Australia expands its pipeline standard
The Australian pipeline industry, through the Australian Pipeline Industry Association (APIA), is planning to expand its national pipeline standard AS2885 to ensure that the appropriate quality of steel is used for long-distance natural gas transportation.
APIA Director Richard Robinson said the need to broaden the standard was significant to the Australian pipeline industry because of the tendency to procure steel pipe from international suppliers. The upgrade would help ensure the thin-walled, high-strength steel pipe commonly used in Australian transmission pipelines always meet the high-quality standards essential for long-term security of supply and public safety needs.
Currently the pipe manufacturing standards, referred to in AS2885, do not provide sufficient assurance that the pipe will meet the end users’ needs without supplementary clauses. Under the expansion, AS2885 will mandate these clauses.
Work on expanding the standard has already commenced and APIA said it is expected to be finalised within a year.
DNV establishes a pipeline technical committee in China
DNV has established its Greater China Pipeline Technical Consultative Committee (GCPTCC), DNV’s second pipeline committee in the world and the first of its kind set outside Europe.
The GCPTCC consists of members from the whole value chain of Chinese pipeline industry, including the owners, contractors, operators, authorities, designers, engineering companies, manufacturing companies, research institutions and universities.
China National Petroleum Corporation Oil and Gas Storage and Transportation Standardisation Committee Secretary General Yang Zupei accepted DNV’s invitation to be the Chairman of the Committee.
The first committee meeting was held in Beijing, with topics discussed including the industry’s standardisation development, technical development trend, and risk and integrity management of the pipeline industry.
New pipeline bills lead California towards safer future
Californian Governor Edmund Brown has signed legislation to strengthen maintenance and oversight of natural gas transmission pipelines and improve co-ordination between gas pipeline operators and first responders.
This legislation was developed in response to the pipeline explosion in San Bruno on 9 September 2010.
Mr Brown said “These bills protect California’s communities by setting new standards for emergency preparedness, placing automatic shut-off valves in vulnerable areas and ensuring that gas companies pressure test transmission lines.”
Mr Brown signed the following bills:
- AB 56 – ‘Gas corporations: rate recovery and expenditure – intrastate pipeline safety’;
- SB 44 – ‘Public utilities: gas pipeline emergency response standards’;
- SB 216 – ‘Public utilities: intrastate natural gas pipeline safety’;
- SB 705 – ‘Natural gas: service and safety’; and,
- SB 879 – ‘Natural gas pipelines: safety’.
US DOT awards funds for New Jersey pipeline safety programme
The United States Department of Transportation (DOT), through the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Administration (PHMSA), has awarded $US939,884 to New Jersey for the state’s pipeline safety programme.
“Pipelines are a vital part of our state’s infrastructure and the consequences of not maintaining them can be devastating,” said Senator Frank Lautenberg, Chairman of the Senate Commerce Sub-committee on Surface Transportation with jurisdiction over pipeline safety.
“This funding makes an important federal investment in our state’s pipeline safety programme to ensure that natural gas and other materials are transported safely. It will also provide our first responders with the resources they need to contain accidents quickly and safely.”
In May this year, the Commerce Committee approved the Pipeline Transportation Safety Improvement Act of 2011, which was introduced by Mr Lautenberg. The legislation would help mitigate pipeline risks nationwide and would re-authorise and strengthen the authority of PHMSA through fiscal
year 2014.
