Texas Administrative Code › Title 16 - ECONOMIC REGULATION › Part 1 - RAILROAD COMMISSION OF TEXAS › Chapter 8 - PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS › Subchapter B - REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL PIPELINES › Section 8.101 - Pipeline Integrity Assessment and Management Plans for Natural Gas and Hazardous Liquids Pipelines

Current through Reg. 49, No. 28; July 12, 2024
(a) This
				  section does not apply to plastic pipelines.
(b) By February 1, 2002, operators of
				  intrastate transmission lines subject to the requirements of 49 CFR Part 192 or
				  49 CFR Part 195 shall have designated on a system-by-system or segment within
				  each system basis whether the pipeline operator has chosen to use the
				  risk-based analysis pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection or the
				  prescriptive plan authorized by paragraph (2) of this subsection. Hazardous
				  liquid pipeline operators using the risk-based plan shall complete at least 50%
				  of the initial assessments by January 1, 2006, and the remainder by January 1,
				  2011; operators using the prescriptive plan shall complete the initial
				  integrity testing by January 1, 2006, or January 1, 2011, pursuant to the
				  requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection. Natural gas pipeline
				  operators using the risk-based plan shall complete at least 50% of the initial
				  assessments by December 17, 2007, and the remainder by December 17, 2012;
				  operators using the prescriptive plan shall complete the initial integrity
				  testing by December 17, 2007, or December 17, 2012, pursuant to the
				  requirements of paragraph (2) of this subsection.
(1) The risk-based plan shall contain at a
				  minimum:
(A) identification of the pipelines
				  and pipeline segments or sections in each system covered by the plan;
(B) a priority ranking for performing the
				  integrity assessment of pipeline segments of each system based on an analysis
				  of risks that takes into account:
(i)
				  population density;
(ii) immediate
				  response area designation, which, at a minimum, means the identification of
				  significant threats to the environment (including but not limited to air, land,
				  and water) or to the public health or safety of the immediate response
				  area;
(iii) pipeline
				  configuration;
(iv) prior in-line
				  inspection data or reports;
(v)
				  prior pressure test data or reports;
(vi) leak and incident data or
				  reports;
(vii) operating
				  characteristics such as established maximum allowable operating pressures
				  (MAOP) for gas pipelines or maximum operating pressures (MOP) for liquids
				  pipelines, leak survey results, cathodic protection surveys, and product
				  carried;
(viii) construction
				  records, including at a minimum but not limited to the age of the pipe and the
				  operating history;
(ix) pipeline
				  specifications; and
(x) any other
				  data that may assist in the assessment of the integrity of pipeline
				  segments.
(C) assessment
				  of pipeline integrity using at least one of the following methods appropriate
				  for each segment:
(i) in-line
				  inspection;
(ii) pressure
				  test;
(iii) direct assessment;
				  or
(iv) other technology or
				  assessment methodology not specifically listed in this paragraph after approval
				  by the director.
(D)
				  management methods for the pipeline segments which may include remedial action
				  or increased inspections as necessary; and
(E) periodic review of the pipeline integrity
				  assessment and management plan every 36 months, or more frequently if
				  necessary.