Pipeline SCADA Alarm Management

API RECOMMENDED PRACTICE 1167 SECOND EDITION, JUNE 2016

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1. Scope 1

2. Normative References 1

3. Terms, Definitions, and Abbreviations 2

   1. Definitions 2

   2. Abbreviations 5

4. Alarm Management Plan 6

5. Alarm Philosophy 6

   1. Alarm Philosophy Purpose 6

   2. Alarm Philosophy Use and Contents 7

6. Alarm Application and Determination 8

   1. General Considerations 8

   2. Alarm Determination 9

   3. Purpose and Use of Alarm Priority 9

   4. Diagnostic Alarm Priority 10

   5. Safety-related Alarms 10

   6. Other Uses of the Alarm System 11

7. Alarm Documentation and Rationalization 11

   1. General 11

   2. Documentation & Rationalization Process 11

   3. Documentation & Rationalization Methodology 11

   4. Documentation & Rationalization Preparation 12

   5. Determination and Assignment of Alarm Priority 13

   6. Determination of Alarm Setpoint 13

   7. Staged Approaches to Alarm Rationalization 14

   8. Recommended Storage of Documentation & Rationalization Information 14

8. SCADA System Alarm Functionality and Alarm Design 14

   1. General 14

   2. Point Types and Alarm Types 15

   3. Alarm Priority 16

   4. Alarm Settings and Alarm Occurrences 16

   5. Other Alarm-related Electronic Records 17

   6. Alarm Logs/Alarm Summaries 17

   7. Event Logs/Event Summaries 17

   8. Alarm Summary Display 18

   9. Alarm Deadband 18

   10. Alarm On-Delay and Off-Delay 18

   11. Alarm Suppression and Alarm Shelving 19

   12. Alarm System Reliability 19

   13. Defined Alarm Design Cases 20

9. Roles and Responsibilities 21

   1. Overview and Introduction 21

   2. Management 21

   3. Technical 21

   4. Operations 21

      
      

10. Alarm Handling 22

    1. General 22

    2. Nuisance Alarms 22

    3. Alarm Shelving 22

    4. Designed Alarm Suppression 23

    5. State-based or State-dependent Alarms 23

    6. Alarm Flood Suppression 23

    7. Alarm Audit and Enforcement 24

    8. Special-purpose Priorities and Alarm Routing 24

    9. Controller-adjustable Alarms 24

11. Controller Alert Systems 25

12. Nonannunciated Events 25

13. Alarm Audits and Performance Monitoring 26

    1. Overview and Introduction 26

    2. Audits of Managerial and Work Practices 26

    3. Alarm System Performance Metrics 27

    4. Alarm System Key Performance Indicators 27

    5. Reporting of Alarm System Analyses 29

    6. Regulatory Requirements for Alarm System Monitoring 30

14. Management of Change 30

    1. Purpose and Use 30

    2. Testing 30

    3. Documentation 30

    4. Notification and Training 31

    5. Emergency Management of Change 31

    6. Temporary Management of Change 31

    7. Regulatory Requirements for Management of Change 31

Annex A (informative) Determination of Alarm Priority 32

Annex B (informative) Priority Distribution for Alarm Configuration and Occurrence 36

Annex C (informative) Guidelines for Determining Possible Alarm System Key Performance Indicators 37

Bibliography 39

Tables

1. EXAMPLE Areas of Impact and Severity of Consequences Grid 33

2. EXAMPLE Maximum Time Available for Response and Correction Grid 34

3. EXAMPLE Severity of Consequences and Time to Respond Grid for Alarm Priority Determination . . . 34

B.1 Recommended Priority Distribution for Alarm Configuration and Occurrence 36

C.1 Alarm KPI Summary 38

Introduction

This publication was created by an API subcommittee. The members of this subcommittee were predominantly pipeline operators of liquid pipelines, but included participation from pipeline operators of gas pipelines, as well as members from the alarm management and control systems communities and U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration representatives.

With the technological advances of SCADA systems within the pipeline industry over the past two decades, it has become relatively simple to supply pipeline controllers with a wealth of information regarding the pipeline systems that they are operating. As the amount of information available to a controller increases, the importance of having a program in place to manage this information also increases. Alarm information should be presented to the controller in a manner that allows for easy identification and clear expectations as to the response required.

Pipeline SCADA Alarm Management

1. Scope

   
   

   This document is intended to provide pipeline operators with recommended industry practices in the development, implementation, and maintenance of an alarm management program. It provides guidance on elements that include, but are not limited to, alarm definition, philosophy, documentation, management of change, and auditing.

   
   

   This document is not intended to be a step-by-step set of instructions on how to build an alarm management system. Each pipeline operator has a unique operating philosophy and will therefore have a unique alarm philosophy as well. This document is intended to outline key elements for review when building an alarm management system.

   
   

   SCADA systems used within the pipeline industry vary in their alarm-related capabilities. There are also many different software systems available to aid in alarm management. It is the responsibility of the pipeline operator to determine the best method to achieve their alarm management goals.

   
   

   This document uses industry best practices to help to illustrate aspects of alarm management. The scope is intended to be broad. There are several publications and standards listed in Section 2 and the Bibliography that provide greater detail on the various elements of alarm management. Pipeline operators are encouraged to consult these publications.

   
   

2. Normative References

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.

API Recommended Practice 1165, Recommended Practice for Pipeline SCADA Displays

ANSI/ISA1 18.2-2009, Management of Alarm Systems for the Process Industries

49 CFR Part 1922, Transportation of Natural Gas and Other Gas by Pipeline: Minimum Federal Safety Standards

49 CFR Part 195, Transportation of Hazardous Liquids by Pipeline

1The Instrumentation, Systems, and Automation Society, 67 Alexander Drive, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, 22709, www.isa.org

2U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, East Building, 2nd Floor, 1200

New Jersey Ave., SE, Washington, DC 20590, www.phmsa.dot.gov

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