{"operation":"document","citation":"PI-74-022","title":"T. R. Whitney Corporation — Pipeline Safety Interpretation","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"guidance","official":true,"published_on":"1974-03-18","effective_on":null,"summary":"PI-74-022 response to T. R. Whitney Corporation concerning 192.723.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-74-022.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-74-022.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-interpretation-pi-74-022","source_url":"https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1974/PI74022.pdf","body":"<<<PAGE 1>>>\n\nMr. T. R. Whitney\nPresident, T. R. Whitney Corporation\n7040 Darby Avenue\nReseda, CA 91335\nDear Mr. Whitney:\nThis responds to your letter of February 22, 1947 concerning a detection instrument for gas leaks.\nFederal safety standards for pipeline facilities and the transportation of gas are contained in Part\n192 of Title 49 of the Code of Federal Regulations. Section 192.723 of the standards requires\neach operator of a distribution system to provide for periodic leakage surveys. The section does\nnot set forth specific procedures or instrument specifications for conducting a survey other than\ndescribing locations to check for leaks. The details of a survey and the methods used are\ndetermined by the operator concerned.\nState agencies responsible for pipeline safety may adopt additional or more stringent safety\nstandards under section 3 of the Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968. These agencies may\nhave requirements for leakage surveys different from section 192.723., although the different\nrequirements must be consistent with the Federal standard.\nWe appreciate your interest in pipeline safety.\nSincerely,\nJoseph C. Caldwell\nDirector\nOffice of Pipeline Safety\nDB\nC:\\WP51\\INTERPRT\\192\\723\\74-03-18\n1\n\n<<<PAGE 2>>>\n\nFebruary 22, 1974\nMr. Joseph C. Caldwell\nDirector of Pipeline Safety\nDepartment of Transportation\n400 Seventh Street S.W.\nWashington, D.C. 20590\nDear Mr. Caldwell:\nThe T. R. Whitney Corporation is developing a remote sensing methane leak detection\ninstrument for Remote Detectors, Inc. of Bakersfield, California. The instrument utilizes infrared\nabsorption principles to find leaking pipelines at ranges of 30-50 feet. The device promises more\nrapid, yet thorough, inspection of transmission, distribution, and service pipe. Southern California\nGas Company has reviewed our work to date and will assist us in field testing and evaluation.\nWe would lie to become better informed on the role of the Office of Pipeline Safety with\nregard to gas leak inspection. Specifically, we are interested in inspection procedure regulations\nand any instrument specification requirements that may exist at this time. We will have our\nprototype device assembled by June and would like to include whatever design features the OPS\ndeems useful.\nThank you for any information and assistance your office can provide.\nSincerely,\nT. R. Whitney Corporation\nT. R. Whitney\nPresident\nDB\nC:\\WP51\\INTERPRT\\192\\723\\74-03-18\n2","truncated":false,"body_characters":2442}