# Ball Engineering Company — Pipeline Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** PI-75-017  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1975-05-01

PI-75-017 response to Ball Engineering Company concerning 192.719.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

May 1, 1975
Mr. Robert Buss
Ball Engineering Company
Consulting Engineers
Centerville, Iowa
Dear Mr. Buss:
This responds to your letter of March 22, 1975, asking several questions regarding 49 CFR Part
192.
Question 1: Does the exception from the requirement for non-destructive testing of welds under
Section 192.241(b) for pipe less than 6 inches in nominal diameter also apply to field girth butt
welds which must be tested under Section 192.719(a)(2)?
Answer: Section 192.241(b) provides limited exceptions from the requirement that all welds on
newly installed, replaced, or relocated pipe to be operated at 20 percent or more of SMYS, be
non-destructively tested. In contrast, Section 192.719(a)(2) specifically requires strength or non-
destructive testing for field girth butt welds made in repairing a transmission line by cutting out
damaged pipe as a cylinder and replacing it. This specific requirements for testing a repair weld
was established without exception because of the greater need to ensure weld quality.
Question 2: Does Section 192.503(d) refer to pressure testing only of welds?
Answer: Section 192.503(d) provides that the leak and strength test requirements for pipelines
under Subpart J do not apply to welds used to tie-in a segment of pipeline being tested.
Question 3: Does a pressure test made on replacement pipe before it is installed, as permitted by
Section 192.719(a)(2), satisfy the requirement of Section 192.619(a)(2)(ii) that in establishing a
maximum allowable operating pressure for certain pipe, a pressure test be made "after
construction?"
Answer: Because the requirements of Sections 192.619(a)(2)(ii) and 192.719(a)(2) apply in
conjunction, a pressure test permitted by Section 192.719(a)(2) to be made before installation
must necessarily qualify as the test required by Section 192.619(a)(2)(ii). At the same time,
Section 192.719(a)(2)
dal\192\719\75-05-01
1

<<<PAGE 2>>>

provides that any field girth butt weld which is not strength tested in the pre-installation testing
process must be non-destructively tested after installation in accordance with Section 192.243.
As you requested, we have enclosed a copy of Advisory Bulletin No. 74-7.
Thank you for your interest in pipeline safety.
Sincerely,
Joseph C. Caldwell
Director
Office of Pipeline Safety
Enclosure
dal\192\719\75-05-01
2

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1975/PI75017.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `43507ace7aec4f9642831698546ca894a5bb4470333ff98c0728a89f9b45d301`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-21T23:37:46.335Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-pi-75-017`

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