FOSA praises PHMSA safety research, development and testing announcement

WASHINGTON DC – July 22, 2020 – The Fiber Optic Sensing Association (FOSA), the nation’s premier trade association dedicated to fiber optic sensing, praised the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announcement today of an initial investment of $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 Center (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 realization 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 Center in Pueblo is an ideal location to place the pipeline facility,” said FOSA Executive Director Mark Uncapher.
FOSA praises PHMSA safety research, development and testing announcement
World Pipelines July 23, 2020
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