Abandonment or deactivation of facilities.

(a) Each operator shall conduct abandonment or deactivation of pipelines in accordance with the requirements of this section.

(b) Each pipeline abandoned in place must be disconnected from all sources and supplies of gas; purged of gas; in the case of offshore pipelines, filled with water or inert materials; and sealed at the ends. However, the pipeline need not be purged when the volume of gas is so small that there is no potential hazard.

(c) Except for service lines, each inactive pipeline that is not being maintained under this part must be disconnected from all sources and supplies of gas; purged of gas; in the case of offshore pipelines, filled with water or inert materials; and sealed at the ends. However, the pipeline need not be purged when the volume of gas is so small that there is no potential hazard.

(d) Whenever service to a customer is discontinued, one of the following must be complied with:

(1) The valve that is closed to prevent the flow of gas to the customer must be provided with a locking device or other means designed to prevent the opening of the valve by persons other than those authorized by the operator.

(2) A mechanical device or fitting that will prevent the flow of gas must be installed in the service line or in the meter assembly.

(3) The customer's piping must be physically disconnected from the gas supply and the open pipe ends sealed.

(e) If air is used for purging, the operator shall insure that a combustible mixture is not present after purging.

(f) Each abandoned vault must be filled with a suitable compacted material.

(g) For each abandoned offshore pipeline facility or each abandoned onshore pipeline facility that crosses over, under or through a commercially navigable waterway, the last operator of that facility must file a report upon abandonment of that facility.

(1) The preferred method to submit data on pipeline facilities abandoned after October 10, 2000 is to the National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) in accordance with the NPMS “Standards for Pipeline and Liquefied Natural Gas Operator Submissions.” To obtain a copy of the NPMS Standards, please refer to the NPMS homepage at http://www.npms.phmsa.dot.gov or contact the NPMS National Repository at 703-317-3073. A digital data format is preferred, but hard copy submissions are acceptable if they comply with the NPMS Standards. In addition to the NPMS-required attributes, operators must submit the date of abandonment, diameter, method of abandonment, and certification that, to the best of the operator's knowledge, all of the reasonably available information requested was provided and, to the best of the operator's knowledge, the abandonment was completed in accordance with applicable laws. Refer to the NPMS Standards for details in preparing your data for submission. The NPMS Standards also include details of how to submit data. Alternatively, operators may submit reports by mail, fax or e-mail to the Office of Pipeline Safety, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Information Resources Manager, PHP-10, 1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE., Washington, DC 20590-0001; fax (202) 366-4566; e-mail InformationResourcesManager@phmsa.

dot.gov. The information in the report must contain all reasonably available information related to the facility, including information in the possession of a third party. The report must contain the location, size, date, method of abandonment, and a certification that the facility has been abandoned in accordance with all applicable laws.

(2) [Reserved]

[Amdt. 192-8, 37 FR 20695, Oct. 3, 1972, as amended by Amdt. 192-27, 41 FR 34607, Aug. 16, 1976; Amdt. 192-71, 59 FR 6585, Feb. 11, 1994; Amdt. 192-89, 65 FR 54443, Sept. 8, 2000; 65 FR 57861, Sept. 26, 2000; 70 FR 11139, Mar. 8, 2005; Amdt. 192-103, 72 FR 4656, Feb. 1, 2007; 73 FR 16570, Mar. 28, 2008; 74 FR 2894, Jan. 16, 2009]