Mineral Blue is transforming Northern Gas Network’s (NGN) paper-based permitry procedures into a real-time, electronic permit to work and isolation system.
Before Mineral Blue
Before Mineral Blue, NGN used a paper-based management system, utilising various permitry forms that covered everything from permits to work to more detailed forms that described non-routine operations planning. The process relied on handwriting permits and phoning network controllers who would manually check records for authorisations. Not surprising then, that NGN sought to configure and implement Mineral Blue to deliver not only on their exacting procedural requirements, but to improve response times and remove risk associated with such historically siloed information.
Mineral Blue implemented our cloud-based Safe Controls of Operations system to optimise the performance of Network operations, to ensure control of network conflicts, allow real-time visibility of in-flight and planned work status, and provide an electronic permit to work and isolation system.
What Mineral Blue has delivered so far
• Predetermining, where appropriate, the type of permit required for an activity
• Validating AE and CP Competencies against permitry hazards and site types
• Highlighting restrictions at the point of validation
• Automatically applying predetermined controls dependent on type of permit and hazardous activity
What Mineral Blue and NGN plan next
This project is developing swiftly to include geospatial referencing for permits, isolations and operatives, enabling digital conflict management, and developing electronic permitry and isolation, validated against the training and competency systems. This will drive through the following benefits to NGN:
• Enabling operatives to sign on and off of permits in real time
• Geospatial tagging of permits / isolations
• Allocation of a Risk Radius to each asset / permit / isolation
• Collection of live data from signing on and off permits: (date, time, location, operative)
• Automated tracking of activity / task times
• Collection of live gas monitoring data and comparison of that data when benchmarked against the same asset. Automatic warning trigger if a tolerance is breached
• Geotagging of permit activities, including location of AE / CP during sign on and sign off
• Validation of subcontractor activities by recording the time the operators sign onto and off of permits, including number of operatives
• Logging of asset isolations
• Validation / confirmation of activity initiation or completion with a verified time stamp.
• Validation of activities and recording of these in a blockchain to provide irrefutable proof
• Live confirmation of Risk Assessment and Hazard Mitigation acceptance
• Live recording or reporting of Incidents or observations
