# Pipeline Integrity Assessment and Management Plans for Natural Gas and Hazardous Liquids Pipelines

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** 16 TAC § 8.101
- **title:** Pipeline Integrity Assessment and Management Plans for Natural Gas and Hazardous Liquids Pipelines
- **source type:** regulation
- **agency:** Railroad Commission of Texas
- **status:** current
- **official:** true
- **published on:** Not available
- **effective on:** 2024-12-09
- **summary:** (a) This section does not apply to plastic pipelines. (b) By February 1, 2002, operators of intrastate transmission lines subject to the requirements of 49 CFR Part 192 or pipeline facilities used in the transportation of hazardous liquids or carbon dioxide subject to 49 CFR Part 195 shall have desi
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/tx-tac-16-8-101.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/tx-tac-16-8-101.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/tx-tac-16-8-101
- **source url:** https://texas-sos.appianportalsgov.com/rules-and-meetings?chapter=8&interface=VIEW_TAC&part=1&title=16
**body:**

(a) This section does not apply to plastic pipelines.
(b) By February 1, 2002, operators of intrastate
transmission lines subject to the requirements of 49 CFR Part
192 or pipeline facilities used in the transportation of
hazardous liquids or carbon dioxide subject to 49 CFR Part
195 shall have designated on a system-by-system or segment
within each system basis whether the pipeline operator has
chosen to use the risk-based analysis pursuant to paragraph
(1) of this subsection or the prescriptive plan authorized by
paragraph (2) of this subsection. Hazardous liquid pipeline
operators using the risk-based plan shall complete at least
50% of the initial assessments by January 1, 2006, and the
remainder by January 1, 2011; operators using the
prescriptive plan shall complete the initial integrity testing by
January 1, 2006, or January 1, 2011, pursuant to the
requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection. Natural gas
pipeline operators using the risk-based plan shall complete at
least 50% of the initial assessments by December 17, 2007,
and the remainder by December 17, 2012; operators using
the prescriptive plan shall complete the initial integrity
testing by December 17, 2007, or December 17, 2012,
pursuant to the requirements of paragraph (2) of this
subsection.
(1) The risk-based plan shall contain at a minimum:
(A) identification of the pipelines and pipeline
segments or sections in each system covered by the plan;
(B) a priority ranking for performing the integrity

assessment of pipeline segments of each system based on an
analysis of risks that takes into account:
(i) population density;
(ii) immediate response area designation, which, at a
minimum, means the identification of significant threats to
the environment (including but not limited to air, land, and
water) or to the public health or safety of the immediate
response area;
(iii) pipeline configuration;
(iv) prior in-line inspection data or reports;
(v) prior pressure test data or reports;
(vi) leak and incident data or reports;
(vii) operating characteristics such as established
maximum allowable operating pressures (MAOP) for gas
pipelines or maximum operating pressures (MOP) for liquids
pipelines, leak survey results, cathodic protection surveys,
and product carried;
(viii) construction records, including at a minimum
but not limited to the age of the pipe and the operating
history;
(ix) pipeline specifications; and
(x) any other data that may assist in the assessment
of the integrity of pipeline segments;
(C) assessment of pipeline integrity using at least one
of the following methods appropriate for each segment:
(i) in-line inspection;
(ii) pressure test;
(iii) direct assessment;
(iv) for gas pipelines only, guided wave ultrasonic
testing (GWUT);
(v) for gas pipelines only, excavation with direct in
situ examination; or
(iv) other technology or assessment methodology not
specifically listed in this paragraph after approval by the
director.
(D) management methods for the pipeline segments
which may include remedial action or increased inspections
as necessary;
(E) periodic review of the pipeline integrity assessment
and management plan every 36 months, or more frequently if
necessary; and
(F) re-assessment intervals not to exceed the following:
(i) for pipelines subject to 49 CFR Part 195, a
maximum interval of 10 years for onshore line pipe that can
accommodate inspection by means of in-line inspection
tools; or
(ii) for pipelines subject to 49 CFR Part §192.710, a
maximum interval of 10 years.
(2) Operators electing not to use the risk-based plan in
paragraph (1) of this subsection shall conduct a pressure test
or an in-line inspection and take remedial action in
accordance with the following schedule:
Figure 1: 16 TAC §8.110(b)(2)
Figure 2: 16 TAC §8.110(b)(2) [See Figures at end of this
document.]
(c) Within 185 days after receipt of notice that an
operator's plan is complete, the Commission shall either
notify the operator of the acceptance of the plan or shall
complete an evaluation of the plan to determine compliance
with this section.
(d) After the completion of the assessment required under
either plan, the operator shall promptly remove defects that
are immediate hazards and, no later than the next test
interval, shall mitigate any anomalies identified by the test
that could reasonably be predicted to become hazardous

defects. For pipelines subject to 49 CFR §192.710, an
operator shall follow the remediation requirements required
by 49 CFR §192.710(f).
(e) If a pipeline that is not subject to this section undergoes
any change in circumstances that results in the pipeline
becoming subject to this section, then the operator of such
pipeline shall establish integrity of the pipeline pursuant to
the requirements of this section prior to any further
operation. Such changes include but are not limited to an
addition to the pipeline, change in the operating pressure of
the pipeline, change from inactive to active status, change in
population in the area of the pipeline, or change of operator
of the pipeline segment. If a pipeline segment is acquired by
a new operator, the pipeline segment can continue to be
operated without establishing pipeline integrity as long as the
new operator utilizes the prior operator's operation and
maintenance procedures for this pipeline segment. If the
population in the area of a pipeline segment changes, the
pipeline segment can continue to operate without
establishing pipeline integrity until such time as the operator
determines whether or not the change in population affects
the criteria applicable to the integrity management program,
but for no longer than the time frames established under 49
CFR Part 192 or 195.

Figure 1: 16 TAC §8.101(b)(2) GAS TRANSMISSION LINES Size Pressure Class 2, 3, 4 Class 1 Offshore Less than 100 psig n/a n/a Intervals prescribed by operator Less than or equal to 8 inches Greater than 100 psig and less than 20% SMYS 10 year intervals n/a Intervals prescribed by operator Greater than 20% SMYS 5 year intervals n/a Intervals prescribed by operator Less than 100 psig n/a n/a Intervals prescribed by operator Greater than 8 inches Greater than 100 psig and less than 20% SMYS 5 year intervals n/a Intervals prescribed by operator Greater than 20% SMYS 5 year intervals 10 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator

Figure 2: 16 TAC §8.101(b)(2) LIQUIDS PIPELINES Hazardous Liquids Non Rural Rural Crossing of Navigable Waterways Offshore Crude Transmission 5 year intervals 10 year intervals 5 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator Crude Gathering 5 year intervals *10 year intervals 5 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator HVL 5 year intervals 5 year intervals 5 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator Products 5 year intervals 10 year intervals 5 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator Carbon Dioxide 5 year intervals 10 year intervals 5 year intervals Intervals prescribed by operator *only for onshore line pipe that can accommodate inspection by means of in-line inspection tools
- **truncated:** false
- **body characters:** 7073