By Sarah Miller, GPA Midstream President & CEO

Are you tapping into everything GPA Midstream and GPSA memberships have to offer?

GPA Midstream and GPSA bring together technical, advocacy, safety, and communications experts employed by midstream operators, suppliers, and service providers to develop technical standards and practices, nurture collaboration and innovation, train industry participants, educate energy consumers, collaborate with policymakers and legislators, and ultimately safely deliver affordable, reliable, and sustainable energy.

When we refer to “midstream”, we mean all the steps to gather, process, fractionate, store, transport and export natural gas, crude, and natural gas liquids. Consider what we could achieve if every operator, supplier, and service provider in the midstream industry were members, and all of their employees fully engaged in our collaborative efforts.

We are member-driven. The current list of GPA Midstream and GPSA members can be found in the Member Organization Directory. Member priorities are our priorities. The problems members face are on our committees’ agendas to deliver real-world solutions. If you have identified a challenge we aren’t yet working, join the applicable committee and expand our reach. If your company isn’t a member, contact us about joining.

Non-member companies miss out on committee involvement, free access to the GPSA Data Book and standards, discounted event registration, and a seat at the table where policy is written. Industry misses out on the energy, expertise, and wisdom of non-participants.

Here’s a quick guide to getting engaged and maximizing the value of your membership:

ACCESS INFORMATION

Every member company employee can access information through the following tools:

• GPA Midstream and GPSA websites for the latest news and event information.
• Our Member Portal to unlock instant, cloud-based access to hundreds of midstream-specific research reports, technical bulletins, papers, and standards, and the GPSA Engineering Data Book online. (Sign up with your company email.)

• Midstream Go app for news and event information (Download from the App Store or Google Play).

ENGAGE THROUGH COMMITTEES

Any employee of a member company may join any open committee. Bring your subject matter expertise and collaborate with similar experts. There are opportunities for those with less experience who can support committee project management. More experienced industry professionals and staff offer mentoring to new participants.

Advocacy Committees:

• Environmental — engages with the Environmental Protection Agency, with recent activity focused on the Waste Emission Charge, Subpart W, OOOOb/c, the Endangerment Finding, and Waters of the US;
• Natural Resources Subcommittee (scroll down to Natural Resources) — engages with US Fish and Wildlife Service and similar agencies, with recent activity focused on the monarch butterfly listing, the Endangered Species Act’s definition of harm, and the Migratory Bird Treaty Act;
• Pipeline Safety — engages with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), with recent activity focused on meeting with PHMSA leadership, issues with the incorporation by reference of API 1104 welding standards, and pipeline safety management systems;
• Regulatory — engages with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), with recent activity focused on NEPA, LNG exports, and collaboration with the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners; and
• Legislative — engages with Congress, with recent activity focused on administrative appointments,  budget reconciliation, and PHMSA reauthorization.

Technical Committees:

• Facility — produces guides, checklists, and recommended practices concerning midstream facility design, operation and maintenance;
• Integrity — produces guidance documents, program information, and compliance support related to facility asset integrity and PSM for safety and integrity related principles;
• Pipeline — produces guides, checklists, and recommended practices concerning pipeline design, operation and maintenance, including pipeline integrity;
• Measurement — produces measurement standards and calculation methods for gas and liquid measurement and quantity determination;
• Analysis — produces test methods, product specifications, and analysis standards and leads the annual School of Gas Chromatography; and
• Emissions — will produce data and perform research to aid the Environmental Committee’s advocacy efforts; also a forum to share lessons learned, new technologies available, and best practices for measurement, quantification, and abatement of greenhouse gas emissions.

Safety Committee — shares best practices and lessons learned, promotes safety training, monitors safety performance, and reviews safety regulations and voices midstream interests.  Currently expanding resources regarding leading metrics and process safety initiatives.

Communications Committee — provides strategic direction for communications with members, the industry, policymakers, and the public through our websites, newsletter, social media, and other channels.

To join a committee, contact staff:

• Advocacy Committees — Stuart Saulters‍
• Technical Committees — Martin Erne‍
• Safety Committee — Brandie Disbrow
• Communications Committee — Kevin Broom

ATTEND TRAINING, NETWORKING & EVENTS

From our Annual Convention (September 21-24, 2025 in San Antonio) and Technical Conference (April 2026) to specialized courses like Introduction to Midstream (offered three times a year), Engineering Data Book Training (offered twice a year), or the annual School of Gas Chromatography, GPA Midstream and GPSA provide networking and training to midstream professionals at a discount for members. First time attendees to our Annual Convention and Technical Conference can also apply for a mentor to best navigate all the offerings.

YOUR NEXT STEPS

1. Current Members: Get engaged by browsing our committee listings, finding your fit, and signing up for committee membership. Plan to attend our Annual Convention. Sign up for training. Encourage your co-workers to do the same.
2. Future Members: Explore GPA Midstream and GPSA to see for yourself how we integrate technical expertise with advocacy muscle. Contact us to discuss the value of membership. It’s not just about saving on conferences; it’s about shaping the future of energy.

In her monthly "Midstream Matters" column, GPA Midstream President & CEO Sarah Miller writes about strategic midstream issues.