0001 Application of Remote-Field Eddy Current Testing to Inspection of Unpiggable Pipelines 4.4 Very Effective
152 4 DTRS56-04-T-0011 Optimizing Weld Integrity for X80 and X100 Linepipe 4.4 Very Effective
164 4 DTRS56-05-T-0003 Integrity Management for Wrinklebends and Buckles 4.4 Very Effective
165 4 DTRS56-05-T-0003 A New Approach to Control Running Fracture in Pipelines 4.4 Very Effective
167 4 DTRS56-05-T-0005 Development of ICDA for Liquid Petroleum Pipelines 4.4 Very Effective
127 5 DTRS56-03-T-0007 First Major Improvements to the Two-curve Fracture Arrest Model 4.3 Very Effective
144 5 DTRS56-04-T-0010 Evaluation of Hydrogen Cracking in Weld Metal Deposited using Cellulosic Electrodes 4.3 Very Effective
150 5 DTRS56-04-T-0005 Modeling and Assessing a Spectrum of Accidental Fires and Risks in a LNG Facility 4.3 Very Effective
153 5 DTRS56-04-T-0012 Hazardous Liquids Airborne Lidar Observation Study (HALOS) 4.3 Very Effective
168 5 DTRS56-05-T-0004 Evaluation and Validation of Aboveground Techniques for Coating Condition Assessment 4.3 Very Effective
179 5 DTPH56-05-T-0006 Pipeline Assessment and Repair Manual 4.3 Very Effective
146 6 DTRS56-04-T-0009 Mechanical Damage at Welds 4.2 Very Effective
159 6 DTRS56-05-T-0002 Design, construction and demonstration of a robotic platform for the inspection of unpiggable pipelines under live conditions 4.2 Very Effective
169 6 DTPH56-05-T-0004 Use of Unmanned Air Vehicle (UAV) for Pipeline Surveillance to Improve Safety and Lower Cost 4.2 Very Effective
172 6 DTPH56-05-T-0003 Behavior of Corroded Pipelines Under Cyclic Pressure 4.2 Very Effective
174 6 DTPH56-05-T-0003 Remaining Strength of Corroded Pipe Under Secondary (Biaxial) Loading 4.2 Very Effective
131 7 DTRS56-03-T-0010 Alternate Welding Processes for In-service Welding 4.1 Very Effective
161 7 DTRS56-05-T-0002 Validation and enhancement of long range guided wave ultrasonic testing: A key technology for DA of buried pipelines 4.1 Very Effective
170 7 DTPH56-05-T-0004 Use of Unmanned Underwater Vehicle (UUAV) for Pipeline Surveillance to Improve Safety and Lower Cost 4.1 Very Effective
173 7 DTPH56-05-T-0003 Assessment of Older Corroded Pipelines with Reduced Toughness and Ductility 4.1 Very Effective
160 8 DTRS56-05-T-0002 Design, Construction and testing of a segmented MFL sensor for use in the inspection of unpiggable pipelines 4.0 Very Effective
162 8 DTRS56-05-T-0003 Applying External Corrosion Direct Assessment (ECDA) to Difficult to Inspect Areas 4.0 Very Effective
171 8 DTPH56-05-T-0003 Corrosion Assessment Guidance for Higher Strength Pipelines 4.0 Very Effective
178 8 DTPH56-05-T-0005 Cathodic Protection Current Mapping In-Line Inspection Technology 4.0 Very Effective
145 9 DTRS56-04-T-0003 Human Factors Analysis of Pipeline Monitoring and Control Operations 3.9 Very Effective
148 10 DTRS56-04-T-0008 Stage 2 Phased Array Wheel Probe for In-Line Inspection 3.6 Effective