[Federal Register Volume 69, Number 159 (Wednesday, August 18, 2004)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51348-51349]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 04-18903]


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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION

Research and Special Programs Administration


Pipeline Safety: Unauthorized Excavations and the Installation of 
Third-Party Data Acquisition Devices on Underground Pipeline Facilities

AGENCY: Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), Research and Special Programs 
Administration (RSPA), DOT.

ACTION: Notice; issuance of advisory bulletin.

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SUMMARY: RSPA/OPS is issuing this advisory bulletin to owners and 
operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline systems on the potential 
for unauthorized excavations and the unauthorized installation of 
acoustic monitoring devices or other data acquisition devices on 
pipeline facilities. These devices are used by entities that hope to 
obtain market data on hazardous liquid and gas movement within the 
pipelines. Recent events have disclosed that devices were physically 
installed on pipelines without the owners permission. Operators must 
control construction on pipeline right-of-ways and ensure that they are 
carefully monitored to keep pipelines safe. This is in line with our 
efforts to prevent third-party damage as reflected by our support of 
the Common Ground Alliance, which is a nonprofit organization dedicated 
to shared responsibility in damage prevention and promotion of the 
damage prevention Best Practices. This advisory bulletin emphasizes the 
need to ensure that only authorized and supervised excavations are 
undertaken along the nation's pipeline systems.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: John Pepper by phone at (713) 270-
9376, by fax at (713) 270-9515, or by e-mail at 
[email protected], regarding the subject matter of this advisory 
bulletin. General information about the Research and Special Programs 
Administration, Office of Pipeline Safety (RSPA/OPS) programs may be 
obtained by accessing OPS' home page at http://ops.dot.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Background

    RSPA/OPS had been advised of the unauthorized installation of 
devices on an operator's pipeline for the purpose of obtaining flow 
data for marketing purposes. The pipeline safety regulations require 
pipeline operators to carry out a written damage prevention program for 
buried pipelines. RSPA/OPS is encouraging operators to carefully review 
their damage prevention programs and to survey their right-of-ways to 
ensure the discovery of similar inappropriate actions. RSPA/OPS also 
reminds owners and operators of pipelines and the public of the 
critical importance of accurately locating underground piping and 
ensuring the qualifications of personnel performing this work. RSPA/OPS 
believes that this Advisory Bulletin is necessary to make operators 
aware of a potential threat to their pipelines and to ensure that they 
take appropriate action to detect and correct any damage associated 
with these unauthorized installations.

Advisory Bulletin (ADB-04-03)

    To: Owners and operators of gas transmission and hazardous liquid 
pipelines.
    Subject: Potential for unauthorized excavations and the 
installation of acoustic monitoring devices or other data acquisition 
devices on pipeline facilities.
    Purpose: To ensure that pipeline owners and operators are aware of 
and take actions to prevent or mitigate the dangers associated with 
unauthorized excavations and the attendant installation of devices by 
entities seeking to exploit the pipelines for other purposes, and to 
remind operators and the public of the need to ensure that underground 
pipeline facilities are adequately located and protected from 
inadvertent damage prior to excavations.
    Advisory: RSPA/OPS urges all owners and operators of gas and 
hazardous liquid pipelines to vigilantly monitor their right-of-ways 
for unauthorized excavation and the installation of data acquisition 
devices by third parties seeking to extract product movement 
information from the pipelines. This activity can impact pipeline 
integrity either through damage to the pipeline caused by the 
excavation activities or damage to the pipe coating caused by the 
attachment of the devices to the pipeline. The installation of pipeline 
monitoring devices should only be performed with the express knowledge, 
consent, and support of the pipeline operators.
    Damage to underground facilities caused by unauthorized excavation 
can occur without any immediate indication to the operator. Sometimes a 
damaged underground pipeline facility will not fail for years after the 
completion of excavation activities. Excavation equipment does not need 
to fully rupture a pipeline facility to create a hazardous situation. 
Damage to coatings and other corrosion prevention systems can increase 
the risk of a delayed

[[Page 51349]]

corrosion failure. Escaping and migrating gas can create a safety issue 
for people living and working near these facilities long after the 
completion of excavation activities. Leakage from a damaged or ruptured 
hazardous liquid pipeline can create environmental and safety issues. 
The primary safety concern is to ensure that excavation operations do 
not accidentally contact existing underground pipeline facilities. This 
can be averted by knowing the precise locations of all underground 
pipeline facilities in proximity to excavation operations and closely 
monitoring excavation activities.

    Issued in Washington, DC, on August 12, 2004.
Stacey L. Gerard,
Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 04-18903 Filed 8-17-04; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P