{"operation":"document","citation":"PHMSA Pipeline Glossary","title":"PHMSA Pipeline Glossary","source_type":"guidance","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"current","official":true,"published_on":null,"effective_on":null,"summary":"341 official PHMSA pipeline terms and abbreviations.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-pipeline-glossary.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-pipeline-glossary.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-pipeline-glossary","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/stakeholder-comms/glossary/","body":"Abandoned Pipeline. An abandoned pipeline is one that is no longer being used by any pipeline operating company to transport natural gas or oil. Abandoned pipelines are usually left in the ground but are no longer used or maintained in a usable condition. They are emptied of oil or gas and filled with nitrogen, water, or some other non-flammable filler. Technically speaking: An abandoned pipeline is a pipeline that has been physically separated from its source of gas or hazardous liquid and is no longer maintained under federal regulations. Abandoned pipelines are usually purged of the gas or liquid they transported and refilled with nitrogen, water, or a non-flammable slurry mixture. (Reference 49CFR 192.727 and 49CFR 195.59).\n\nAbandonment. (1) Abandonment indicates that a company has received approval from the regulator to cease providing a particular service (e.g., to permanently shut down operation of a particular pipeline or facility) under that regulatory agency’s jurisdiction. (2) Abandonment also refers to the process and actions taken by a Company at the end of the useful life of a pipeline or pipeline facility to gain approval from the regulator. This process requires that the Company follow strict guidelines regarding how to prepare the pipeline or facility for permanent cessation of operation. The process often requires that the Company contact the landowners where the pipeline or facility is located and inform them of the planned actions.\n\nAbility. The capacity to do or act, physically and/or mentally.\n\nAlternating Current (AC). Alternating current is the common form of electricity that we get in the United States when we plug an appliance into the wall. The form of electricity we get from flashlight batteries is known as direct current. Technically speaking: Alternating current is an electrical current for which the current direction, or positive to negative flow (known as polarity), changes back and forth over a specified period of time. The frequency with which the current direction alternates is measured in cycles per second and is referred to as ‘hertz.’ In North America, the common frequency is 60 hertz, which indicates that the current direction or polarity changes back and forth 60 times per second.\n\nAccident. An accident is an unplanned occurrence that results in a release of oil or natural gas from the pipeline. Accidents can be expensive and can sometimes result in extensive property loss, environmental insult, injury and, sometimes, even death. Accidents can result from a lot of reasons, but the biggest reason is from damage to the pipeline resulting from digging. Technically speaking: As used in pipeline safety regulations, accidents are failures occurring in liquid pipeline systems for which the pipeline operator must make a report to the Office of Pipeline Safety. Specific criteria defining events that are considered accidents are contained in 49CFR 195.50. Events or failures of similar magnitude related to gas pipelines are considered incidents and are defined in 49CFR 191.3.\n\nActive Corrosion. Active corrosion is a term that indicates that pipeline corrosion is occurring now and is deteriorating the pipe. Technically speaking: Active corrosion describes an ongoing electro-chemical process in which microscopic metal particles are removed from iron-based materials. Corrosion can occur in moist, aboveground atmospheric conditions but is more prevalent in underground environments. Active corrosion within the pipeline industry is a serious threat to pressure containing structures (i.e., steel pipelines) that, unless controlled, could result in leaks or failures. See Also: Corrosion\n\nActivity. A specific deed, action, function, or sphere of action.\n\nActuator. An actuator is a device that causes a valve to move from the open to the closed position or vice versa. Technically speaking: A component designed to provide the mechanical energy to physically move a connected device. Actuators are used extensively to move valves to their open and closed positions. Valve actuators can be pneumatic, hydraulic, or electric motor driven and can be automated to respond to a remote control signal.\n\nAerial River Crossing. An aerial river crossing is a location where a pipeline is suspended to cross a waterway, either by cables over the waterway or attached to the girders of a bridge designed to normally carry vehicle traffic.\n\nAffects the Operation or Integrity of the Pipeline. Any activity, or omission of an activity, that could directly or indirectly result in a hazard to persons, property or the environment. As used in the safety context of the OQ rule, the phrase indicates activities that could result in an abnormal operating condition that in turn could result in an unsafe operating condition.\n\nAmerican Gas Association (AGA). From the web site of the American Gas Association: The American Gas Association represents 200 local energy utility companies that deliver natural gas to more than 64 million homes, businesses and industries throughout the United States. AGA’s members' deliver 92 percent of all natural gas provided by the nation’s natural gas utilities. AGA is an advocate for natural gas utility companies and their customers and provides a broad range of programs and services for member natural gas pipelines, marketers, gatherers, international natural gas companies and industry associates. AGA can be contacted at  or for more information see www.aga.org.\n\nAnode. An anode is the pole or terminal from which current flows in a direct current electrical circuit. In an electrical cell or battery(such as a flashlight battery), the anode is recognized as the negative terminal. When a completed circuit exists (as when you turn on the flashlight), electrical current flows from the negative terminal (the anode) through the circuit to the positive terminal (the cathode). Along the way, the current lights the flashlight bulb. As the anode gives up electrons it deteriorates, or corrodes. Technically speaking: An anode is the electrode in an electrochemical corrosion cell where oxidation or corrosion occurs and from which current flows. In a pipeline-related cathodic protection system, the anode is the sacrificial material or electrode having low electrolytic potential. Current flows away from the anode, causing it to corrode.\n\nAnomaly. An anomaly is something that is identified that normally should not be there. For example, a hole in your sock could be considered an anomaly. A pipeline anomaly is generally thought of as an imperfection in the wall of the pipe. Many pipeline anomalies result during the pipe manufacturing process and don’t affect the performance of the pipeline or its ability to function in a safe manner. Other pipeline anomalies are caused by corrosion or damage to the pipe from outside forces like digging equipment. Some of these can be detrimental to the integrity of the pipeline if not repaired. Technically speaking: An anomaly is a possible deviation from otherwise sound material in a pipe or weld. Indication of an anomaly may be determined by nondestructive examination, such as inline inspection.\n\nAmerican National Standards Institute (ANSI). From the web site of the American National Standards Institute: The American National Standards Institute (ANSI) is a private, non-profit organization (501(c)3) that administers and coordinates the U.S. voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. The Institute’s mission is to enhance both the global competitiveness of U.S. business and the U.S. quality of life by promoting and facilitating voluntary consensus standards and conformity assessment systems, and safeguarding their integrity. ANSI can be contacted at  or for more information see www.ansi.org.\n\nAbnormal Operating Conditions (AOC). As defined in §§ 192.803 and 195.503. Note: To be qualified, an individual must be able to properly perform assigned covered task(s) and be able to recognize and react appropriately to any AOC that may (reasonably be expected to) be encountered while performing the covered task – whether the condition arises as a direct result of his/her work performance (e.g., be specific to the covered task being performed) or not (e.g., be generic in nature, but still observable because the individual is present on site).\n\nAssociation of Oil Pipelines (AOPL). From the web site of the Association of Oil Pipelines: The Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) is an unincorporated nonprofit organization started in 1947. As a trade association, the AOPL: - Acts as an information clearinghouse for the public, the media and the pipeline industry. - Provides coordination and leadership for the industry’s ongoing Joint Environmental Safety Initiative. - Represents common carrier crude and product petroleum pipelines in Congress, before regulatory agencies, and in the federal courts. The AOPL can be contacted at  or for more information see www.aopl.org.\n\nAmerican Petroleum Institute (API). From the web site of the American Petroleum Institute: The American Petroleum Institute (API) is the major national trade association representing the entire petroleum industry: exploration and production, transportation, refining, and marketing. With headquarters in Washington, D.C., and petroleum councils in 33 states, it is a forum for all parts of the oil and natural gas industry to pursue priority public policy objectives and advance the interests of the industry in a legally appropriate manner. API can be contacted at  or for more information see www.api.org.\n\nAccountable Pipeline Safety and Partnership Act (APSPA). The Accountable Pipeline Safety and Partnership Act of 1996 (APSPA) was to reduce risk to public safety and the environment associated with pipeline transportation of natural gas and hazardous liquids, and for other purposes. In part, the APSPA required the U.S. Department of Transportation to conduct a four-year Risk Management Demonstration Program (RMDP) in which pipeline operating companies were selected to demonstrate pipeline risk management processes.\n\nAmerican Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME). From the web site of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers: The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) conducts one of the world’s largest technical publishing operations, holds some 30 technical conferences and 200 professional development courses each year, and sets many industrial and manufacturing standards. Founded in 1880 as the American Society of Mechanical Engineers, today ASME International is a nonprofit educational and technical organization serving a worldwide membership. ASME can be contacted at 1- or for more information see www.asme.org.\n\nASTM International. From the web site of the ASTM International: Founded in 1898, ASTM International is a not-for-profit organization that provides a global forum for the development and publication of voluntary consensus standards for materials, products, systems, and services. Formerly known as the American Society for Testing and Materials, ASTM International provides standards that are accepted and used in research and development, product testing, quality systems, and commercial transactions around the globe. ASTM International can be reached at  or for more information see www.astm.org.\n\nAtmospheric Corrosion. Atmospheric corrosion is a chemical attack on exposed metal surfaces by elements in the air. A common form of atmospheric corrosion is known as rust. Rust commonly occurs when a ferrous metal (iron), such as a nail, is exposed to moist air. Technically speaking: Atmospheric corrosion affects aboveground pipeline or components that are exposed to the atmosphere and is a chemical change in the pipe or component material resulting from the material’s interaction with the atmosphere. Most commonly this interaction causes the oxidation of metal. See Also: Corrosion\n\nAutomatic Control Valve. An automatic control valve is a valve that controls the flow of oil or natural gas in a pipeline and that opens or closes automatically in response to some signal. Technically speaking: An automatic control valve is one that closes automatically in response to a pressure loss or a flow rate increase, either of which exceeds a predetermined set point.\n\nBackfilling. Backfilling means filling the dirt back into a ditch or hole you previously dug. Technically speaking: Backfilling is the process of filling the trench where a newly constructed or recently unearthed pipeline is installed. Adequate fill material is provided and compacted around the pipe to completely fill the excavation and to ensure that the pipe is properly supported and not subjected to added stresses due to soil subsidence or movement.\n\nBarrel. (1) A barrel is a standard measure of a volume of oil and is equal to 42 gallons. (2) A beginning point or end point of a pipeline is sometimes referred to as a barrel. Barrels are designed with opening closures similar to doors that allow the pipeline operator to insert inline inspection tools into the pipelines. Barrels where pigs are inserted into the pipeline are called launchers and barrels where pigs are retrieved and taken out of the pipeline are called receivers. Reference 49CFR 194.5 and 49CFR 195.2\n\nBaseline Assessment Plan. A baseline assessment plan (BAP) is the plan a pipeline operator must develop to assess the integrity of all of the lines included in its integrity management program. The BAP must show when each line is to be assessed and the assessment method the operator will use. Technically speaking: The baseline assessment plan is an integral part of an operator’s pipeline integrity management program. The BAP must, as a minimum: 1) identify all segments of a pipeline system that could impact a High Consequence Area (HCA); 2) identify the specific integrity assessment method(s) to be conducted on those segments; 3) specify the schedule by which those integrity assessments will be performed; and 4) provide the technical justification for the selection of the integrity assessment method(s) and the risk basis for establishing the assessment schedule. (Reference 49CFR 195.452).\n\nBell Hole. A bell hole is a hole dug into the ground over or alongside a pipeline to allow the line to be examined and to provide room for workmen to perform maintenance on the pipeline. In a broader sense it is any hole, other than a ditch, that is opened for pipeline work. Technically speaking: A bell hole is an excavation made to permit a survey, inspection, maintenance, repair, or replacement of pipe sections. It is so called because of its upside-down bell shape, wide at the top and narrowing to a smaller diameter around the pipeline to be examined. The walls of the hole are angled according to OSHA rules to prevent cave-ins and risks to worker safety.\n\nBend Radius. Bend radius is the measurement of the radius of a bend in a pipeline. Bends can be included in the manufacture of the pipe or created in the field during construction and installation of a pipeline.\n\nBureau of Land Management (BLM). From the web site of the Bureau of Land Management: The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency in the Department of Interior, in the US Government. The BLM manages 264 million acres of surface acres of public lands located primarily in the 12 Western States, including Alaska. The agency manages an additional 300 million acres of below ground mineral estate located throughout the country. The BLM administers public lands within a framework of numerous laws. The most comprehensive of these is the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976 (FLPMA). All Bureau policies, procedures and management actions must be consistent with FLPMA and the other laws that govern use of the public lands. It is the mission of the Bureau of Land Management to sustain the health, diversity and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations.\n\nBlock Valve. A block valve is a mechanical device (valve) installed in a pipeline that can be closed to block the flow of oil or gas through the line. Technically speaking: A block valve is a valve used to stop the flow of product through a pipeline and isolate a segment of the pipeline system or a component of the system.\n\nBranch Service Line. A branch service line is a service line in a natural gas distribution system that branches off of a main line or another service line. Technically speaking: In natural gas distribution systems, branch service line is a line that branches off of another service line; thereby changing the classification upstream of the branch point from a service line to a main.\n\nBreakout Tank. A breakout tank is a tank used to temporarily store oil in a pipeline system. Technically speaking: A breakout tank is a tank used to relieve surges in a hazardous liquid pipeline system or to receive and store hazardous liquids transported by the pipeline for later re-injection and continued transportation by the pipeline. Reference 49CFR 194.5 and 49CFR 195.2\n\nBuckle. A buckle is an anomaly that represents a partial collapse of the pipe wall and is usually caused by excessive bending or curvature being applied to the pipe. Depending on the severity of the buckle, it may represent an undesirable anomaly that can cause localized stress concentrations and must be repaired. Technically speaking: A buckle is a partial collapse of the pipe wall due to excessive bending associated with soil instability, landslides, washouts, frost heaves, earthquakes, etc. Buckles can also occur in pipeline construction during a field bending operation using a side boom. Buckles cause localized stress concentrations and must not be installed in new construction or, if found, must be removed from existing systems. See also: Wrinkle\n\nBulkhead. A bulkhead is a wall built or installed along a coastline or waterway to protect an adjacent pipeline from washout or soil erosion.\n\nCaliper Tool. A caliper tool is an adjustable measuring tool that can be used to measure the thickness of an object, the diameter of a circle, or the distance between two surfaces. Hi-tech variations of these tools are used to measure the inside diameter of a pipe and record variations in that diameter. Technically speaking: A caliper tool is an inline inspection device that measures deviations in the geometry of a pipeline’s internal surface. A caliper tool uses a set of mechanical fingers that ride against the inside diameter of the pipe and record deviations caused by the relative movement of these fingers as the tool passes through the pipe\n\nCorrective Action Order (CAO). PHMSA may issue a Corrective Action Order if it determines that a particular pipeline represents a serious hazard to life, property, or the environment. They usually address urgent situations arising out of an accident, spill, or other significant, immediate, or imminent safety or environmental concern. In a Corrective Action Order, PHMSA identifies actions that must be taken by the operator to assure safe operation. These actions may include the shutdown of a pipeline or operation at reduced pressure, physical inspection or testing of the pipeline, repair or replacement of defective pipeline segments, and similar measures. Corrective Action Orders are described in 49 CFR 190.233.\n\nCarbon Steel. All steel is formed as an alloy of iron and carbon and may contain small quantities of other elements. However, ‘carbon steel’ is steel for which the content of elements other than iron is not specified and the content of manganese or copper does not exceed specified amounts. Technically speaking: All steel is formed by alloying iron with carbon. Steel is commonly considered to be carbon steel when: (1) no minimum content is specified or required for aluminum, boron, chromium, cobalt, columbium, molybdenum, nickel, titanium, tungsten, vanadium, zirconium, or any other element added to obtain a desired alloying effect; (2) the specified minimum content does not exceed 1.65% for manganese or 0.60% for copper. All carbon steels may contain small quantities of unspecified residual elements unavoidably retained from raw materials. These elements (copper, nickel, molybdenum, chromium, etc.\n\nCast Iron. Cast iron is iron that is cast (heated to melting and poured into molds) and in which the carbon molecules in the metal are not bonded with the iron molecules. Cast iron is brittle and can crack. It is not suitable for high-pressure applications. Technically speaking: Cast iron applies to gray cast iron, which is a cast ferrous material in which a major part of the carbon content occurs as free carbon in the form of flakes interspersed through the metal. Because the carbon flakes do not bond with the ferrous material on the molecular level, the metal is brittle and susceptible to stress cracking under high-pressure situations. Many older, low-pressure gas systems were constructed with cast iron pipe. In 2011 PHMSA appealed to all pipeline safety stakeholders for help to increase pipeline safety awareness and repair, rehabilitate, and replace aging infrastructure.\n\nCathode. Simply speaking, a cathode is the pole or terminal to which current flows in a direct current electrical circuit. In an electrical cell or battery (such as a flashlight battery), the cathode is recognized as the positive terminal. When a completed circuit exists (as when you turn on the flashlight), electrical current flows from the negative terminal (the anode) through the circuit to the positive terminal (the cathode). Along the way, the current lights the flashlight bulb. Technically speaking: A cathode is a component of an electrochemical corrosion cell. It is the metal that attracts ions and gains mass through the corrosion process. In a cathodic protection system, the pipeline acts as the cathode and is protected from corrosion by the sacrificial activity of the anode.\n\nCathodic Protection Monitoring or Survey. Monitoring cathodic protection systems is an activity performed by pipeline operators to assess the adequacy of cathodic protection on the pipeline.\n\nCentering. Centering is a method of determining the approximate location of a pipeline leak. Technically speaking: The process of approximating the location of a pipeline leak. Centering can be done manually using gas detection equipment, such as acoustical equipment, or through a more sophisticated SCADA-based leak detection system using mathematical modeling of critical pressures, temperatures, flow-rates, etc. to predict volume loss and location estimates.\n\nCentrifugal Compressor. Centrifugal compressors are pumps that are used to boost the internal pressure of gas pipelines. They are usually placed at key locations along the pipeline systems.\n\nCouncil on Environmental Quality (CEQ). From the web site of the Council On Environmental Quality: The Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) coordinates federal environmental efforts and works closely with agencies and other White House offices in the development of environmental policies and initiatives. The Council’s Chair, who is appointed by the President with the advice and consent of the Senate, serves as the principal environmental policy adviser to the President and Vice President. In addition, CEQ reports annually to the President on the state of the environment; oversees federal agency implementation of the environmental impact assessment process; and acts as a referee when agencies disagree over the adequacy of such assessments. CEQ was established by Congress within the Executive Office of the President with passage of the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969.\n\nCode of Federal Regulations (CFR). Federal regulations are published systematically (codified) in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The CFR is the official compilation of the federal regulations of general applicability and legal effect. The CFR is divided into 50 titles that represent broad topical areas that are subject to federal regulation. For example, Title 49 covers Transportation, Title 10 covers Energy, and Title 34 covers Education. Each title is divided into volumes, sections, parts, or chapters. Those may be further divided and grouped into subtitles, chapters, subchapters, parts, subparts, or divisions. Specific chapters or parts within each title are devoted to agencies having regulatory authority in that major area, in which all of that agency’s regulations are codified.\n\nCommon Ground Alliance (CGA). From the web site of the Common Ground Alliance: The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to shared responsibility in damage prevention and promotion of the damage prevention Best Practices identified in the Common Ground Study Report. The purpose of the CGA is to ensure public safety, environmental protection, and the integrity of services by promoting effective damage prevention practices. The CGA can be reached at  or for more information see www.commongroundalliance.com.\n\nCheck Valve. A check valve is a valve that allows liquids or gases in a pipeline to flow in one direction but closes to prevent flow in the opposite direction. These types of valves are used extensively in the pipeline industry to prevent reverse-flow or back-flow in the event of a pipeline leak or abnormal operating occurrence.\n\nClose Interval Surveys (CIS). A close interval survey is a method of testing corrosion protection systems on pipelines. It involves inspection and electrical testing of the corrosion protection system every two to three feet along the pipeline to confirm the status of the protection system and to help identify mechanical damage to the pipeline.\n\nClass Location. Class location refers to a regulatory designation for natural gas transmission pipelines that indicates the level of human population within a certain distance on either side of the line. The class location of a pipeline is a factor in determining the maximum allowable operating pressure of the pipeline. Technically speaking: Class location is a criterion for gas pipeline design set by the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations, 49CFR 192.5. A class location is based on the number and type of buildings intended for human occupancy that are situated in an area that extends 220 yd (200 m) on either side of the centerline of any continuous 1.0-mile (1.6-km) length of a gas pipeline. Class locations are specified as Class 1, 2, 3 or 4.\n\nCleaning Pig. A cleaning pig is a device that is placed inside a pipeline to remove unwanted debris from the inside of the pipeline. The pig can be drawn or pushed through a pipeline but often is moved through the line as a result of the flow of the product in the line. A type of utility pig, a cleaning pig uses cups, scrapers, or brushes to remove dirt, rust, mill scale, and other debris from the internal surface of a pipeline. Cleaning pigs are used periodically or as necessary to increase the operating efficiency of a pipeline or to facilitate inspection of the pipeline.\n\nCarbon Dioxide (CO2). Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring gas that is transported and used in the petroleum industry. Carbon dioxide is a heavy gas that can displace breathing air and breathing carbon dioxide can be hazardous to your health. Technically speaking: Carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring gas consisting of molecules formed of one carbon and two oxygen atoms. Carbon dioxide is a heavy gas that is transported by pipeline as a compressed fluid consisting of more than 90% carbon dioxide molecules. If released into the atmosphere from a pipeline leak carbon dioxide is considered hazardous due to its ability to displace breathing air. (Reference 49CFR 195.2)\n\nCommercially Navigable Waterway. A commercially navigable waterway is a waterway where there is a substantial likelihood of commercial navigation. These waterways are identified in the National Waterways Network, a geographic database created by the National Waterways GIS Design Committee. The database is available from the U. S. Department of Transportation, Bureau of Transportation Statistics.\n\nCommunicate. To convey information about; make known; to reveal clearly.\n\nCompliance. Activity(ies) in accordance with a rule.\n\nComponent. A component in a pipeline system is any part of the system that is subject to the internal system pressure. System components must be designed to not leak; thereby assuring that the oil or gas is not released from the system and that the system operating pressure is maintained. Examples of components include the pipe, valves, flanges and other fittings.\n\nCompressor Stations. Compressor Stations are facilities located along a natural gas pipeline which house and protect compressors. Compressors are used to compress (or pump) the gas to move it through the system. Compressor stations are strategically placed along the pipeline to boost the system pressure to maintain required flow rates.\n\nConfirmation Digs. Confirmation digs are excavations performed at selected pipeline locations to expose the pipe to allow confirmation of the existence and characteristics of potential anomalies in the pipe wall that were identified by inline inspection techniques.\n\nConsensus Standards. Consensus standards are standards for performance that are established in open and voluntary forums by consensus of parties affected by the standards. These standards provide the best available professional guidance related to specific subjects. National consensus standards reflect the professional knowledge and judgment of people having appropriate experience, training, and education in the subjects to which the standards apply. The National Technology Transfer and Advancement Act (Public Law 104-113) mandates that Federal departments and agencies use voluntary consensus standards in place of Government standards wherever practical. There are consensus standards that apply to virtually all aspects of energy transportation pipeline design, construction, and operation.\n\nConsent Order. Once PHMSA has issued a Corrective Action Order or given notice to an operator of other proposed enforcement action, PHMSA and the operator may occasionally agree to the issuance of a Consent Order in lieu of a Compliance Order or the imposition of civil penalties. In a Consent Order, the operator agrees to the jurisdictional facts of the case and agrees to implement the specific actions in the Consent Order by the required deadlines. Should the operator not comply with the Consent Order terms, PHMSA can enforce its terms as the parties have agreed. Consent Orders can thus offer various advantages over more traditional enforcement remedies. They can expedite the resolution of cases, facilitate future enforcement action by PHMSA, and require operators to take additional measures beyond those required by regulation, thus achieving a greater level of safety.\n\nConsequence. A consequence is the result of some action or condition or series of events. A consequence may be observed directly, determined by investigation after an action or series of events has occurred, or determined by evaluation and analyses as the logical result of a postulated action or condition or series of events. Technically speaking: A consequence is often noted as the cumulative, undesirable result of an accident. Consequences are usually measured in health and safety effects, environmental impacts, loss of property and/or business costs. Consequence descriptions may be qualitative or quantitative estimates of the effects of an accident.\n\nConsequence Analysis. A consequence analysis is the evaluation or analyses of a postulated action or condition or series of events to determine the logical result. A consequence analysis may be performed to determine the expected effects of events leading to a pipeline accident, independent of the likelihood of such events occurring.\n\nContinual Evaluation of Pipeline Integrity. Under pipeline integrity management regulations, pipeline operators must develop programs for conducting periodic pipeline integrity assessments and evaluating the results of those assessments to understand current pipeline conditions and identify integrity issues. This periodic assessment and evaluation cycle is recognized as a continual evaluation of pipeline integrity.\n\nContributed. Determined to be a factor.\n\nContributed to. A judgment by designated operator personnel, that the action or inaction of an individual(s) was a factor in the occurrence of an incident/accident.\n\nCorrosion. Corrosion is the deterioration of a material, usually a metal, which results from a reaction with its environment. Common rust is an example of corrosion of iron. Steel pipe is subject to corrosion damage. See Also: Active Corrosion, Atmospheric Corrosion, Corrosion Fatigue, Non-active Corrosion, Pitting, Selective Corrosion, Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC), Uniform Corrosion\n\nCorrosion Fatigue. Corrosion fatigue is a reduction of the durability of a pipe due to corrosion. Technically speaking: Fatigue is a weakening of a material caused by the repeated application and removal of stress. For example, if you bend a piece of metal back and forth repeatedly in the same spot, fatigue will result at the bend location and will weaken the metal until it eventually breaks. Pipelines experience fatigue as a result of periodic increases (application of stress) and decreases (removal of stress) in operating pressures. Because fatigue can cause a failure to occur at stress levels well below those that a material can withstand in a single, non-repetitive loading, materials that must resist repeated stress cycles must be specially designed for this service. Durability is the ability of the material to resist fatigue.\n\nCost/Benefit Analysis. A cost/benefit analysis is an evaluation and comparison of an activity’s cost to its perceived benefits. Technically speaking: A cost benefit analysis a determination and comparison of the expected costs to implement a proposed activity and the expected safety, environmental, or other benefits resulting from the activity. Cost/benefit analysis can be used to establish priorities among various activities, to compare and select among alternate ways of accomplishing an objective, or to decide whether a proposed activity should be implemented. The various expected benefits of a proposed activity are often translated into dollar values (‘monetized’) to allow different types of benefits to be combined and then compared with the costs of achieving these benefits.\n\nCost/Benefit Ratio. A cost/benefit ratio is the ratio of the cost of performing an activity compared to the perceived benefits of performing it. Technically speaking: The monetary costs required to complete a proposed activity (for example, replacing a section of pipe) divided by the monetized value of the benefits expected to be derived from that activity (for example, decreased pipe leak rate or likelihood of rupture). Cost/benefit ratios are usually used as an input to, but not sole determinate of, a decision to proceed with the proposed activity.\n\nCovered Task. As defined in § 192.801 and § 195.501.\n\nCathodic Protection (CP). Cathodic protection is a method of protecting metallic pipelines from corrosion. Technically speaking: Cathodic protection is a method of corrosion prevention in which the pipeline is allowed or made to act as the cathode in an electrochemical corrosion cell. A sacrificial anode having a lower electrolytic potential than the pipe is provided to complete the cell. The same electrolytic action that causes the anode to corrode protects the cathode (the pipeline or other component) from corroding.\n\nComputational Pipeline Monitoring (CPM). Computational Pipeline Monitoring is a method of monitoring the operation of a pipeline system. It makes use of a software-based monitoring tool that alerts the pipeline dispatcher of possible pipeline operating abnormalities that could indicate a commodity release.\n\nCracks. Cracks are undesired openings or separations in a normally rigid material, such as a pipe wall. Often cracks are found only on the surface and do not fully penetrate the pipe wall. Using specialized equipment, cracks that may not appear on the surface of the pipe can be found within the thickness of the pipe wall. Regardless, cracks that don’t fully penetrate the pipe wall and result in leaks are considered critical anomalies that could propagate into a leak or failure and must be repaired. Technically speaking: Cracks in line pipe are separations in the molecular structure of the base metal and form as a result of improper manufacturing or operational stresses. Cracks are detrimental to the pipe’s pressure restraining capabilities and can propagate into complete failure or rupture zones.\n\nCriterion. A standard upon which a judgment is based.\n\nCritical Bond. A critical bond is a wire connecting one pipeline to another, nearby pipeline to help prevent corrosion. Technically speaking: Buried pipelines in close proximity or crossing over/under one another will often have different levels of cathodic protection and thus a strong possibility of different electrical potentials (voltage differences). If the soil resistance path between the pipelines is low, electrical currents will flow from one pipeline to the other. The pipeline with the current leaving will experience metal loss or corrosion. To prevent this occurrence, pipeline companies electrically connect or bond their pipes to one another using a copper wire. The wire provides an electrical path for the current to flow through rather than allowing current to flow off the pipe and into the soil, thus eliminating corrosion. The connecting wire is referred to as an electrical bond.\n\nCritical Defect. A critical defect is an identified pipeline defect for which analysis indicates immediate attention is required.\n\nCrude Oil. Crude oil is oil that is extracted from the ground before it is refined into usable products, such as gasoline. Technically speaking: Crude oil is the raw liquid petroleum product extracted from oil wells. It is a mixture of thousands of chemicals and compounds, primarily hydrocarbons. Crude oil must be broken down into its various components by distillation before these chemicals and compounds can be used as fuels or converted to more valuable products. Crude oil is classified as either ‘sweet crude’ (sulfur content less than 0.5%) or ‘sour crude,’ (at least 2.5% sulfur).\n\nCurb Valve. A curb valve is a valve installed in a natural gas service line and is used to shut off the gas supply to a building. Curb valves are installed underground at or near the property line, normally with protective curb boxes or standpipes installed over or around the valve. They are operated by use of a removable key or specialized wrench.\n\nCurrent. (1) Current is the measure of the flow of electrons in an electrical circuit. Current is usually measured in engineering units called amperes, which indicate how much electrical energy is flowing through the circuit. (2) Belonging to the present time; now in progress.\n\nDamage Prevention Initiatives. In addition to enforcing Damage Prevention Regulations in the Code of Federal Regulations, the Office of Pipeline Safety has undertaken a variety of other initiatives to promote pipeline damage prevention. These initiatives, some of which involve collaboration with various stakeholder industry groups, promote public awareness of pipelines and other underground facilities; education of the public and emergency officials, excavators, emergency responders, legislators and other stakeholders on how to recognize and respond to pipeline leaks; and other aspects of pipeline safety. Some more notable recent efforts include: Dig Safely, Common Ground Alliance (CGA), and the One-Call Systems Study (OCSS).\n\nDamage Prevention Regulations. Damage prevention regulations for pipelines are found in the Code of Federal Regulations. They req","truncated":true,"body_characters":131832}