Louisiana Administrative Code › Title 43 - NATURAL RESOURCES › Part XIII - Office of Conservation-Pipeline Safety › Subpart 3 - Transportation of Natural Gas or Other Gas by Pipeline: Minimum Safety Standards [49 CFR Part 192] › Chapter 27 - Operations [49 CFR Part 192 Subpart L] › Section XIII-2734 - Transmission Lines: Onshore Valve Shut-Off For Rupture Mitigation [49 CFR 192.634]

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 6, June 20, 2024
A. For new or
				  entirely replaced onshore transmission pipeline segments with diameters of 6
				  inches or greater that are located in high-consequence areas (HCA) or Class 3
				  or Class 4 locations and that are installed after April 10, 2023, an operator
				  must install or use existing rupture-mitigation valves (RMV), or an alternative
				  equivalent technology, according to the requirements of this Section and
				  §1139 RMVs
				  and alternative equivalent technologies must be operational within 14 days of
				  placing the new or replaced pipeline segment into service. An operator may
				  request an extension of this 14-day operation requirement if it can demonstrate
				  to PHMSA, in accordance with the notification procedures in §518, that
				  application of that requirement would be economically, technically, or
				  operationally infeasible. The requirements of this section apply to all
				  applicable pipe replacement projects, even those that do not otherwise involve
				  the addition or replacement of a valve. This section does not apply to pipe
				  segments in Class 1 or Class 2 locations that have a potential impact radius
				  (PIR), as defined in §3303, that is less than or equal to 150 feet.
				  49 CFR
				  192.634(a)]
B. Maximum Spacing between Valves. RMVs, or
				  alternative equivalent technology, must be installed in accordance with the
				  following requirements. 49
				  CFR 192.634(b)]
1. Shut-off Segment. For purposes of this
				  section, a "shut-off segment" means the segment of pipe located between the
				  upstream valve closest to the upstream endpoint of the new or replaced Class 3
				  or Class 4 or HCA pipeline segment and the downstream valve closest to the
				  downstream endpoint of the new or replaced Class 3 or Class 4 or HCA pipeline
				  segment so that the entirety of the segment that is within the HCA or the Class
				  3 or Class 4 location is between at least two RMVs or alternative equivalent
				  technologies. If any crossover or lateral pipe for gas receipts or deliveries
				  connects to the shut-off segment between the upstream and downstream valves,
				  the shut-off segment also must extend to a valve on the crossover connection(s)
				  or lateral(s), such that, when all valves are closed, there is no flow path for
				  gas to be transported to the rupture site (except for residual gas already in
				  the shut-off segment). Multiple Class 3 or Class 4 locations or HCA segments
				  may be contained within a single shut-off segment. The operator is not required
				  to select the closest valve to the shut-off segment as the RMV, as that term is
				  defined in §503, or the alternative equivalent technology. An operator may
				  use a manual compressor station valve at a continuously manned station as an
				  alternative equivalent technology, but it must be able to be closed within 30
				  minutes following rupture identification, as that term is defined at
				  §503 Such a
				  valve used as an alternative equivalent technology would not require a
				  notification to PHMSA in accordance with
				  §518 [49 CFR
				  192.634(b)(1)]
2. Shut-Off Segment Valve Spacing. A pipeline
				  subject to Subsection A of this Section must have RMVs or alternative
				  equivalent technology on the upstream and downstream side of the pipeline
				  segment. The distance between RMVs or alternative equivalent technologies must
				  not exceed: [49 CFR
				  192.634(b)(2)]
a. 8 miles for any Class 4 location;
				  [49 CFR
				  192.634(b)(2)(i)]
b. 15 miles for any Class 3 location; or
				  [49 CFR
				  192.634(b)(2)(ii)]
c. 20 miles for all other locations.
				  [49 CFR
				  192.634(b)(2)(iii)]
3. Laterals. Laterals extending
				  from shut-off segments that contribute less than 5 percent of the total
				  shut-off segment volume may have RMVs or alternative equivalent technologies
				  that meet the actuation requirements of this section at locations other than
				  mainline receipt/delivery points, as long as all of the laterals contributing
				  gas volumes to the shut-off segment do not contribute more than 5 percent of
				  the total shut-off segment gas volume based upon maximum flow volume at the
				  operating pressure. For laterals that are 12 inches in diameter or less, a
				  check valve that allows gas to flow freely in one direction and contains a
				  mechanism to automatically prevent flow in the other direction may be used as
				  an alternative equivalent technology where it is positioned to stop flow into
				  the shut-off segment. Such check valves that are used as an alternative
				  equivalent technology in accordance with this paragraph are not subject to
				  §2736, but they must be inspected, operated, and remediated in accordance
				  with §2945, including for closure and leakage to ensure operational
				  reliability. An operator using such a check valve as an alternative equivalent
				  technology must notify PHMSA in accordance with
				  §518 develop
				  and implement maintenance procedures for such equipment that meet
				  §2945 [49 CFR
				  192.634(b)(3)]
4. Crossover
s.
An operator
				  may use a manual valve as an alternative equivalent technology in lieu of an
				  RMV for a crossover connection if, during normal operations, the valve is
				  closed to prevent the flow of gas by the use of a locking device or other means
				  designed to prevent the opening of the valve by persons other than those
				  authorized by the operator. The operator must develop and implement operating
				  procedures and document that the valve has been closed and locked in accordance
				  with the operator's lock-out and tag-out procedures to prevent the flow of gas.
				  An operator using such a manual valve as an alternative equivalent technology
				  must notify PHMSA in accordance with
				  §518 [49 CFR
				  192.634(b)(4)]