{"operation":"document","citation":"PI-72-0111","title":"Corrosion Engineering — Pipeline Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"1972-08-17","effective_on":null,"summary":"PI-72-0111 response to Corrosion Engineering concerning 192.3.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-72-0111.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-72-0111.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-72-0111","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1972/g72-08-17_Galka_192.3_Main-nlmx.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nPI-72-0111\n08-17-72\nMr. Henry F. Galka\nCorrosion Engineering\nCornell, Howland, Hayes & Merryfield\n777 - 106th Avenue N.E.\nBellevue, Washington 98004\nDear Mr. Galka:\nThis is in reply to your letter dated June 26, 1972, regarding the extent of safety authority of the\nDepartment of Transportation's safety regulations.\nThe safety regulations promulgated by the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act covers the\ndistribution of gas through mains and service lines. The term \"main\" is defined in the safety\nstandards as \"a distribution line that serves as a common source of supply for more that one\nservice line,\" and \"service line\" is defined as a distribution line that transports gas to a customer\nmeter set assembly from a common source of supply.\" In the absence of a customer meter set\nassembly, the definition of \"service line\" would include a line up to a point where the customer\nmeter set assembly normally would be installed, i.e., the inner wall of the customer's building.\nThus, the question of how far downstream the Federal safety standards apply depends in large\ndegree upon who is the customer. The Department considers the word \"customer\" to mean the\nlast person who purchases the gas before its consumption. Who is the last customer depends on\nthe legal and economic relationships of the various persons involved in the transfer of the gas.\nOne guideline which is useful in making such a determination is to determine whether or not a\nperson is selling gas to other persons or whether he is providing some other service, such as heat\nor air conditioning. If he is selling gas, he is, of course, engaged in the distribution of gas, and\nthe persons to whom he is selling the gas would be considered the customer. In this situation, the\npipelines used to distribute the gas to this ultimate customer would be considered mains and\nservice lines subject to the Federal safety standards.\nIf, on the other hand, the property owner is consuming the gas himself and providing another type\nof service, such as heat or air conditioning, then he is not engaged in the distribution of gas. In\nthis case, he would be the ultimate customer and the Federal safety standards would apply only to\nmains and service lines upstream of his meter set assembly or the point where his meter set\nassembly would normally be located.\nThe determination of whether the specific operations you mentioned are subject to the Federal\nsafety standards can best be made on the individual basis, based on the discussions above.\n192.3 MAIN 1\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nWe trust that this has answered your specific question.\nWe will add your name and the name of your manger of corrosion engineering to the mailing list\nto receive the Advisory Bulletin.\nIf we can be of further service, please let us know.\nSincerely,\n/signed/\nJoseph C. Caldwell\nDirector\nOffice of Pipeline Safety\n192.3 MAIN 2","truncated":false,"body_characters":2866}