# TRANSPORTATION OF LIQUIDS BY PIPELINE — Pipeline Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** PI-76-068  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1976-10-15

PI-76-068 concerning 195.406.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

October 15, 1976
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Materials Transportation Bureau
[Docket No. OPSO-35]
TRANSPORTATION OF LIQUIDS BY
PIPELINE
Operating Pressure for
Platform Piping; Interpretation
By letter dated September 14, 1976,
the American Petroleum Institute
(API) petitioned for reconsideration
of the amendment to 49 CFR 195.106
published on August 12, 1976, in
Docket No. OPSO-35 (41 FR 34035).
The amendment to ?195.106 provides
that a design factor of 0.60 (rather
than 0.72 as now required) must be
used in the design formula for steel
pipelines, including risers, on
offshore platforms and on platforms
in inland navigable waters. The
amendment becomes effective August 1,
1977, and in accordance with
?195.100, applies to pipelines
constructed, replaced, relocated, or
otherwise changed on that date and
thereafter.
As a basis for the petition, API
refers to ?195.406(a)(1) which
requires that the operating pressure
of a pipeline may not exceed the
internal design pressure of pipe
determined in accordance with
?195.106. API points out that
?195.406 applies retroactively to all
existing pipelines, including those
installed using the existing design
factor of 0.72. As a result, API
states that ?195.406(a)(1) could be
interpreted to require a reduction in
operating pressure for pipelines not
designed using the new factor of
0.60. Since the rulemaking in Docket
OPSO-35 with respect to ?195.106 was
not intended to require a reduction
in operating pressures for existing
pipelines. API suggests that the
matter be clarified.
The Materials Transportation Bureau
has reviewed the problem raised by
API and interprets ?195.406(a)(1) as
prohibiting a carrier from operating
a pipeline at a pressure higher than
the"internal design pressure" which
?195.106 requires to be determined
during the pipeline's design phase.
dal\195\406\76-10-15
Thus, ?195.406(a)(1) only applies to
pipelines to which ?195.106 applies
(i.e., pipelines which are
constructed, replaced, relocated, or
otherwise changed on and after April
1, 1970, the effective date of
?195.106). Likewise, the limit on
operating pressure under
?195.406(a)(1) as a result of the new
design factor of 0.60 in ?195.106
only applies to pipelines which are
constructed, replaced, relocated, or
otherwise changed on and after august
1, 1977. Where ?195.406(a)(1) is
inapplicable, one of the other
standards in ?195.406(a) would govern
the maximum allowable operating
pressure.
Therefore, the petition for
reconsideration is hereby granted to
the extent that the above
interpretation clarifies the
reference to ?195.106 in
?195.406(a)(1).
(Sec. 6, Pub. L. 89-670, 80 Stat.
937, (49 U.S.C. 1655; 18 U.S.C. 831-
835); 40 FR 43901, 49 CFR 1.53)
Issued in Washington, D.C. on
October 15, 1976.
James T. Curtis, Jr.,
Director,
Materials Transportation Bureau.

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1976/PI76068.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `b26add524066d4903866cbb030ef1e439f3a5f172d773a5b37600e547242861b`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T23:14:12.002Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-pi-76-068`

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