Process Performance Improvement Consultants (PPIC) is an independent firm created in December 2002 to provide management consulting and advice to energy pipeline operators. We started the firm to build on work collectively performed at Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company over the past several years, and collaboratively since 1994. Our interest and work in the pipeline industry has not simply been periodic, or opportunistic; it has been our sole focus. We believe that it has not only served the needs of pipeline operators but has met the needs of the broader set of stakeholders by improving the way in which pipeline safety and reliability are managed. 

Process Performance Improvement Consultants, LLC

A Wholly-Owned Subsidiary of

The Blacksmith Group

© 2026 Process Performance Improvement Consultants (P-PIC)
P-PIC
Sustainable process improvement.
Contact Us
Mark L. Hereth, Principal mlh@p-pic.com 713-294-6650
John S. Zurcher, Principal jsz@p-pic.com 713-494-1052
Process Performance Improvement Consultants, LLC 2368A Rice Blvd, Suite 444 Houston, TX 77005
Principals
John S. Zurcher, Principal John has over 35 years in the gas pipeline industry, actively involved in pipeline safety. He served as Vice president of the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company, Pipeline Group, consulting to natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline operators, trade associations and research organizations, Previously, he worked for Columbia Gas Transmission Company as Manager of Field Services, responsible for company compliance with Federal Regulations, management of capital budget program, and development of the corporation’s risk management program. At Tenneco Energy, he was Director of Pipeline Services, overseeing corrosion control, geographic information system development, applied systems, and pipeline rehabilitation, integrity and safety projects. With PanEnergy Corporation, Coastal Corporation and Colorado Interstate Gas Company, his duties included design and operations, codes and standards, corrosion control, telecommunications, geographic information systems, and facility design and construction. John is a past member of NACE, GPTC and ASME and served on the B31.8 Section Committee. John has been Chair of the INGAA Pipeline Safety Committee and the GRI System Integrity and System Operations Committee. He was a member of the DOT Technical Pipeline Safety Standards Committee, the DOT Risk Management Quality Action Team and their Mapping Quality Action Team. He has testified on behalf of the industry before the Congress of the United States on several occasions on matters relating to pipeline safety. Mark L. Hereth, Principal Mark has over 30 years of experience in the energy, chemical and environmental industries as well as the oil and gas insurance industry. He has worked in the areas or risk management, management system development, pipeline operations, project management, process plant design and environmental and pipeline safety legislation and regulations. At the Hartford Steam Boiler Inspection and Insurance Company, he was the Senior Vice President and General Manager in their pipeline division. In this capacity he has worked with pipeline companies, industry trade associations and research organizations to develop and improve the management of risk and maintenance of the integrity of pipeline systems in order to improve safety and environmental impact as well as improve the cost structure and reliability of these systems. Mark presently serves as a board member for the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America Foundation and is on the Faculty at the Transportation Center at Northwestern University. Mark has received numerous awards and recognitions from the Department of Transportation for his contributions in risk management and improvements to the Pipeline Safety Regulations. Mark has testified to the Congress of the United States on issues relating to pipeline Safety.
Services
Process Performance Improvement Consultants, LLC (P-PIC) brings together a team of consultants with extensive experience in natural gas and liquid pipeline management, operations, engineering and regulatory affairs. Our mission is to provide process knowledge, facilitative skills and deep industry knowledge to enable energy companies to meet expanding business challenges while continuously improving business performance and safety. Our team supports the energy pipeline business in three areas: Technology Transfer and Standards Development Process Consulting Litigation, Auditing and Due Diligence While these appear to be separate and distinct, the experience and knowledge gained in each area provides valuable insights into working in the other two areas, which in turn enables us to bring greater value to our clients. Our work in supporting technology transfer and developing standards provides the foundation to expert analysis in litigation and process consulting. Our work in process consulting engagements provides us with a broad based knowledge of practices and technology that is invaluable in litigation and due diligence support. Our work in litigation, auditing and due diligence provide short-term intensive exposure to the intricacies of operating the business and the opportunity to critically review and identify opportunities to improve processes, the effective use of people and technology. Each of these key areas is described further below. Technology Transfer and Standards Development We support efforts at INGAA, API/AOPL, GTI and PRCI in developing the bridge that takes research and codifies the knowledge and technology into technical standards and other industry guidelines and practices. We also provide expertise in helping to frame regulatory development in the context of standards and technology. Our strength is being able to distill the technical content and place it in a context that can be used by the business and understood by regulators and the public. Projects in this area include the following: Integrity Management standards development (ASME B31.8S) Operator Qualification standard development (ASME B31Q) In-Line Inspection, Direct Assessment and pressure testing standards development Leading Mechanical Damage Practices Leading Corrosion Prevention Practices Joint Industry Project on Stress Corrosion Cracking Gas Quality and interchangeability guidelines development Application of standards to support regulation Interpretations of regulations in a business context White Paper development on technical issues (e.g. Waiver Process for Class Location Change; Fatigue in Energy Pipelines, Risk of a Gas Transmission Pipeline, Roadmap to Greater Capacity) International standards development support (Israel Pipeline Design, Operations and Maintenance Regulations) Training course development for consensus standards Ethanol transportation by pipeline Process Consulting We support energy pipeline companies in facilitating development of processes to improve safety and reliability in operations, maintenance and system integrity, measurement and engineering project management. In addition, we bring the experience of having managed these functions as well as the broad knowledge and experience having critically reviewed numerous processes in litigation, auditing and due diligence. Our strength is the ability to facilitate improvements while working with people throughout organizations because of our deep knowledge and experience in the industry. We can relate to people throughout the organization but have the ability to step back and provide an independent perspective. Projects we have been involved in include the following: Product measurement and lost and unaccounted for minimization Nominations and Transportation of product Product quality and control of quality Pipeline safety compliance Risk management programs and solutions Integrity management programs Management of change Damage prevention Communication to stakeholders Quality control and quality assurance of Management Processes Performance measurement Company organization design Reviews/Audits of company programs Policies, Plans and Procedures gap analysis Pipeline design and construction specification development and compliance review Special permits and waivers from regulations Pipeline replacement programs Failure investigation Litigation, Auditing and Due Diligence We support energy pipeline companies and their counsel in the defense of their company, their management and their business practices in litigation through use of our experience and knowledge of industry practices, serving as expert and consulting witnesses through our parent company, The Blacksmith Group. We use that same experience and knowledge base in providing independent auditing services for senior executives and boards, and investors considering purchase of a set of pipeline assets. Our strength is to apply that critical independent perspective in evaluating business operations and key points through the life cycle of a set of assets. We are available to help our clients when they need facilitative capacity to enable improvements to be identified, tested, integrated and sustained in the business. We are there to provide that independent perspective when faced by legal challenge, the need to evaluate the effectives of current operations or critically review a set of assets for acquisition. If your company faces challenges in these areas, we can assist you in developing comprehensive, systematic and integrated solutions that are tailored to your specific needs.