§ 192.3 - Definitions.

§ 192.3 Definitions.

Cross Reference

Link to an amendment published at 89 FR 33279, Apr. 29, 2024.

As used in this part:

Abandoned means permanently removed from service.

Active corrosion means continuing corrosion that, unless controlled, could result in a condition that is detrimental to public safety.

Administrator means the Administrator, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration or his or her delegate.

Alarm means an audible or visible means of indicating to the controller that equipment or processes are outside operator-defined, safety-related parameters.

Close interval survey means a series of closely and properly spaced pipe-to-electrolyte potential measurements taken over the pipe to assess the adequacy of cathodic protection or to identify locations where a current may be leaving the pipeline that may cause corrosion and for the purpose of quantifying voltage (IR) drops other than those across the structure electrolyte boundary, such as when performed as a current interrupted, depolarized, or native survey.

Composite materials means materials used to make pipe or components manufactured with a combination of either steel and/or plastic and with a reinforcing material to maintain its circumferential or longitudinal strength.

Control room means an operations center staffed by personnel charged with the responsibility for remotely monitoring and controlling a pipeline facility.

Controller means a qualified individual who remotely monitors and controls the safety-related operations of a pipeline facility via a SCADA system from a control room, and who has operational authority and accountability for the remote operational functions of the pipeline facility.

Customer meter means the meter that measures the transfer of gas from an operator to a consumer.

Distribution center means the initial point where gas enters piping used primarily to deliver gas to customers who purchase it for consumption, as opposed to customers who purchase it for resale, for example:

(1) At a metering location;

(2) A pressure reduction location; or

(3) Where there is a reduction in the volume of gas, such as a lateral off a transmission line.

Distribution line means a pipeline other than a gathering or transmission line.

Dry gas or dry natural gas means gas above its dew point and without condensed liquids.

Electrical survey means a series of closely spaced pipe-to-soil readings over pipelines which are subsequently analyzed to identify locations where a corrosive current is leaving the pipeline.

Engineering critical assessment (ECA) means a documented analytical procedure based on fracture mechanics principles, relevant material properties (mechanical and fracture resistance properties), operating history, operational environment, in-service degradation, possible failure mechanisms, initial and final defect sizes, and usage of future operating and maintenance procedures to determine the maximum tolerable sizes for imperfections based upon the pipeline segment maximum allowable operating pressure.

Entirely replaced onshore transmission pipeline segments means, for the purposes of §§ 192.179 and 192.634, where 2 or more miles, in the aggregate, of onshore transmission pipeline have been replaced within any 5 contiguous miles of pipeline within any 24-month period. This definition does not apply to any gathering line.

Exposed underwater pipeline means an underwater pipeline where the top of the pipe protrudes above the underwater natural bottom (as determined by recognized and generally accepted practices) in waters less than 15 feet (4.6 meters) deep, as measured from mean low water.

Gas means natural gas, flammable gas, or gas which is toxic or corrosive.

Gathering line means a pipeline that transports gas from a current production facility to a transmission line or main.

Gulf of Mexico and its inlets means the waters from the mean high water mark of the coast of the Gulf of Mexico and its inlets open to the sea (excluding rivers, tidal marshes, lakes, and canals) seaward to include the territorial sea and Outer Continental Shelf to a depth of 15 feet (4.6 meters), as measured from the mean low water.

Hard spot means an area on steel pipe material with a minimum dimension greater than two inches (50.8 mm) in any direction and hardness greater than or equal to Rockwell 35 HRC (Brinell 327 HB or Vickers 345 HV₁₀).

Hazard to navigation means, for the purposes of this part, a pipeline where the top of the pipe is less than 12 inches (305 millimeters) below the underwater natural bottom (as determined by recognized and generally accepted practices) in waters less than 15 feet (4.6 meters) deep, as measured from the mean low water.

High-pressure distribution system means a distribution system in which the gas pressure in the main is higher than the pressure provided to the customer.

In-line inspection (ILI) means an inspection of a pipeline from the interior of the pipe using an inspection tool also called intelligent or smart pigging. This definition includes tethered and self-propelled inspection tools.

In-line inspection tool or instrumented internal inspection device means an instrumented device or vehicle that uses a non-destructive testing technique to inspect the pipeline from the inside in order to identify and characterize flaws to analyze pipeline integrity; also known as an intelligent or smart pig.

Line section means a continuous run of transmission line between adjacent compressor stations, between a compressor station and storage facilities, between a compressor station and a block valve, or between adjacent block valves.

Listed specification means a specification listed in section I of appendix B of this part.

Low-pressure distribution system means a distribution system in which the gas pressure in the main is substantially the same as the pressure provided to the customer.

Main means a distribution line that serves as a common source of supply for more than one service line.

Master Meter System means a pipeline system for distributing gas within, but not limited to, a definable area (such as a mobile home park, housing project, or apartment complex) where the operator purchases metered gas from an outside source for resale through a gas distribution pipeline system. The gas distribution pipeline system supplies the ultimate consumer who either purchases the gas directly through a meter or by other means, such as by rents.

Maximum actual operating pressure means the maximum pressure that occurs during normal operations over a period of 1 year.

Maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) means the maximum pressure at which a pipeline or segment of a pipeline may be operated under this part.

Moderate consequence area means:

(1) An onshore area that is within a potential impact circle, as defined in § 192.903, containing either:

(i) Five or more buildings intended for human occupancy; or

(ii) Any portion of the paved surface, including shoulders, of a designated interstate, other freeway, or expressway, as well as any other principal arterial roadway with 4 or more lanes, as defined in the Federal Highway Administration's Highway Functional Classification Concepts, Criteria and Procedures, Section 3.1 (see: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/planning/processes/statewide/related/highway_functional_classifications/fcauab.pdf), and that does not meet the definition of high consequence area, as defined in § 192.903.

(2) The length of the moderate consequence area extends axially along the length of the pipeline from the outermost edge of the first potential impact circle containing either 5 or more buildings intended for human occupancy; or any portion of the paved surface, including shoulders, of any designated interstate, freeway, or expressway, as well as any other principal arterial roadway with 4 or more lanes, to the outermost edge of the last contiguous potential impact circle that contains either 5 or more buildings intended for human occupancy, or any portion of the paved surface, including shoulders, of any designated interstate, freeway, or expressway, as well as any other principal arterial roadway with 4 or more lanes.

Municipality means a city, county, or any other political subdivision of a State.

Notification of potential rupture means the notification to, or observation by, an operator of indicia identified in § 192.635 of a potential unintentional or uncontrolled release of a large volume of gas from a pipeline. This definition does not apply to any gathering line.

Offshore means beyond the line of ordinary low water along that portion of the coast of the United States that is in direct contact with the open seas and beyond the line marking the seaward limit of inland waters.

Operator means a person who engages in the transportation of gas.

Outer Continental Shelf means all submerged lands lying seaward and outside the area of lands beneath navigable waters as defined in Section 2 of the Submerged Lands Act (43 U.S.C. 1301) and of which the subsoil and seabed appertain to the United States and are subject to its jurisdiction and control.

Person means any individual, firm, joint venture, partnership, corporation, association, State, municipality, cooperative association, or joint stock association, and including any trustee, receiver, assignee, or personal representative thereof.

Petroleum gas means propane, propylene, butane, (normal butane or isobutanes), and butylene (including isomers), or mixtures composed predominantly of these gases, having a vapor pressure not exceeding 208 psi (1434 kPa) gage at 100 °F (38 °C).

Pipe means any pipe or tubing used in the transportation of gas, including pipe-type holders.

Pipeline means all parts of those physical facilities through which gas moves in transportation, including pipe, valves, and other appurtenance attached to pipe, compressor units, metering stations, regulator stations, delivery stations, holders, and fabricated assemblies.

Pipeline environment includes soil resistivity (high or low), soil moisture (wet or dry), soil contaminants that may promote corrosive activity, and other known conditions that could affect the probability of active corrosion.

Pipeline facility means new and existing pipelines, rights-of-way, and any equipment, facility, or building used in the transportation of gas or in the treatment of gas during the course of transportation.

Rupture-mitigation valve (RMV) means an automatic shut-off valve (ASV) or a remote-control valve (RCV) that a pipeline operator uses to minimize the volume of gas released from the pipeline and to mitigate the consequences of a rupture. This definition does not apply to any gathering line.

Service line means a distribution line that transports gas from a common source of supply to an individual customer, to two adjacent or adjoining residential or small commercial customers, or to multiple residential or small commercial customers served through a meter header or manifold. A service line ends at the outlet of the customer meter or at the connection to a customer's piping, whichever is further downstream, or at the connection to customer piping if there is no meter.

Service regulator means the device on a service line that controls the pressure of gas delivered from a higher pressure to the pressure provided to the customer. A service regulator may serve one customer or multiple customers through a meter header or manifold.

SMYS means specified minimum yield strength is:

(1) For steel pipe manufactured in accordance with a listed specification, the yield strength specified as a minimum in that specification; or

(2) For steel pipe manufactured in accordance with an unknown or unlisted specification, the yield strength determined in accordance with § 192.107(b).

State means each of the several States, the District of Columbia, and the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) system means a computer-based system or systems used by a controller in a control room that collects and displays information about a pipeline facility and may have the ability to send commands back to the pipeline facility.

Transmission line means a pipeline or connected series of pipelines, other than a gathering line, that:

(1) Transports gas from a gathering pipeline or storage facility to a distribution center, storage facility, or large volume customer that is not down-stream from a distribution center;

(2) Has an MAOP of 20 percent or more of SMYS;

(3) Transports gas within a storage field; or

(4) Is voluntarily designated by the operator as a transmission pipeline.

Note 1 to transmission line. A large volume customer may receive similar volumes of gas as a distribution center, and includes factories, power plants, and institutional users of gas.

Transportation of gas means the gathering, transmission, or distribution of gas by pipeline or the storage of gas, in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce.

Underground natural gas storage facility (UNGSF) means a gas pipeline facility that stores natural gas underground incidental to the transportation of natural gas, including:

(1)

(i) A depleted hydrocarbon reservoir;

(ii) An aquifer reservoir; or

(iii) A solution-mined salt cavern.

(2) In addition to the reservoir or cavern, a UNGSF includes injection, withdrawal, monitoring, and observation wells; wellbores and downhole components; wellheads and associated wellhead piping; wing-valve assemblies that isolate the wellhead from connected piping beyond the wing-valve assemblies; and any other equipment, facility, right-of-way, or building used in the underground storage of natural gas.

Weak link means a device or method used when pulling polyethylene pipe, typically through methods such as horizontal directional drilling, to ensure that damage will not occur to the pipeline by exceeding the maximum tensile stresses allowed.

Welder means a person who performs manual or semi-automatic welding.

Welding operator means a person who operates machine or automatic welding equipment.

Wrinkle bend means a bend in the pipe that:

(1) Was formed in the field during construction such that the inside radius of the bend has one or more ripples with:

(i) An amplitude greater than or equal to 1.5 times the wall thickness of the pipe, measured from peak to valley of the ripple; or

(ii) With ripples less than 1.5 times the wall thickness of the pipe and with a wrinkle length (peak to peak) to wrinkle height (peak to valley) ratio under 12.

(2)

(i) If the length of the wrinkle bend cannot be reliably determined, then wrinkle bend means a bend in the pipe where (h/D)*100 exceeds 2 when S is less than 37,000 psi (255 MPa), where (h/D)*100 exceeds (47000—S)/10,000 +1 for psi [(324—S)/69 +1 for MPa] when S is greater than 37,000 psi (255 MPa) but less than 47,000 psi (324 MPa), and where (h/D)*100 exceeds 1 when S is 47,000 psi (324 MPa) or more.

(ii) Where:

(A) D = Outside diameter of the pipe, in. (mm);

(B) h = Crest-to-trough height of the ripple, in. (mm); and

(C) S = Maximum operating hoop stress, psi (S/145, MPa).

[Amdt. 192-13, 38 FR 9084, Apr. 10, 1973]

Editorial Note

Editorial Note:

For Federal Register citations affecting § 192.3, see the List of CFR Sections Affected, which appears in the Finding Aids section of the printed volume and at www.govinfo.gov.