[Federal Register Volume 62, Number 191 (Thursday, October 2, 1997)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 51624-51626]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 97-26123]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration
49 CFR Part 192
[Docket No. RSPA-97-2879; Notice 1]
Remotely Controlled Valves on Natural Gas Pipeline Facilities
AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration, DOT.
ACTION: Notice of public meeting.
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SUMMARY: The Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA)
invites representatives of industry, state and local government, and
the public to an open meeting on the use of remotely controlled valves
(RCVs) on natural gas pipeline facilities. Congress mandated the use of
RCVs on interstate natural gas pipeline facilities if it is determined
as a result of a survey and assessment that the use of RCVs is
technically and economically feasible and would reduce risks associated
with a rupture of a natural gas pipeline facility. The purpose of this
meeting is to gather information and discuss issues relevant to the
survey and assessment.
DATES: The public meeting will be held on October 30, 1997, beginning
at 9:00 a.m. Persons who want to participate in the public meeting
should call (202) 366-4046 or e-mail their name, affiliation, and phone
number to jenny.donohue@rspa.dot.gov before close of business October
17, 1997. The public meeting is open to all interested parties, but
RSPA may limit participation because of space considerations and the
need to obtain a wide range of views.
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held in Houston, Texas at the Adam's
Mark Hotel, 2900 Briarpark Drive at Westheimer. The hotel's telephone
number is (713) 978-7400.
WRITTEN COMMENTS: Anyone may submit written comments. Persons who are
unable to attend the public meeting may submit written comments on or
before the deadline of November 28, 1997. Interested persons should
submit as part of their written comments all material that is relevant
to a statement of fact or argument. Late filed comments will be
considered so far as practicable.
Send written comments to the Docket Facility, U.S. Department of
Transportation, Plaza 401, 400 Seventh Street SW, Washington, DC 20590-
0001. Comments should identify the docket number (RSPA-97-2879).
Commenters should submit an original and one copy. Commenters wishing
to receive
[[Page 51625]]
confirmation of receipt of their comments must include a stamped, self-
addressed postcard with their comments. The docket clerk will date
stamp the postcard and return it to the commenter. Comments will be
available for inspection at the Docket Facility, located on the Plaza
level of the Nassif Building in Room 401. The Docket Facility is open
from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except on Federal
holidays.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Lloyd W. Ulrich, telephone: (202) 366-
4556, FAX: (202) 366-4566, e-mail: lloyd.ulrich@rspa.dot.gov regarding
the subject matter of this notice or the Dockets Unit, (202) 366-5046,
for copies of this notice or other material in the docket.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Accountable Pipeline Safety and
Partnership Act of 1996 (codified at 49 U.S.C. 60102 (j)) required
that, ``Not later than June 1, 1998, the Secretary [of Transportation]
shall survey and assess the effectiveness of remotely controlled valves
to shut off the flow of natural gas in the event of a rupture of an
interstate natural gas pipeline facility and shall make a determination
about whether the use of remotely controlled valves is technically
feasible and economically feasibility and would reduce risks associated
with a rupture of an interstate natural gas pipeline facility.''
``Not later than one year after the survey and assessment are
complete, if the Secretary has determined that the use of remotely
controlled valves is technically and economically feasible and would
reduce risks associated with a rupture of an interstate natural gas
pipeline facility, the Secretary shall prescribe standards under which
an operator of an interstate natural gas pipeline facility must use a
remotely controlled valve. These standards shall include, but not be
limited to, requirements for high-density population areas.''
RSPA is aware of the consequences when a natural gas pipeline that
has experienced a rupture is not isolated quickly by closing valves on
either side of the ruptured section. A high pressure gas transmission
pipeline failure occurred in Edison, New Jersey on March 23, 1994. The
failure of the 36-inch pipeline resulted in the escaping gas igniting
and creating a fireball 500 feet high. There was one death and
approximately 50 injuries. Radiant heat from the fireball ignited the
roofs of buildings located more than 100 yards from the failure,
destroyed 128 apartments and resulted in the evacuation of 1,500
people. The casualties were limited because the few minutes between the
time of the failure and the explosion allowed residents to vacate the
area. The gas company using a manually operated valve took 2\1/2\ hours
to isolate the ruptured section of pipeline, which contributed to the
severity of the damages.
The experience in New Jersey resulted in the adoption of a set of
new rules by the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) covering
the installation, operation, and maintenance of intrastate natural gas
pipelines in the state of New Jersey. These rules became effective
March 17, 1997.
One of the new BPU rules requires each operator to submit a
Sectionalizing Valve Assessment and Emergency Closing Plan for
sectionalizing valves in class 3 and class 4 locations 1.
All valves in class 3 and class 4 locations are to be evaluated and
prioritized as to the need for installation or retrofitting of a RCV or
automatically controlled valve (ACV). Each plan is to include training
of appropriate personnel on emergency plans and procedures. An
emergency closing drill that simulates shutting down a selected section
of the pipeline is required once each year. Reports of the closing
drills are to be submitted to the BPU. RSPA is unaware of similar
requirements in other states.
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\1\ A ``Class 3 location'' is defined in 49 CFR 192.5 as any
class location unit (an area that extends 220 yards on either side
of the centerline of any continuous 1-mile length of pipeline) that
has 46 or more buildings intended for human occupancy, or any area
where the pipeline lies within 100 yards of either a building of
small well-defined area that is occupied by 20 or more persons on at
least 5 days a week for 10 weeks in any 12-month period.
A ``Class 4 location'' is defined in 49 CFR 192.5 as any class
location unit where buildings with four or more stories above ground
are prevalent.
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RSPA is also aware of a comprehensive report sponsored by the Gas
Research Institute (GRI) on ACVs and RCVs 2. The report
addresses the evolution of ACVs in the natural gas industry. The report
specifically addresses the risk of false closures, line section
blowdown duration, and typical valve spacings. The report stresses the
unreliability of ACVs because the pipeline failure detection systems
used to trigger the closure of ACVs often mistake normal operating
transient conditions as a pipeline failure. The report concludes that
the installation of ACVs or RCVs will not prevent gas ignition because
ignition usually occurs within ten minutes of a rupture, long before a
line section could be blown down, even if it was isolated immediately
after the rupture. However, early closure can reduce the duration of
burn down and radiant heating of the area.
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\2\ Southwest Research Institute, ``Final Report, Remote and
Automatic Main Line Valve Technology Assessment,'' July 1995,
Sponsored by the Gas Research Institute (GRI-95/0101).
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Consistent with the President's Regulatory Reinvention Initiative
(E.O. 12866), RSPA wants to explore this congressional requirement with
the maximum stakeholder involvement. Toward this end, RSPA is seeking
early participation in the survey and assessment process by holding
this public meeting at which participants, including RSPA staff, may
exchange views on relevant issues concerning remotely controlled valves
(RCVs). This public meeting is in partial satisfaction of the ``survey
and assess'' portion of the Congressional requirement. RSPA hopes the
public meeting will enable government and industry to reach a better
understanding of the problems and potential solutions before proposed
rules are considered.
RSPA will use the data accumulated as a result of this public
meeting along with any state experience disclosed during the public
meeting, and the GRI report on ACVs and RCVs to determine the technical
and economic feasibility of using RCVs on natural gas pipeline
facilities.
Participants at the public meeting are encouraged to focus their
remarks on the following issues, but may address other issues as time
permits and in supplementary written comments:
A. What is the potential value of early detection and isolation of
a section of pipeline after a failure in terms of enhanced safety and
reduced property damage?
B. What are the technical and economic advantages of installing
RCVs?
C. What are the technical and economic disadvantages of installing
RCVs?
D. What states in addition to New Jersey have adopted regulations
concerning RCVs on intrastate natural gas pipeline facilities?
E. If RCVs were required in only high risk areas, what would
constitute high risk areas and what would be criteria for prioritizing
from highest to lowest risk?
F. Document cases where RCVs have malfunctioned causing them to
close unexpectedly or to not close when commanded by the dispatcher.
G. Document cases where RCVs operated after an accident to reduce
the consequences of the accident.
H. Provide documentation to support or refute the impression that
when the escaping gas from a failed gas pipeline ignites, it normally
occurs shortly after the accident, usually less than 10 minutes after
the accident.
[[Page 51626]]
Issued in Washington, D.C., on October 24, 1997.
Richard B. Felder,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 97-26123 Filed 10-1-97; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P
