[Federal Register Volume 59, Number 188 (Thursday, September 29, 1994)]
[Unknown Section]
[Page 0]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 94-24081]
[[Page Unknown]]
[Federal Register: September 29, 1994]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Research and Special Programs Administration
[Docket No. P-93-2W; Notice 1]
Interstate Natural Gas Association of America; Filing of Gas
Pipeline Facility Waiver Petition
agency: Research and Special Programs Administration, DOT.
action: Notice of intent.
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summary: The Interstate Natural Gas Association of America (INGAA), on
behalf of 28 INGAA member pipeline companies and their subsidiaries,
has petitioned the Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA)
for a waiver from compliance with the requirements of 49 CFR 192.713(a)
and 192.485 to allow the installation of a proprietary composite
reinforced (CR) sleeve material (Clock SpringTM manufactured by
Clock Spring Company of North America, Long Beach, CA) as a full
encirclement wrapped sleeve for the repair of imperfections and damages
that impair the serviceability of steel transmission pipelines
operating at or above 40 percent of specified minimum yield strength
(SMYS). RSPA intends to grant a waiver to each of the parties
represented in the petition because the use of this technology provides
at least the same level of integrity as replacement pipe or
installation of a full encirclement welded split sleeve.
for further information contact: G. Joseph Wolf, Office of Pipeline
Safety (DPS-13), Research and Special Programs Administration, 400
Seventh Street, SW., Washington, DC 20590, 202-366-4560.
supplementary information: Federal pipeline safety regulations (49 CFR
192.713(a)) require that a full encirclement welded split sleeve be
applied over an imperfection or damage that impairs the serviceability
of a segment of a steel gas transmission line operating at or above 40
percent of SMYS if it is not feasible to take the segment out of
service for repair. Previously, RSPA granted a waiver (58 FR 13823;
March 15, 1993) to the Panhandle Eastern Corporation (Panhandle) for
the installation of CR sleeves as an alternative to this requirement.
The Panhandle waiver applied to six locations on its line #2 in Fayette
County, Ohio.
The INGAA petition additionally requests a waiver from
Sec. 192.485, requiring each segment of a transmission line with
general corrosion and a remaining wall thickness less than that
required for the pipeline's maximum allowable operating pressure be
replaced, or the operating pressure be reduced commensurate with the
strength of the pipe based on the actual remaining wall thickness. The
petition for waiver requests that pipeline operators be permitted to
use CR sleeve material for the repair of imperfections and damages that
impair the serviceability of steel transmission pipelines operating at
and above 40 percent of SMYS. Currently, Sec. 192.485 does not permit
the repair of an area of general corrosion, unless the area is small.
Proposal and Rationale Submitted by INGAA
The INGAA waiver request cites the Panhandle waiver and supporting
documents, and proposes to conform to the Panhandle waiver except for
deviations cited below. The proprietary repair method proposed by INGAA
and Panhandle consists of installing CR sleeve material in coil form
held in place by an adhesive. The adhesive adheres both to the pipe
surface and to the adjacent layers of the coiled composite
reinforcement. The composite reinforcement is an isophthalic polyester
resin reinforced with fiberglass. The adhesive is a methacrylate. Both
the composite reinforcement and the adhesive have histories of suitable
performance in other applications described in documents in the docket.
In the Panhandle petition, the suitability of a standard CR sleeve
for repair of a measured defect is determined using a computer program
developed by the Gas Research Institute (GRI). Panhandle reported that
destructive tests of pipe with standard CR sleeves installed over
manufactured defects repeatedly burst in the adjacent steel pipe,
demonstrating the adequacy of the CR sleeves. The CR sleeve does not
require pretesting, as there is no replacement pipe, nor are there any
welds to be tested as required for welded split sleeves.
Panhandle described the following advantages of using CR sleeves:
(1) CR sleeve material is relatively easy to install.
(2) CR sleeve material is furnished in standard widths and
thicknesses. The length of the repair to be made determines the number
of sleeve units to be used. Multiple units can be brought to the job
site at the time of excavation. Therefore, there is no delay between
determining the extent of the repair and procuring materials for
repair.
(3) The crew performing the investigation can make the repair
without calling for pipe handling equipment or welders.
(4) In most circumstances, there will be no need to take the line
out of service, eliminating interruptions to, or curtailments of,
customer service; CR sleeve repairs can be made while the line is
operated at full or reduced pressure.
(5) The use of CR sleeve material would substantially reduce cost
as compared to the repair methods currently required under
Sec. 192.713(a).
Panhandle estimated that the average cost of a repair would be
reduced from $26,000 for a pipe cutout or $16,000 for a welded split
sleeve to $9,000 for a CR sleeve. The result would be a maximum savings
of $17,000 per replacement repair or a minimum of $7,000 per welded
split sleeve repair.
In commenting on the notice of the Panhandle waiver (Docket No. P-
90-1W), the American Gas Association estimated that the industry could
save $6,500,000 annually by using CR sleeves in the manner proposed by
Panhandle. By requesting a waiver of Sec. 192.485 to use CR sleeves
under broader conditions than those proposed by Panhandle, INGAA's
proposal has the potential for even greater savings.
RSPA granted Panhandle the waiver on the conditions that Panhandle
install the CR sleeves using the procedure described in the documents
supporting its petition, perform the inspections described in the
petition, report promptly to RSPA the results of the inspections and
any unfavorable performance of the CR sleeves, and determine and report
to RSPA the cause of any unfavorable performance.
INGAA's waiver petition proposes that operators participating in
the petition agree to certain additional and alternative conditions
from those instituted in the Panhandle waiver. INGAA's waiver requires
parties to the waiver petition to comply with all of the conditions of
the Panhandle waiver for which deviations have not been requested.
Details of INGAA's requested deviations from the conditions of the
Panhandle waiver are presented and discussed in the following
paragraphs.
Deviations From Panhandle Waiver
The Panhandle waiver provided that an analysis for serviceability
of corroded areas would be determined using ANSI/ASME B31G ``Manual for
Determining the Remaining Strength of Corroded Pipelines.'' INGAA
proposes that the analysis for serviceability may alternatively be
based on the RSTRENG User's Manual, March 1993. RSPA incorporated by
reference both B31G and RSTRENG into Part 195 (59 FR 33389; June 28,
1994). RSPA proposed the incorporation of B31G in Part 192 (57 FR
39577; August 31, 1992). Comments on the proposal suggested
incorporation by reference of RSTRENG into Part 192 in addition to
B31G. RSPA considers that either B31G or RSTRENG is suitable for
determining the serviceability of steel pipe.
INGAA reports that, since the Panhandle waiver was granted, GRI has
developed an enhanced model called GRI WRAP for calculating the
efficacy of a composite repair. INGAA proposes using GRI WRAP in lieu
of the model used by Panhandle. RSPA proposes to accept INGAA's
decision to use the GRI WRAP model.
INGAA proposes that only those pipeline operators included in it's
petition be allowed to us the CR sleeve repair method. INGAA's
understanding that RSPA will not accept individual pipeline operator
waiver petitions for using this repair method is misguided. RSPA must
consider all waiver applications.
INGAA proposes that installation of CR sleeves by the participating
pipeline operators be coordinated with GRI to ensure sufficient
operational and geographic diversity is achieved to obtain a
representative data set to support any further change to the pipeline
safety regulations. GRI will assist companies to evaluate the
installations, record the results, and provide the data to RSPA upon
request. A statistical sampling of sites will be excavated and
evaluated within two years of installation.
INGAA proposes that installations of CR sleeves will be reported by
the operator to RSPA or a designated state agent office within thirty
days of installation. RSPA considers that it is more appropriate that
the notification be made to both RSPA and its designated state agent,
and that the notification be made prior to installation to afford RSPA
and the state agent the opportunity to witness the installation.
INGAA proposes that operator personnel using the CR sleeve
(ClockspringTM) repair method be trained and certified in standard
installation procedures by the Clock Spring Company LP. RSPA considers
that such training and certification is appropriate and should be
supplemented by a commitment to periodic refresher training and
recertification of installers of CR sleeves.
INGAA proposes that records of CR sleeve installations will be
maintained in accordance with Sec. 192.709. RSPA considers that the
proposal regarding records is appropriate.
Proposed Action on Waiver Request
In addition to the advantages cited by INGAA and Panhandle, RSPA
considers that the ability to make a repair without welding eliminates
the possibility of cracking and pipeline failure attributable to
residual stresses from, and to hydrogen induced cracking associated
with, welding. Also eliminated is the possibility of burning through
the pipe wall while welding. Overall, RSPA considers the CR sleeve
repair procedure to be a safe alternative to either the welded split
sleeve repair procedure or the pipe replacement procedure, both
currently permitted by Sec. 192.713(a). While RSPA considers that the
use of the CR sleeve repair procedure in an area of general corrosion
is an acceptable alternative to replacing the corroded pipe or reducing
the operating pressure commensurate with the strength of the steel pipe
based on the actual remaining wall thickness under Sec. 192.485(a),
comments are requested on this aspect of the waiver request.
RSPA believes that 49 CFR 192.713(a) and .485(a) should be waived
to permit the parties represented by the petitioner to install CR
sleeves as a permanent repair of imperfections and damages that impair
the serviceability of steel transmission pipelines operating at or
above 40 percent of SMYS. RSPA believes that the use of this technology
provides at least the same level of integrity as replacement of pipe or
installation of a full encirclement welded split sleeve. Although RSPA
believes that there is no practical limit to the extent of a corroded
area repairable using CR sleeves, RSPA proposes that repairs using CR
sleeves in accordance with the proposed waiver be limited to 10 feet of
sleeve length.
A waiver would be granted to each of the parties represented in the
petition for the purpose of evaluating the performance of CR sleeves.
RSPA intends to review the performance evaluations of CR sleeves
applied under the proposed waiver and consider a termination of the
waiver three years after it is granted.
Information submitted by INGAA is available in the docket. The
information cited by INGAA in the grant of waiver to Panhandle is
available in docket P-90-1W.
Interested persons are invited to comment on the proposed waiver by
submitting in duplicate such data, views, or judgments as they may
desire. Communications should identify the Docket and Notice numbers in
the heading of this document, and be submitted to: Dockets Unit, Room
8421, Office of Pipeline Safety, Research and Special Programs
Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation, Washington, DC
20590-0001, (202) 366-5046.
All comments received before [30 days after publication of this
notice] will be considered before final action is taken. Late filed
comments will be considered so far as practicable. All comments will be
available for viewing between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., before
and after the closing date for comments.
No public hearing is contemplated, but one may be held at a time
and place set in a Notice in the Federal Register if requested by an
interested person desiring to comment at a public hearing and raising a
genuine issue.
Dated: September 19, 1994.
George W. Tenley, Jr.,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety, Research and Special
Programs Administration.
[FR Doc. 94-24081 Filed 9-28-94; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-M
