Odorization of Gas

(a)Odorization of gas.#

(1)Each gas company shall continuously odorize gas by the use of a malodorant agent as set forth in this section unless the gas contains a natural malodor or is odorized prior to delivery by a supplier.#

(2)Unless required by 49 CFR Part 192.625(B) or by this section, odorization is not required for:#

(A)gas in underground or other storage;#

(B)gas used or sold primarily for use in natural gasoline extraction plants, recycling plants, chemical plants, carbon black plants, industrial plants, or irrigation pumps; or#

(C)gas used in lease and field operation or development or in repressuring wells.#

(3)Gas shall be odorized by the user if:#

(A)the gas is delivered for use primarily in one of the activities or facilities listed in paragraph (2) of this subsection and is also used in one of those activities for space heating, refrigeration, water heating, cooking, and other domestic uses; or#

(B)the gas is used for furnishing heat or air conditioning for office or living quarters.#

(4)In the case of lease users, the supplier shall ensure that the gas will be odorized before being used by the consumer.#

(b)Odorization equipment. Gas companies shall use commercially available odorization equipment in any installation made on or after February 4, 2009. Shop-made or other odorization equipment previously approved by the Commission and in use as of February 4, 2009, may continue to be used in its current service, but may not be re-installed in a different location. Each operator shall be required to maintain a list of odorization equipment used in its particular operations, including the location of the odorization equipment, the brand name, model number, and the date last serviced. The list shall be available for review during safety evaluations by the Division.#

(c)Malodorants. Gas companies shall use commercially available malodorants which shall meet the following criteria.#

(1)The malodorant when blended with gas in the amount specified for adequate odorization of the gas shall not be deleterious to humans or to the materials present in a gas system and shall not be soluble in water to a greater extent than 2 1/2 parts by weight of malodorant to 100 parts by weight of water.#

(2)The products of combustion from the malodorant shall be nontoxic to humans breathing air containing the products of combustion and the products of combustion shall not be corrosive or harmful to the materials to which such products of combustion would ordinarily come in contact.#

(3)The malodorant agent to be introduced in the gas, or the natural malodor of the gas, or the combination of the malodorant and the natural malodor of the gas shall have a distinctive malodor so that when gas is present in air at a concentration of one-fifth of the lower explosive limit, the malodor is readily detectable by an individual with a normal sense of smell.#

(4)The level of natural malodor or the injection rate of approved malodorant shall be sufficient to achieve the requirement of paragraph (3) of this subsection.#

(d)Malodorant tests and reports.#

(1)Malodorant injection report. Each gas company shall record as frequently as necessary to maintain adequate odorization but not less than once each quarter the following malodorant information for all odorization equipment, except farm tap odorizers. The required information shall be recorded and retained in the company's files:#

(A)odorizer location;#

(B)brand name and model of odorizer;#

(C)name of malodorant, concentrate, or dilute;#

(D)quantity of malodorant at beginning of month/quarter;#

(E)amount added during month/quarter;#

(F)quantity at end of month/quarter;#

(G)MMcf of gas odorized during month/quarter; and#

(H)injection rate per MMcf.#

(2)Each natural gas operator shall check, test, and service farm tap odorizers at intervals not exceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar year. Each gas company shall maintain records to reflect the date of service and maintenance on file for at least two years.#

(e)Malodorant concentration tests and reports.#

(1)Each gas company shall conduct the following concentration tests on the gas supplied through its facilities and required to be odorized. Test points shall be distant from odorizing equipment, so as to be representative of the odorized gas in the system. Tests shall be performed at intervals not exceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar year or at such other times as the Division may reasonably require. The results of these tests shall be recorded and retained in each company's files for at least two years. Malodorant concentration test results shall include the following:#

(A)odorizer name and location;#

(B)malodorant concentration meter make, model, and serial number;#

(C)date test performed, test time, odorizer tested, and distance from odorizer;#

(D)test results indicating percent gas in air when malodor is readily detectable; and#

(E)signature of person performing the test.#

(2)Wick-type farm tap odorizers shall be exempt from the odorization equipment reporting requirements of paragraph (1)(B) of this subsection.#

(3)Gas companies that obtain gas into which malodorant previously has been injected or gas which is considered to have a natural malodor and therefore do not odorize the gas themselves shall be required to conduct quarterly malodorant concentration tests and retain records for a period of two years.#

Source Note: The provisions of this §8.215 adopted to be effective November 24, 2004, 29 TexReg 10733; amended to be effective February 4, 2009, 34 TexReg 582; amended to be effective October 6, 2014, 39 TexReg 7916#