[Federal Register Volume 68, Number 218 (Wednesday, November 12, 2003)]
[Notices]
[Pages 64189-64190]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 03-28326]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration


Pipeline Safety: Corrosion Threat to Newly Constructed Gas 
Transmission and Hazardous Liquid Pipelines

AGENCY: Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice; issuance of advisory bulletin.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: RSPA's Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) is issuing this 
advisory bulletin to owners and operators of natural gas and hazardous 
liquid pipelines to consider the threat from external corrosion during 
and immediately after construction of new steel pipelines or pipeline 
segments. Operators are strongly encouraged to determine whether new 
pipelines are susceptible to interference and damage from stray 
electrical currents. Operators should carefully monitor and take action 
to mitigate any detrimental effects.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Richard Huriaux, (202) 366-4565; or by 
e-mail, [email protected]. This document can be viewed at 
the OPS Home page at http://ops.dot.gov. General information about the 
RSPA/OPS programs may be obtained by accessing RSPA's Home page at 
http://rspa.dot.gov.

I. Advisory Bulletin (ADB-03-06)

    To: Owners and Operators of Gas Transmission and Hazardous Liquid 
Pipeline Systems.
    Subject: Corrosion Threat to Newly Constructed Gas Transmission and 
Hazardous Liquid Pipelines.
    Purpose: To advise owners and operators of natural gas transmission 
and hazardous liquid pipelines to consider external corrosion as a 
possible safety risk to newly constructed pipelines and to identify and 
remediate the detrimental effects of stray currents during and after 
construction.
    Advisory: Each operator of a natural gas transmission or hazardous 
liquid pipeline should determine whether new steel pipelines are 
susceptible to detrimental effects from stray electrical currents. 
Based on this evaluation, an operator should carefully monitor and take 
action to mitigate detrimental effects. The operator should give 
special attention to a new pipeline's physical location, particularly a 
location that may subject the new pipeline to stray currents from other 
underground facilities, including other pipelines, and induced currents 
from electrical transmission lines, whether aboveground or underground. 
Operators are strongly encouraged to review their corrosion control 
programs and to have qualified corrosion personnel present during 
construction to identify, mitigate, and monitor any detrimental stray 
currents that might damage new pipelines.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

II. Background

    This action follows the discovery of substantial external corrosion 
on a newly constructed gas transmission pipeline. The pipeline had been 
in service a little over two years when this unexpected corrosion was 
revealed by a high-resolution, inline inspection tool. The pipe wall 
pitting was consistent with that caused by underground stray electrical 
current before a cathodic protection system is installed. In some 
isolated areas, the pipeline exhibited more than 50% wall loss. 
Corrosion due to stray current is most often found on pipelines that 
cross other underground structures (such as other pipelines) or that 
follow overhead electric transmission lines.
    Pipelines are often routed along common use right-of-ways. This 
presents complicated corrosion scenarios that must be addressed by 
corrosion engineers. In some instances, the common right-of-way 
includes high voltage power lines that can induce alternating current 
on a new pipeline. This can result in significant corrosion damage to 
the pipeline in a short period. In other instances, the common right-
of-way will cross or parallel foreign pipelines. This requires 
consideration of the effects of electrical interference from foreign 
pipeline cathodic protection systems, both on the new pipeline and on 
the existing foreign pipeline.
    Corrosion control on gas transmission and hazardous liquid 
pipelines is addressed in the Federal Pipeline Safety Regulations at 49 
CFR part 192, subpart I and part 195, subpart H. Although 49 CFR 
192.455(a)(2) and 195.563(a) state that a cathodic protection system 
must be installed and placed in operation within one year after 
completion of construction, operators are encouraged to have qualified 
corrosion personnel identify, mitigate, and monitor any

[[Page 64190]]

detrimental stray currents prior to and during construction.
    Operators should refer to recommended practices provided by 
national consensus standards organizations, such as the American 
Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) standards B31.4 and B31.8, NACE 
International (NACE) corrosion standards, and Gas Piping Technology 
Committee (GPTC) guidance documents for help in addressing stray 
underground electrical current interference on gas transmission and 
hazardous liquid pipelines.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on November 5, 2003.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 03-28326 Filed 11-10-03; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P