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FOSA praises PHMSA safety research, development and testing announcement

Published by , Senior Editor
World Pipelines,


The Fibre Optic Sensing Association (FOSA), the US’s premier trade association dedicated to fibre optic sensing, praised the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announcement yesterday of an initial investment of US$10 million for the conceptual study, design, and development of what will be a world-class pipeline Research, Development, and Testing (RDT) facility at the Transportation Technology Centre (TTC) in Pueblo, Colorado.

“FOSA applauds PHMSA Administrator Skip Elliott’s leadership toward creating a pipeline safety facility,” said FOSA Chairman Mike Hines. “The test facility announcement represents another giant step towards the realisation of such a capability, which we believe will dramatically improve pipeline safety in the United States.”

Following its discussions with numerous pipeline operators, FOSA had previously called for government and the pipeline industry to work together to establish a pipeline safety test facility. Based on operator input, FOSA issued a concept paper suggesting a buried ‘flow-loop’ pipeline to emulate leaking pipes under real-world environmental conditions.

“PHMSA’s Pipeline Safety Facility concept complements similar, successful capabilities at the Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Railroad Administration, Federal Highway Administration, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and others who have facilities for validation of new technologies and techniques. The Transportation Technology Centre in Pueblo is an ideal location to place the pipeline facility,” said FOSA Executive Director Mark Uncapher.

FOSA is a non-profit organisation created in Washington DC in 2017 with the mission of educating industry, government and the public on the benefits of fibre optic sensing. Through webinars, videos, white papers, public presentations and public policy advocacy, the organisation provides information on the use of fibre optic sensing to secure critical facilities, enhance public safety and protect the environment.

FOSA Members include AP Sensing, Aselsan, Asymmetric Technologies, Corning, Ditch Witch, Dura-Line, Fotech Solutions, Frauscher Sensonic GmbH AT, Graz University of Technology, Hifi Engineering, NBG Fibre Optic Corp., NEC, Network Integrity Systems, NKT Photonics, OFS, Omnisens, OptaSense, OZ Optics, Prysmian Group, Smartpipe Technologies, The Weir-Jones Group and the University of California - Berkeley.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/regulations-and-standards/23072020/fosa-praises-phmsa-safety-research-development-and-testing-announcement/

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