# Missouri Public Service Commission — Pipeline Safety Interpretation

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** PI-82-018
- **title:** Missouri Public Service Commission — Pipeline Safety Interpretation
- **source type:** guidance
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** guidance
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 1982-09-16
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** PI-82-018 response to Missouri Public Service Commission concerning 192.201, 192.743.
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- **source url:** https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/sites/phmsa.dot.gov/files/legacy/interpretations/Interpretation%20Files/Pipeline/1982/PI82018.pdf
**body:**

<<<PAGE 1>>>

September 16, 1982
Mr. Dale W. Johansen
Assistant Director, Gas Department
Engineering Section
Missouri Public Service Commission
Jefferson City, Missouri 65102
Dear Mr. Johansen:
The enclosed pipeline safety interpretation has been issued in response to your recent inquiry
regarding the relationship between §192.743 and §192.201(a). While your inquiry referred only
to relief devices installed before Part 192 became effective, the interpretation applies to all relief
devices that are subject to §192.743, and provides that §192.201(a) should not be used to
determine the relief capacity needed to comply with §192.743.
Sincerely,
/signed/
Richard L. Beam
Associate Director for
Pipeline Safety Regulation
Materials Transportation Bureau
Enclosure
DB/dal/192.743
82-09-16
1

<<<PAGE 2>>>

No. 82-9
Date: September 16, 1982
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
RESEARCH AND SPECIAL PROGRAMS ADMINISTRATION
MATERIALS TRANSPORTATION BUREAU
PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATORY INTERPRETATION
NOTE:A pipeline safety regulatory interpretation applies a particular rule to a
particular set of facts and circumstances, and as such, may be relied upon
only by those persons tow whom the interpretation is specifically
addressed.
SECTION: 192.743
SUBJECT: Pressure limiting and regulating stations.
FACTS: None
QUESTION: Should values for "desired maximum pressure" and "required capacity," as used in
§192.743(a) and (b), respectively, be based upon the criteria for pressure relieving and limiting
stations set forth in §192.201(a)?
INTERPRETATION: Under §192.743, paragraph (a) requires that relief devices at pressure
limiting and regulating stations be tested annually to assure they have enough capacity to limit
pressure on connected facilities to the "desired maximum pressure." Paragraph (b) provides that
if testing is not feasible, the "required capacity" of the devices must be reviewed, calculated, and
compared with their rated or experimentally determined capacity.
The "desired maximum pressure" of facilities is not defined or specifically
regulated by Part 192. However, the operating pressure of a pipeline may not
exceed its maximum allowable operating pressure (§§192.619, 192.623) or any
lower pressure that might be required as a remedial measure for safety (e.g.,
§192.485). Thus as long as these limits are not exceeded, the "desired maximum
pressure" of facilities is subject to the reduced (due to remedial measures, revision
of the maximum allowable operating pressure (§192.611), or any other reason) and
testing shows there is insufficient relief capacity to limit pressure to the lower
DB/dal/192.743
82-09-16
2

<<<PAGE 3>>>

level, new or additional relief capacity would have to be installed as required by
§192.743(c).
The plain language of paragraphs (a), (b), and (c) makes it clear that the purpose
of §192.743 is to assure that relief devices at pressure limiting and regulating
stations have sufficient capacity to limit downstream pressure to the "desired
maximum pressure." It follows that the term "required capacity" in paragraph (b)
refers to the capacity of relief devices that is needed to achieve this purpose, and
not to a capacity required by §192.201(a).
Section 192.201(a) prescribes capacities that apply to the design of pressure relief
and limiting stations. The purpose of this rule is to assure that stations are
installed with sufficient capacity to prevent accidental overpressure in connected
facilities, based on specified safe pressure limits known at the time of design. As
operating conditions change, these limits may exceed the "desired maximum
pressure" of the facilities. so that additional capacity would be required to meet
§192.743. Therefore, the capacity requirements of §192.201(a) should not be
used to determine the capacity of relief devices needed to meet §192.743.
Richard L. Beam
Associate Director for
Pipeline Safety Regulation
Materials Transportation Bureau
DB/dal/192.743
82-09-16
3
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