NTSB Safety Recommendation P-75-001

NTSB safety recommendation P-75-001.

CONDUCT AN INDUSTRYWIDE SURVEY ON THE VALUE OF CASING PIPELINES BENEATH ROADS AND RAILROADS. THIS SURVEY SHOULD BE UNDERTAKEN IN COOPERATION WITH THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF STATE HIGHWAY AND TRANSPORTATION OFFICIALS, THE FEDERAL HIGHWAY ADMINISTRATION, APPROPRIATE INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS AND ENGINEERING SOCIETIES; AND 49 CFR 192.323, CASING, SHOULD BE AMENDED, IF NECESSARY.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Issued Date: 1975-04-02

Adopted Date: 1975-04-02

Overall Date Closed: 1988-09-29

Synopsis: ON MARCH 2, 1974, A NATURAL GAS PIPELINE ACCIDENT OCCURRED NEAR MONROE, LOUISIANA. 30-INCH PIPELINE FAILED AT A GIRTH WELD INSIDE A CASING UNDER A HIGHWAY. A RESULTING FIRE BURNED 10 ACRES OF FOREST, BUT NO DEATHS OR INJURIES RESULTED.

Ntsbnumber: PLD74XR004

Report Number: PAR-75-01

Addressee Name: RSPA

Addressee Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1988-09-29

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1975-09-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: MEMO FROM OPSO: WE AGREE WITH THIS RECOMMENDATION AND WILL SEEK THE COOPERATION OF ALL APPROPRIATE PARTIES. APPROPRIATE ACTION WILL BE INITIATED DURING FY-76 AND A DECISION WHETHER OR NOT RULE MAKING ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN WILL BE DETERMINED BY FY-77.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1983-03-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: 49 CFR 192.323 REQUIRES THAT PIPELINE CASING USED ON A TRANSMISSION LINE OR MAINS UNDER A RAILROAD LINE OR HIGHWAY MEET THE FOLLOWING: 1. THE CASING MUST BE DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND THE SUPERIMPOSED LOADS; 2. IF THERE IS A POSSIBILITY OF WATER ENTERING THE CASING, THE ENDS MUST BE SEALED; 3. IF THE ENDS OF AN UNVENTED CASING ARE SEALED AND THE SEALING IS STRONG ENOUGH TO RETAIN THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE OPERATING PRESSURE OF THE PIPE, THE CASING MUST BE DESIGNED TO HOLD THIS PRESSURE AT A STRESS LEVEL OF NOT MORE THAN 72 PERCENT OF SMYS; AND 4. IF VENTS ARE INSTALLED ON A CASING, THE VENTS MUST BE PROTECTED FROM THE WEATHER TO PREVENT WATER FROM ENTERING THE CASING. IN AUGUST 1976, THE MTB ALSO AMENDED SECTION 192.317 (41 FR 34606), PROTECTION FROM HAZARDS, WHICH FURTHER REINFORCES THE PROVISIONS OF SECTION 192.323. SECTION 192.317 NOW REQUIRES, IN PART, THAT: 1. EACH TRANSMISSION LINE OR MAIN MUST BE PROTECTED FROM WASHOUTS, FLOODS, UNSTABLE SOIL, LANDSLIDES OR OTHER HAZARDS THAT MAY CAUSE THE PIPELINE TO MOVE OR SUSTAIN ABNORMAL LOADS; 2. EACH ABOVEGROUND TRANSMISSION LINE OR MAIN, MUST BE PROTECTED FROM ACCIDENTAL DAMAGE BY VEHICULAR TRAFFIC OR OTHER SIMILAR CAUSES. WITH RESPECT TO POSSIBLE DANGERS DUE TO OVERHEAD POWER LINES IN RELATIONSHIP TO THE LOCATION OF THE VARIOUS FACILITY COMPONENTS OF A PIPELINE, IN AUGUST 1976, THE MTB AMENDED SECTION 192.179, TRANSMISSION LINE VALVES (41 FR 34606), WHICH NOW REQUIRES THAT: EACH SECTION OF TRANSMISSION LINE...BETWEEN MAIN LINE VALVES MUST HAVE A BLOWDOWN VALVE WITH ENOUGH CAPACITY TO ALLOW THE TRANSMISSION LINE TO BE BLOWN DOWN AS RAPIDLY AS POSSIBLE. EACH BLOWDOWN DISCHARGE MUST BE LOCATED SO THAT THE GAS CAN BE BLOWN TO THE ATMOSPHERE WITHOUT HAZARD AND, IF THE TRANSMISSION LINE IS ADJACENT TO AN OVERHEAD ELECTRIC LINE, SO THAT THE GAS IS DIRECTED AWAY FROM THE ELECTRICAL CONDUCTORS. WITH RESPECT TO COMPRESSOR STATIONS, IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT THEY ARE RARELY, IF EVER, BUILT BENEATH POWER LINES OR WITHIN THE ELECTRICAL FIELD GENERATED BY SUCH LINES. NOTWITHSTANDING THIS, SECTION 192.163, COMPRESSOR STATIONS: DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION, AS AMENDED BY THE MTB IN AUGUST 1976 (41 FR 10159) AND AGAIN IN FEBRUARY 1981 (46 FR 10159) STATES THAT: EACH MAIN COMPRESSOR BUILDING OF A COMPRESSOR STATION MUST BE LOCATED ON PROPERTY UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE OPERATOR, AND IT MUST BE FAR ENOUGH AWAY FROM ADJACENT PROPERTY, NOT UNDER THE CONTROL OF THE OPERATOR, TO MINIMIZE THE POSSIBILITY OF FIRE BEING COMMUNICATED TO THE COMPRESSOR BUILDING FROM STRUCTURES ON ADJACENT PROPERTY. HERE THE TERM "FIRE" CAN BE CONSTRUED AS ANY SPARKS THAT MAY BE GENERATED BY THE ELECTRICAL FIELD GENERATED BY AN OVERHEAD POWER LINE. THE INTENT OF THE REGULATION IS FOR THE DESIGN OF THE COMPRESSOR STATION TO BE SUCH THAT A HAZARD COULD NOT BE CREATED BY ANY PLANNED OR ABNORMAL (INCLUDING BLOWDOWN) FUNCTION OF THE COMPRESSOR STATION. IN THIS CASE, A BLOWDOWN INTO AN ELECTRICAL LINE COULD CAUSE SPARKS THAT WOULD NOT BE A NORMAL FUNCTION OF THE ELECTRICAL LINES. CONCERNING LIQUID PIPELINES, SECTION 195.402, AS AMENDED BY THE MTB IN DECEMBER 1979 (DOCKET PS-51), REQUIRES LIQUID PIPELINE OPERATORS TO DEVELOP PROCEDURES FOR: MINIMIZING THE LIKELIHOOD OF ACCIDENTAL IGNITION OF VAPORS IN AREAS NEAR PIPELINE FACILITIES WHERE THE POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR THE PRESENCE OF FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS OR GASES. SUCHPIPELIN WOULD REQUIRE AN IMMEDIATE RESPONSE BY THE OPERATOR TO PREVENT HAZARDS TO THE PUBLIC IF THE FACILITIES FAILED OR MALFUNCTIONED. THE MTB HAS ALSO REVIEWED ITS EXTENSIVE PIPELINE ACCIDENT RECORDS AND HAS DETERMINED THAT ONLY 1/100 PERCENT OF ALL RECORDED ACCIDENTS CAN BE ATTRIBUTED TO INCIDENTS INVOLVING PIPELINE CASING AND OVERHEAD POWER LINES. NOR HAS THE INDUSTRY OR OTHER INTERESTED PARTIES EVINCED A CONCERN THAT THE POTENTIAL HAZARDS ASSOCIATED WITH PIPELINE CASINGS OR OVERHEAD POWER LINES MERIT PRIORITY ATTENTION AT THIS TIME. ACCORDINGLY, IT IS REQUESTED THAT RECOMMENDATIONS P-75-1 AND P-76-16 BE CLASSIFIED AS CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATE ACTION.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1988-09-29

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1989-05-23

Communication Type: Official Correspondence