- What's New -

Hazardous liquid pipeline operators with less than 500 miles of regulated pipelines must identify their pipeline segments that can affect high consequence areas by November 18, 2002. A written integrity management program framework must be completed by February 18, 2003.

OPS Requests Information from Small Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Operators:

May 22, 2000

OPS recently issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) for integrity management in high consequence areas for hazardous liquid pipeline operators operating more than 500 miles of pipeline. OPS is now considering what requirements are appropriate for the remaining hazardous liquid pipeline operators. To assist in formulating appropriate requirements for operators operating less than 500 miles of hazardous liquid pipeline, OPS is soliciting input from operators of this type as well as other interested parties. In particular, feedback is requested on the following questions about this group of companies. You can provide your comments to Mike Israni, Office of Pipeline Safety, at (202) 366-4571. Or, you can use the Feedback link below to submit your comments.

1. How many miles of pipeline system comprise your system?
   
2. How many of the miles are operated at a pressure corresponding to less than 20% Specified Minimum Yield Strength (SMYS)?
   
3. What methods of integrity assessment are employed (e.g., internal inspection or smart pigging, pressure testing, or other methodologies)? If your company does not conduct internal inspection or pressure tests to validate line integrity, what methods do you employ to assess the condition of your system and assure the integrity of your pipeline?
   
4. If internal inspection is used for direct integrity assessment, what types of tools (e.g., high or low resolution magnetic flux tool, ultrasonic tool, elastic wave tool, etc.) are used to conduct the inspections, and how often do you conduct internal inspection? What factors do you consider in deciding what tool to use and how often to conduct internal inspections?
   
5. What percentage of pipeline mileage is currently capable of accommodating internal inspection devices?
   
6. What percentage of your pipeline system mileage has been internally inspected or pressure tested within the last five years?
   
7. What are the approximate costs (in dollars per mile) to conduct an internal inspection, pressure test, or other direct integrity assessment?
   
8. If you are a small business and believe the integrity assessment and other requirements described in the NPRM would place your company at a significant competitive disadvantage, please describe these impacts and provide estimates of the cost associated with compliance.