# The Standard Oil Company — Pipeline Safety Interpretation

**Citation:** PI-78-005  
**Type / status:** guidance / guidance  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 1978-02-10

PI-78-005 response to The Standard Oil Company concerning 195.228.

## Document text

<<<PAGE 1>>>

February 10, 1978
Mr. Robert R. Young
The Standard Oil Company
Midland Building
Cleveland, Ohio 44115
Dear Mr. Young:
This responds to your letter dated November 18, 1977, in which you
ask, "does the term 'cracks' as stated in DOT Section 195.230 and
Section 195.232 exclude 'shallow crater cracks or star cracks'
which are of acceptable dimensions and 'not considered injurious
defects' according to Section [sic] 6.7 of API 1104 and DOT Section
195.228?" The answer is Yes, because the acceptability of a weld
is determined according to the standards in Section 6 of the 1973
edition of API Standard 1104.
Section 6.7 of API 1104 states: "Shallow crater cracks or star
cracks which are located at the stopping point of weld beads and
which are the result of weld metal contraction during
solidification are not considered injurious defects unless their
length exceeds 5/32 inch. With exception of these shallow crater
cracks, no weld containing cracks, regardless of size or location,
shall be acceptable." The Office of Pipeline Safety Operations
interpreted the requirement to mean that shallow crater cracks or
star cracks 5/32 inch or less are not significant in the assessment
of a weld. We believe that it would be incorrect to conclude that
these specific cracks are identified in Section 195.230(a)(1) and
Section 195.232(a), since they are not considered injurious
defects.
We trust that we have satisfactorily responded to your inquiry.
Sincerely,
Cesar DeLeon
Acting Director
Office of Pipeline
Safety Operations
dal\195\228\78-02-10
1

<<<PAGE 2>>>

November 18, 1977
Mr. C. DeLeon, Acting Director
Department of Transportation
Office of Pipeline Safety Operations
2100 - 2nd Street, Southwest
Washington, DC 20590
Dear Mr. DeLeon:
This letter is a request from Standard Oil of Ohio for a ruling of
interpretation from your department concerning API Standard 1104,
Standard for Welding Pipelines and Related Facilities and DOT Part
195, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations.
Section 6.7 (Nondestructive Testing) of API 1104 provides limits of
acceptability for shallow crater cracks or star cracks, and states
they are not considered injurious defects unless their length
exceed 5/32 inch. DOT Section 195.228 states weld acceptability
shall be determined according to Section 6 of API 1104, 1973
edition. DOT Sections 195.230 and 195.232 also discuss weld cracks
and their relationship to acceptable weld repairs.
The question Standard Oil proposes and requests for your formal
written interpretation is this:
Does the term "cracks' as stated in DOT Section 195.230 and
Section 195.232 exclude "shallow crater cracks or star cracks"
which are of acceptable dimensions and "not considered
injurious defects" according to Secion [sic] 6.7 of API 1104
and DOT Section 195.228?
Your interpretation of this question will be greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Robert R. Young
dal\195\228\78-02-10
2

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1978/PI78005.pdf>
- Source ID: `phmsa`
- SHA-256: `334ad4715bc7289a069a237c73e5c58a0decd5732dcd29a44a8baae824334643`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T00:59:31.977Z
- Exported: 2026-08-23T23:45:51.484Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-interpretation-pi-78-005`

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