{"operation":"document","citation":"PHMSA Guidance, U.S. DOT/PHMSA - Guidance Document for Gas Distribution Integrity Management Rule","title":"U.S. DOT/PHMSA - Guidance Document for Gas Distribution Integrity Management Rule","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"2008-06-20","effective_on":"2008-06-20","summary":"U.S. DOT/PHMSA - Guidance Document for Gas Distribution Integrity Management Rule Document U_S_DOT_PHMSA_-_Guidance_Document_for_Gas_Distribution_Integrity_Management_Rule_.pdf (151.43 KB) This document provides guidance to help large and small, master meter, and LPG operators implement the requirements of subpart P of Part 192. Guidance for large and small operators begins at section I and for master meter and LPG o","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-guidance-us-dotphmsa-guidance-document-gas-distribution-integrity-94c3ac22.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-guidance-us-dotphmsa-guidance-document-gas-distribution-integrity-94c3ac22.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-guidance-us-dotphmsa-guidance-document-gas-distribution-integrity-94c3ac22","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/regulatory-compliance/phmsa-guidance/us-dotphmsa-guidance-document-gas-distribution-integrity","body":"U.S. DOT/PHMSA - Guidance Document for Gas Distribution Integrity Management Rule\n\nDocument\n\n U_S_DOT_PHMSA_-_Guidance_Document_for_Gas_Distribution_Integrity_Management_Rule_.pdf (151.43 KB)\n\n        This document provides guidance to help large and small, master meter, and LPG operators implement the requirements of subpart P of Part 192.  Guidance for large and small operators begins at section I and for master meter and LPG operators at section V of this document.  We request comment on this draft guidance. \n\n          Issued Date: Friday, June 20, 2008\n\n<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nGuidance on Carrying Out Requirements in the Gas\nDistribution Integrity Management Rule\n[Docket No. PHMSA-RSPA-2004-19854]\nPipeline Safety: Integrity Management Program for Gas Distribution\nPipelines\nOffice of Pipeline Safety\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nJune 20, 2008\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nGuidance on Carrying Out Requirements in the Gas Distribution Integrity\nManagement Rule\nThis document provides guidance to help large and small, master meter, and LPG\noperators implement the requirements of subpart P of Part 192. Guidance for large and\nsmall operators begins at section I and for master meter and LPG operators at section V\nof this document. We request comment on this draft guidance.\nI. Guidance on Knowledge of the Distribution System Infrastructure\nTo understand the distribution system’s infrastructure an operator should know the\nlocation of its system and the materials used in constructing the system and other\ninformation such as location, material composition, piping sizes, construction methods,\ndate of installation, soil conditions, pressure (operating and design), operating experience,\nperformance data, condition of the system, and any other characteristics important to a\nthorough understanding of applicable threats and their contribution to risks. Initially, an\noperator may base this understanding on information the operator gained from past\ndesign and operations. An operator should also understand how the pipeline system has\nperformed. Understanding the gas distribution system infrastructure is necessary to\nunderstand the performance of a pipeline system. An operator should collect and retain\ninformation concerning:\n(1) Leakage;\n(2) Corrosion;\n(3) Cathodic protection trends;\n(4) Evidence of material deterioration; and\n2\n\n<<<PAGE 3>>>\n\n(5) Incidents.\nII. Guidance on Leak Management\nAn effective leak management program should consider the following factors:\n(1) How local conditions and system knowledge affect the frequency and type of leak\nsurveys.\n(2) Methods/criteria for evaluating the severity of leaks and need for action.\n(3) Records necessary to permit trending and identification of underlying problems.\n(4) Performance metrics and the types of analyses in which they should be considered.\nIII. Guidance on Enhanced Damage Prevention\nAn effective damage prevention program may include the following elements:\n(1) Establishing and maintaining effective communications between stakeholders from\nreceipt of an excavation notification until successful completion of the excavation.\n(2) Supporting and partnering with stakeholders, including excavators, other operators,\nlocators, designers, and local government in damage prevention efforts.\n(3) Reviewing the adequacy of internal performance measures regarding persons\nperforming locating services and quality assurance programs.\n(4) Participating in the development and implementation of effective employee training\nprograms to ensure that operators, the one-call center, the enforcing agency, and the\nexcavators have partnered to design and implement training for the employees of\noperators, excavators, and locators.\n(5) Actively participating in public education for damage prevention activities.\n3\n\n<<<PAGE 4>>>\n\n(6) Encouraging communication with state authorities to resolve issues.\n(7) Developing a process to ensure full cooperation with state enforcement actions.\n(8) Fostering and promoting the use of improving technologies that may enhance\ncommunications, underground pipeline locating capability, and gathering and analyzing\ninformation about the accuracy and effectiveness of locating programs.\n(9) Reviewing and analyzing the effectiveness of each element of the enhanced damage\nprevention program, including a means for implementing improvements identified by\nsuch program reviews.\nIV. Guidance on Pipe Replacement Programs\nPipe replacement programs, addressing those portions of a distribution pipeline system\npresenting the highest risk, can be an effective risk management process.\nV. Guidance for Master Meter and LPG Operators\nMaster meter and LPG distribution operators should consider the following actions to\nassure the integrity of their distribution pipeline systems:\n(1) Knowledge of system infrastructure\nIdentify the approximate location of system piping and equipment on maps, drawings, or\nsketches using best-available information. Arrange to update the maps, drawings, or\nsketches as better information about the location of the system becomes available through\nother work (e.g., repairing leaks, excavations to install other utilities). Arrange to update\nthe maps, drawings, or sketches to show the kind of pipe and equipment (i.e., bare steel,\n4\n\n<<<PAGE 5>>>\n\ngalvanized steel, coated steel, copper, plastic, cast iron, line valves) and record data from\nany new installations of pipe or equipment.\n(2) Identify threats\nConsider the following questions for each threat category and check all that apply. Each\nthreat category including at least one check will be considered a threat of concern to be\naddressed under the distribution integrity management program.\n(a) Corrosion\n(i) Does the system consist of steel pipe that is not protected from corrosion (e.g.,\npipe that lacks coating, wrapping or galvanic protection?)\n(ii) Does the system consist of non-steel pipe but include steel fittings or\nconnectors that are not protected from corrosion?\n(iii) Does the system consist of cast iron pipe?\n(b) Natural Forces\n(i) Are exterior above-ground steel pipe/equipment not grounded (e.g., protected\nfrom lightning)?\n(ii) Are portions of the system susceptible to snow or ice slide impacting above\nground piping, meter and regulator sets, or meter header piping?\n(iii) Are exterior above-ground portions of the system potentially subject to other\nforces of nature (e.g., earthquakes, floods or waterway scouring, severe flooding\nleading to uprooting of near-by trees) due to unique local weather conditions?\n5\n\n<<<PAGE 6>>>\n\n(iv) Are buried portions of the system located in areas where soil movement or\nsubsidence is likely (e.g., earthquakes, landslide, flood-induced erosion)?\n(c) Excavation Damage\n(i) Are portions of the system buried in areas where digging might occur without\nyour knowledge or control?\n(d) Other outside force damage\n(i) Are exterior, above-ground portions of the system located in areas where they\ncould be subject to damage from vehicles or other expected activities?\n(ii) Is the system located in an area with greater than usual exposure to the\npossibility of wildfires?\n(iii) Is there a history of vandalism to the pipeline system, or is the local area\nsubject\nto vandalism of a kind that could damage the pipeline system?\n(e) Material or welds\n(i) Has any of your piping experienced frequent leakage?\n(ii) Has the manufacturer of your piping or fittings (appurtenances) contacted you\nregarding material defects?\n(f) Equipment\n6\n\n<<<PAGE 7>>>\n\n(i) Does the system include any equipment other than valves, meters, and service\nregulators?\n(g) Operations\n(i) Does system operation require the manipulation of any equipment other than\nvalves that are permanently installed as part of the system?\n(3) Evaluate and prioritize risk\nThe relative uniformity of master meter, LPG, and very small distribution systems makes\nthis element unnecessary.\n(4) Identify and implement measures to mitigate risks\nFor all threats identified as threats of concern (where at least one box is checked in (2)\nabove) and for all parts of the system as described in (1) above, verify that actions are\nbeing taken or requirements are in place intended to protect against the threat. This\nshould include, at a minimum, the actions required by Part 192, the following additional\ngeneral monitoring actions, and for each identified threat of concern the actions listed for\nthat threat:\n(a) General Monitoring, additional patrols:\n(i) For lines that have experienced problems in the past, periodically walk the\nlines to identify at-risk pipe locations, and smell for signs of gas.\n(ii) Periodically walk the lines to check for active excavation or signs of\nexcavation of which you were unaware.\n7\n\n<<<PAGE 8>>>\n\n(b) Corrosion\n(i) Coat and cathodically protect pipe installed after August 1, 1971.\n(ii) Coat and cathodically protect all areas of pipe experiencing active\ncorrosion.\n(iii) Annually monitor and test cathodic protection.\n(iv) Inspect rectifiers six times per year.\n(v) Annually inspect above-ground pipe.\n(vi) Inspect buried pipe exposed by any digging for evidence of corrosion.\n(c) Natural Forces\n(i) Conduct more frequent patrols to identify conditions that may adversely\naffect pipe or components.\n(ii) Take actions to eliminate the hazard or reduce the threat.\n(d) Excavation Damage\n(i) Physically control access to the pipeline, or\n(ii) Implement a damage prevention program including the following\nelements:\n(1) A means of receiving and recording notification of planned\nexcavation activities.\n8\n\n<<<PAGE 9>>>\n\n(2) Requirements to locate and mark the pipe in areas where buried\npiping exists and excavation is planned.\n(3) Provision for actual notification of persons who give notice of their\nintent to excavate in areas where buried pipe is located of the type of\ntemporary markings and how to identify them.\n(4) Provision for inspection of pipelines during and after excavation if\nthe operator has reason to believe they could be damaged.\n(e) Other outside force damage\n(i) Identify portions of the system potentially subject to damage by signs\nand/or distinctive colors.\n(ii) Install vehicle barriers as appropriate.\n(iii) Conduct patrols to identify at-risk pipe and components and mitigate the\nrisk to the pipe.\n(f) Material or welds\n(i) Replace small diameter cast iron pipe not adequately supported .\n(ii) Replace brittle plastic pipe or other materials unsuitable for gas service.\n(iii) Implement the recommended actions in any notice received from a\npipe/fitting manufacturer regarding material defects.\n(iv) Monitor more frequently any portions of the system experiencing frequent\nleakage.\n9\n\n<<<PAGE 10>>>\n\n(v) Where the operator has a history of problems with pipe or fittings, replace\nthe pipe or fittings when practical (e.g., when excavations for other reasons\nexpose the pipe).\n(g) Equipment\n(i) Implement a program to qualify personnel who operate equipment under\n49 CFR Part 192, Subpart N.\n(h) Operations\n(i) Implement a program to qualify personnel who operate equipment under\n49 CFR Part 192, Subpart N.\n(ii) Ensure personnel are aware of the precautions to take to prevent over-\npressuring a low pressure system, when stopping the flow of gas, and to\nprevent unsafe gas-air mixtures.\n(5) Measure performance, monitor results, and evaluate effectiveness\n(a) Keep a record of the number of hazardous leaks either eliminated or repaired\nincluding the date and the apparent cause of the leak.\n(b) Keep a record of any instances in which the system is damaged by excavation.\n10\n\n<<<PAGE 11>>>\n\n(c) Keep a record of the elimination of undesirable materials and components from the\ngas system.\n(d) Keep a record of the reduction in lost and unaccounted for gas.\n(6) Continuing Evaluation and Improvement\nRevise this checklist whenever changes are made to the system or significant changes\noccur in the local environment to determine if threats of concern have been eliminated or\nif new threats have been introduced. Modify the mitigative measures in paragraph (4) as\nappropriate.\n(7) Report results\nConsistent with the exclusions in 49 CFR §191.9 (incident reports) and §191.11 (annual\nreports), operators of master meter and LPG distribution systems need not report\nperformance measures.\n11","truncated":false,"body_characters":12290}