Pipeline Safety Seminar Presentations

2025 Agenda - Agenda for the Pipeline Safety Seminar

September 3, 2025

• Safety Division Update - Rob Horensky, PAPUC
• PA One Call Damage Prevention Update - William Kiger, PA One Call
• PAPUC Damage Prevention Section-Data & Updates - Sara Locke and Braxton Cooper, PAPUC
• Utilizing Effective Enforcement for Damage Preventions - David Appelbaum, US DOT
• The Importance of Cyber & Physical Security Information Sharing - Michael Holko, PAPUC and Chris Allwein & Ashley Bleacher, Pa State Police
  

Pipeline Safety Breakout

• What Makes a Good O&M Procedure - Dale Colemon, RCP Inc.
• Gathering Line Updates & FAQs - Mike Chilek and Matt Matse, PAPUC
• What's Wrong with this Picture? - Martin Salamonski and Israel Gray, PAPUC
• Data Review - Bob Biggard, Sunil Patel and Jesse Burkett, PAPUC
• Geohazard Guidelines & Locating Abandoned/Orphan Wells - Andy Klinger, PA DEP
• Geologic Hazard Avoidance or Minimization Planning Guidance Document - Ann M. Mathew, PA DEP
• Non-Compliance Letters & Investigative Findings and Enforcement - Terri Cooper Smith and Chris Whiteash, PAPUC

Electric Safety Breakout

• Challenges in Forecasting Disruptive Weather - Dr. Jon Nese, Penn State University
• Electric Reliability in PA Overview - Dan Searfoorce, PAPUC
• Composite (Fiberglass) Pole Update - Michael Keller, PECO

September 4, 2025

• Update on the Latest Natural Gas Leak Detection Technology - Paul Wehnert, Heath Consultants
• Black Sky Preparedness & the Operation Blue Flame Exercise Series - Derek Ruhl, PAPUC
• Pipeline Safety Program Review - Mary Friend, PSC of West Virginia
• Online Resources & PAPUC Website Review - Melissa McFeaters and Don Trumpie, PAPUC

2024 Agenda - Agenda for the virtual Pipeline Safety Seminar

September 5, 2024

• PA PUC Pipeline Safety Update - Robert Horensky, PA PUC
• Root Cause for a Pipeline Event - Eugene Cobey, Northstar Performance Improvement
• PHMSA/DOT Update - Alan Mayberry, US DOT PHMSA
• Resilience in the Face of Stress - Dr. Catherine Spayd
• Incident Investigation and OQ - Warren Miller, ITS Training

Speaker Bios

• Stephen M. DeFrank - Chairman of the PA PUC
• Eugene W. Cobey - President & Chief Executive Officer of NorthStar/Conger & Elsea
• Alan Mayberry - Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety, PHMSA
• Dr. Catherine S. Spayd - Psychologist
• Warren Miller - Regulatory Compliance Specialist, Industrial Training Services

Virtual Vendor Room

Vendors wishing to participate in the Virtual Vendor Room will be contacted by Safety staff with details. Please post any questions via email to RA-PC-PipelineSafety@pa.gov.  

2023 Agenda - Agenda for the Pipeline and Electric Safety Seminar.

Day 1 - September 6, 2023

• I&E Safety Overview & Data - Rob Horensky, PA PUC
• Trivia Session #1
• Safeguarding Confidential Security Information - Rosemary Chiavetta, PA PUC
• Damage Prevention Update - Statistics & Data - Rob Horensky, PA PUC
• Trivia Session #2
• Trivia Session #3
• Cyber Threats to the Electric Grid - Michael Holko, PA PUC
• A Day in the Life of an Inspector - Scott Orr, PA PUC
• RIN #1 & RIN#2 Regulations - Jim Harchar, PA PUC
• Trivia Session #4
• UNGS Overview - Israel Gray and Matt Matse, PA PUC
• Electric Safety Division Incident Response - Jim Campbell, PA PUC
• Electric Safety Division Statistics - Benedict Tarr, PA PUC

Day 2 - September 7, 2023

• PHMSA Update - Nitander Raju, PHMSA Community Liasison, Eastern Region
• Trivia Session #5
• Reliability & Emergency Preparedness Responsibilities - Dan Searfoorce, PA PUC
• PA One Call Update - Bill Kiger, Pennsylvania One Call
• Trivia Session #6

Agenda - The Agenda for the 2022 Pipeline Safety Seminar, held on September 7 & 8, 2022.

Day One - September 7, 2022

• Safety Seminar Overview - Rob Horensky, PA PUC
• Damage Prevention Statistics - Sarah Locke, PA PUC
• Utility-Sector Cyber Threats - Michael Holko, PA PUC
• Safety Division Updates - Rob Horensky, PA PUC
• Accident Investigation - Heather David, PHMSA AID
• Trenchless Technology Technical Guidance Update - Domenic Rocco & Andrew Foley, PA DEP
• DIMP & Damage Prevention - The Crossroads of Safety - Terri C. Cooper Smith, PA PUC
• Cathodic Protection Requirements: Interference Currents - Bob Biggard, PA PUC
• 2021 Incidents & Non-Compliance Letters - Michael Chilek, PA PUC

Day Two - September 8, 2022

• Emergency Response - Michael Callan, EnergyEmergencies.com
• GTI Energy - Research and Technology Overview - Dennis Jarnecke, GTI Energy
• I&E Enforcement Overview: Process and Jurisdiction - Stephanie Wimer & Kayla Rost, PA PUC
• PA One Call Annual Update - Bill Kiger, PA One Call

Agenda - The Agenda for the virtual 2021 Pipeline Safety Seminar, held on September 9, 2021.

Professional Development Hours - Form to fill out to receive credit for Professional Development Hours. Presentation Objectives

Questions & Answers

Q & A -  List of questions that attendees submitted during the Seminar and the answers from the Pipeline Safety Division.

Presentations

• Advisory Bulletins, NTSB Reports, PIPES ACT of 202 and Other General Updates - Rob Horensky, PA PUC
• Act 50 - What is an AVR and How Can It Benefit Me? - Sara Locke, PA PUC
  
• Gas Pipeline Regulatory Reform - Sunil Patel and Melissa McFeaters, PA PUC
  
• One Call and the Damage Prevention Committee - Where We Are Headed - Terri Cooper-Smith, PA PUC 
• 2020 NC's Incidents and Investigations - Bob Biggard and Mike Chilek, PA PUC
• Implementation Update - 2019 Gas Transmission Regulation - Chris Hoidal, PHMSA

Virtual Vendor Room

Visit the Virtual Vendor Room to meet the vendors of the Pipeline and Electric Safety Conferences.

Agenda - The Agenda for the 2020 Pipeline Safety Seminar, held on September 10 through Microsoft Teams Live Event.

Professional Development Hours - Form to fill out to receive credit for Professional Development Hours.

Q & A - List of questions that attendees submitted during the Seminar and the answers from the Pipeline Safety Division.

Presentations

• PHMSA Summary & Performance Based Regulations - Chris McLaren, PHMSA
• Annual Data Report - Christopher Whiteash PA PUC
• PA PUC Damage Prevention - Terri Cooper-Smith & Kasha Schreffer, PA PUC
• Non-Compliance Letters & Incident Review - Mike Chilek & Lara Lapinski, PA PUC
• NTSB recommendations from Silver Spring, MD Incident - Bob Biggard & Sunil Patel, PA PUC

Virtual Vendor Room

Visit the Virtual Vendor Room to meet the vendors of the Pipeline and Electric Safety Conferences.

Agenda - Agenda for the Gas Safety Seminar, held on September 4-5, 2019 in State College.

Presentations

• Securing OQ Testing with Prometrics - Prometric
• Contractor Electrical Safety - PPL Electric Utilities
• 2018 Non-Compliance Letter Review - PA PUC
• Cross Bore Risk Modelling - JANA Technologies
• Geo-Hazards and Pipeline Safety - ARM Group
• Shale: Improving Safety Through Affordability - Marcellus Sale Coalition
• Pipeline Statistic - PA PUC
• Damage Prevention-One Call Enforcement under Act 50 of 2017 - PA PUC