# Citizens Gas & Coke Utility — Pipeline Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** PI-71-084
- **title:** Citizens Gas & Coke Utility — Pipeline Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 1971-11-23
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** PI-71-084 response to Citizens Gas & Coke Utility concerning 192.509, 192.511, 192.619.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-71-084.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-71-084.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-71-084
- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1971/PI71084.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

November 23, 1971
Mr. D. J. Hendrickson
Director, Pipeline Safety Division
Indiana Public Service Commission
901 State Office Building
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204
Dear Mr. Hendrickson:
We have now had an opportunity to have your letter of September 30, 1971, reviewed in detail by
our Technical Division.
With regard to the two cases you mentioned you are correct in your statement relative to Section
192.511(c) that in effect our regulations do not specify a test pressure above the desired operating
pressure for service lines operating in the range of 90 psig to 20 percent of SMYS. However, you
must refer to the requirement that is specified in Section 192.619(a)(2)(ii), as amended on
November 10, 1970, copy enclosed. This specifies that in order to operate a pipeline at 100 psig
or more, it must be tested according to the limits shown in the table incorporated in the
regulations.
The test pressure for new lines to operate over 100 psig will always exceed the maximum
allowable operating pressure according to the provisions of Section 192.619(a)(2)(ii). The only
situation where a test pressure of a new pipeline is less than the permitted operating pressure is
for a line that will operate between 90 and 100 psig. This variation was included based on strong
comments received during rule-making and on recommendation of the TPSSC. These claimed
that there was too much existing equipment designed for 100 psig. Since this is a leak test and
not a strength test, it was concluded that this would not derogate safety. The same reasoning
applies to the test requirements in Section 192.509 for pipelines to operate at or below 100 psig.
There is a slight discrepancy existing in the regulations in that Section 192.509 states "at or below
100 p.s.i.g." while Section 192.619 (a)(2)(ii) states "100 p.s.i.g. or more." This will be corrected
in our next miscellaneous amendments to the regulations.
DB/dal/192.509
71-11-23
1

<<<PAGE 2>>>

We trust that this will answer your question. If you have any further questions, please feel free to
contact us.
Sincerely,
/signed/
Joseph C. Caldwell
Acting Director
Office of Pipeline Safety
DB/dal/192.509
71-11-23
2
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