{"operation":"document","citation":"16 TAC § 8.207","title":"Leak Grading and Repair","source_type":"regulation","agency":"Railroad Commission of Texas","status":"current","official":true,"published_on":null,"effective_on":"2008-09-01","summary":"(a) Purpose and qualifications. Operators shall have until March 1, 2009, to repair Grade 2 leaks identified prior to September 1, 2008, and shall have until September 1, 2011, to repair Grade 3 leaks identified prior to September 1, 2008. For all leaks reported on or after September 1, 2008, operat","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/tx-tac-16-8-207.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/tx-tac-16-8-207.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/tx-tac-16-8-207","source_url":"https://texas-sos.appianportalsgov.com/rules-and-meetings?chapter=8&interface=VIEW_TAC&part=1&title=16","body":"(a) Purpose and qualifications. Operators shall have until\nMarch 1, 2009, to repair Grade 2 leaks identified prior to\nSeptember 1, 2008, and shall have until September 1, 2011,\nto repair Grade 3 leaks identified prior to September 1, 2008.\nFor all leaks reported on or after September 1, 2008,\noperators shall comply with the requirements of this section.\n(1) The purpose of the leak grading system is to\ndetermine the degree or extent of the potential hazard\nresulting from gas leakage and to prescribe remedial actions.\nEach operator shall promptly respond to any notification of a\ngas leak or gas odor or any notification of damage to\nfacilities by excavators or other outside sources.\n(2) Each operator shall ensure that leak grading is\nmade only by those individuals who possess training,\nexperience, and knowledge in the field of leak classification\nand investigation, including extensive association with actual\nleakage work. The judgment of these individuals, based upon\nall pertinent information and a complete leakage\ninvestigation at the scene, shall form the basis for the leak\ngrade determination. Each operator shall ensure that its leak\ndetection equipment is properly calibrated.\n(b) Grade 1 leaks.\n\n(1) A Grade 1 leak is an existing or probable hazard\nto persons or property and requires the operator to take\naction immediately to eliminate the hazard and make repairs.\nA Grade 1 leak includes but is not limited to:\n(A) any leak which, in the judgment of\noperating personnel at the scene, is regarded as an immediate\nhazard;\n(B) escaping gas that has ignited;\n(C) any indication of gas, which has migrated\ninto or under a building, or into a tunnel;\n(D) any reading at the outside wall of a\nbuilding, or where gas would likely migrate to an outside\nwall of a building;\n(E) any reading of 80% lower explosive limit\n(LEL) or greater in a confined space;\n(F) any reading of 80% LEL or greater in small\nsubstructures, other than gas associated substructures, from\nwhich gas would likely migrate to the outside wall of a\nbuilding; or\n(G) any leak that can be seen, heard, or felt, and\nwhich is in a location that may endanger the general public\nor property.\n(2) A Grade 1 leak requires that the operator take\nprompt action to eliminate the hazardous conditions. The\nprompt action may require one or more of the following:\n(A) implementing an emergency plan (49 CFR\n§192.615);\n(B) evacuating premises;\n(C) blocking off an area;\n(D) rerouting traffic;\n(E) eliminating sources of ignition;\n(F) venting the area by removing manhole\ncovers, barholing, installing vent holes, or other means;\n(G) stopping the flow of gas by closing valves\nor other means; or\n(H) notifying emergency responders.\n(c) Grade 2 leaks.\n(1) A Grade 2 leak is non-hazardous at the time of\ndetection, but requires the operator to schedule repair based\non probable future hazard. A Grade 2 leak, because of its\nlocation and magnitude, can be scheduled for repair on a\nnormal routine basis with periodic reinspection as necessary.\nEach operator shall re-evaluate every Grade 2 leak at least\nonce every 30 days until repaired or cleared.\n(2) Each operator shall repair within six months of\ndetection any leak:\n(A) with a reading of 40% LEL, or greater,\nunder a sidewalk in a wall-to-wall paved area that does not\nqualify as a Grade 1 leak;\n(B) with a reading of 100% LEL, or greater,\nunder a street in a wall-to-wall paved area that has significant\ngas migration and does not qualify as a Grade 1 Leak;\n(C) with a reading less than 80% LEL in small\nsubstructures (other than gas associated substructures) from\nwhich gas would likely migrate creating a probable future\nhazard;\n(D) with a reading between 20% LEL and 80%\nLEL in a confined space;\n(E) with a reading on a pipeline operating at 30\npercent SMYS, or greater, in a class 3 or 4 location, which\ndoes not qualify as a Grade 1 leak;\n(F) with a reading of 80% LEL, or greater, in\ngas associated substructures; and\n(G) which, in the judgment of operating\npersonnel at the scene, is of sufficient magnitude to justify\n\nscheduled repair.\n(3) Grade 2 leaks vary greatly in degree of potential\nhazard. Some Grade 2 leaks, when evaluated by the criteria\nin this subsection, may require a scheduled repair within the\nnext five working days. Others will require repair within 30\ndays. In determining the repair priority, each operator shall\nconsider criteria such as the following:\n(A) the amount and migration of gas;\n(B) the proximity of gas to buildings and\nsubsurface structures;\n(C) the extent of pavement; and\n(D) soil type and conditions, such as frost cap,\nmoisture, and natural venting.\n(4) Each operator shall take action ahead of ground\nfreezing or other adverse changes in venting conditions with\nrespect to any leak which, under frozen or other adverse soil\nconditions, would likely allow gas to migrate to the outside\nwall of a building.\n(d) Grade 3 leaks.\n(1) A Grade 3 leak is non-hazardous at the time of\ndetection and reasonably can be expected to remain non-\nhazardous. Each operator shall repair a Grade 3 leak within\n36 months of detection.\n(2) Each operator shall re-evaluate each Grade 3\nleak during the next scheduled survey, or within 15 months\nof date reported, whichever occurs first, until the leak is\ncleared, repaired, or re-graded. A leak requiring re-\nevaluation at periodic intervals includes any reading:\n(A) of less than 80% LEL in small, gas-\nassociated substructures;\n(B) under a street in areas without wall-to-wall\npaving where it is unlikely the gas could migrate to the\noutside wall of a building; and\n(C) of less than 20% LEL in a confined space.\n(e) Post-repair inspections.\n(1) A leak is considered to be effectively repaired\nwhen an operator obtains a gas concentration reading of 0%.\n(2) For a repaired leak with a gas concentration\nreading greater than 0% at the time of repair, an operator\nshall conduct a post-repair leak inspection within 30 days\nafter the repair to determine whether the leak has been\neffectively repaired. If the second post-repair inspection\nshows a gas concentration reading greater than 0%, the\noperator shall continue conducting post-repair leak\ninspections every 30 days until there is a gas concentration\nreading of 0%. If after six inspections have been performed\nthe operator is unable to obtain a gas concentration reading\nof 0%, then the operator shall create a new leak report with a\nnew leak grade determination.\n(3) Post-repair inspections are not required for leak\nrepairs completed by the replacement or insertion of an\nentire length of pipe or service line, or for the repair of\nleakage caused by excavator or third-party damage, provided\na complete re-evaluation of the leak area after completion of\nrepairs verifies that no further indications of leakage exist.\n(4) Remedial measures such as lubrication of valves\nor tightening of packing nuts on valves which seal leaks are\nconsidered to be routine maintenance work and do not\nrequire a post-repair inspection.\n(f) Upgrading. When an operator upgrades a leak to a\nhigher grade, the time period for repair is the remaining time\nbased on its original classification or the time allowed for\nrepair under its new grade, whichever is less. This\nrequirement does not apply to leaks that, at the time of\ndiscovery, an operator has classified at a lower grade\n\npending a further, more complete investigation of the leak\nhazard area.\n(g) Table. The following table provides a concise\nreference for leak grading and leak repair deadlines.\nFigure: 16 TAC §8.207(g) [See Figure at end of this\ndocument.]\n\nFigure: 16 TAC §8.207(g) DEFINITION GRADE 1 A leak that represents an existing or probable hazard to persons or property, and requires immediate repair. ACTION CRITERIA Requires immediate repair. Requires prompt action to eliminate the hazardous conditions. The prompt action in some instances may require one or more of the following: P Implementation an emergency plan (§192.615). P Evacuating premises. P Blocking off an area. P Rerouting traffic. P Eliminating sources of ignition. P Venting the area by removing manhole covers, barholing, installing vent holes, or other means. P Stopping the flow of gas by closing valves or other means. P Notifying emergency responders. 2 A leak that is recognized as being non-hazardous at the time of detection, but requires scheduled repair based on probable future hazard Leaks shall be repaired or cleared within six months from the date the leak was reported. In determining the repair priority, criteria such as the following should be considered: P Amount and migration of gas. P Proximity of gas to buildings and subsurface structures. P Extent of pavement. P Soil type, and soil conditions (such as frost cap, moisture and natural venting). Grade 2 leaks should be reevaluated at least once every 30 days until cleared. Grade 2 leaks vary greatly in degree of potential hazard. Some Grade 2 leaks, when evaluated by the above criteria, may require a scheduled repair within the next five working days. Others will require repair within 30 days. During the working day on which the leak is discovered, these situations should be brought to the attention of the individual responsible for scheduling leak repair. On the other hand, many Grade 2 leaks, because of their location and magnitude, can be scheduled for repair on a normal EXAMPLES P Any leak which, in the judgment of operating personnel at the scene, is regarded as an immediate hazard. P Escaping gas that has ignited. P Any indication of gas, which has migrated into or under a building, or into a tunnel. P Any reading at the outside wall of a building, or where gas would likely migrate to an outside wall of a building. P Any reading of 80% LEL, or greater, in a confined space. P Any reading of 80% LEL, or greater in small substructures (other than gas associated substructures) from which gas would likely migrate to the outside wall of a building. P Any leak that can be seen, heard, or felt, and which is in a location that may endanger the general public or property. Leaks Requiring Action Ahead of Ground Freezing or Other Adverse Changes in Venting Conditions. Any leak which, under frozen or other adverse soil conditions, would likely migrate to the outside wall of a building. Leaks Requiring Action Within Six Months P Any reading of 40% LEL, or greater, under a sidewalk in a wall-to-wall paved area that does not qualify as a Grade 1 leak. P Any reading of 100% LEL, or greater, under a street in a wall-to-wall paved area that has significant gas migration and does not qualify as a Grade 1 Leak. P Any reading less than 80% LEL in small substructures (other than gas associated substructures) from which gas would likely migrate creating a probable future hazard. P Any reading between 20% LEL and 80% LEL in a confined space. P Any reading on a pipeline operating at 30 percent SMYS, or greater, in a class 3 or 4 location, which does not qualify as a Grade 1 leak. P Any reading of 80% LEL, or greater, in gas associated substructures. P Any leak which, in the judgment of operating personnel at the scene, is of sufficient magnitude to justify scheduled GRADE DEFINITION 3 A leak that is non- hazardous at the time of detection and can be reasonably expected to remain non- hazardous. ACTION CRITERIA routine basis with periodic reinspection as necessary. These leaks should be reevaluated during the next scheduled survey, or within 15 months of date reported, whichever occurs first, until the leak is cleared, re-graded, or repaired within 36 months. EXAMPLES repair. Leaks Requiring Reevaluation at Periodic Intervals P Any reading of less than 80% LEL in small gas associated substructures P Any reading under a street in areas without wall-to-wall paving where it is unlikely the gas could migrate to the outside wall of a building. P Any reading of less than 20% LEL in a confined space.","truncated":false,"body_characters":11886}