La. Admin. Code tit. 43 § XIII-2725

Current through Register Vol. 50, No. 9, September 20, 2024

Section XIII-2725 - Odorization of Gas [49 CFR 192.625]

A. No person engaged in the business of handling, storing, selling, or distributing natural and other toxic or combustible odorless gases, except liquefied petroleum gases, shall operate a gathering, distribution or transmission pipeline, unless the gas is malodorized in accordance with this regulation.

B. Natural gas or any toxic or combustible odorless gas, in a distribution line must contain a natural odorant or be odorized so that at a concentration in air of one-fifth of the lower explosive limit, the gas is readily detectable by a person with a normal sense of smell at any point in the line where odorization is required. [ 49 CFR 192.625(a)]

C. Natural gas, or any toxic or combustible odorless gas, in a gathering or transmission line in a Class 3 or Class 4 location must contain a natural odorant or be odorized so that at a concentration in air of one-fifth of the lower explosive limit, the gas is readily detectable by a person with a normal sense of smell at any point in the line where odorization is required, unless: [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)]

1. at least 50 percent of the length of the line downstream from that location is in a Class 1 or Class 2 location; [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)(1)]

2. the line transports gas to any of the following facilities: [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)(2)]

a. an underground storage field; [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)(2)(i)]

b. a gas processing plant; [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)(2)(ii)]

c. a gas dehydration plant; or [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)(2)(iii)]

d. an industrial plant using gas in a process where the presence of an odorant: [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)(2)(iv)]

i. makes the end product unfit for the purpose for which it is intended; [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)(2)(iv)(A) ]

ii. reduces the activity of a catalyst; or [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)(2)(iv)(B) ]

iii. reduces the percentage completion of a chemical reaction; [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)(2)(iv)(C) ]

3. in the case of a lateral line which transports gas to a distribution center or industrial complex, at least 50 percent of the length of that line is in a Class 1 or Class 2 location; or [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)(3)]

4. the combustible gas is hydrogen intended for use as a feedstock in a manufacturing process. [ 49 CFR 192.625(b)(4)]

D. In the case of a farm tap location on a gathering, transmission or distribution system, it shall be the responsibility of the person(s) selling natural gas to the end user through such farm tap to odorize the natural gas in accordance with this regulation.

E. If gas is delivered into facilities which would be exempt by Subsection C, and this exempt gas is also being used in one of the facilities for space heating, refrigeration, water heating, cooking and other domestic uses, or if such gas is used for furnishing heat, or air conditioning for office or living quarters, the end user of such gas shall malodorize it in accordance with these regulations.

F. In the concentrations in which it is used, the malodorant in combustible gases must comply with the following. [ 49 CFR 192.625(c)]

1. The malodorant may not be deleterious to persons, materials, or pipe. [ 49 CFR 192.625(c)(1)]

2. The products of combustion from the malodorant may not be toxic when breathed nor may they be corrosive or harmful to those materials to which the products of combustion will be exposed. [ 49 CFR 192.625(c)(2)]

G. The malodorant may not be soluble in water to an extent greater than 2.5 parts to 100 parts by weight. [ 49 CFR 192.625(d)]

H. Equipment for malodorization must introduce the malodorant without wide variations in the level of malodorant. The method of using malodorant and the containers and equipment used are subject to the approval of the commissioner of conservation and must meet the following requirements. [ 49 CFR 192.625(e)]

1. Malodorant must be detectable as specified in Subsection B at the most remote locations in the system.

2. Odorizing equipment may be of the wick type for systems handling 10,000 MCF/year or less. For systems handling over 10,000 MCF/year, absorption by-pass or liquid injection type must be used.

3. By-pass type odorizers must be equipped with a differential valve or orifice to create a differential sufficient to cause a flow of gas across the odorizer at minimum flow.

4. The flow through the odorizer is to be controlled by means of a flow control or metering valve located on the inlet side of the odorizer. The size of the valve shall be large enough to deliver sufficient by-passed gas across the odorizer during maximum flow periods to assure adequate odorization.

5. At the request of any gas company or affected person or upon the request of the Commissioner of Conservation, the Office of Conservation shall determine, after examination of any gas having a natural malodorant, the necessary rate of injection of additional malodorant, if any, which shall be necessary to meet the requirements of Subsection B.

6. The person subject to these rules must provide sufficient test points within each distribution system for use by the commissioner's staff to check the adequacy of odorization within the system. The test points must be of 1/4 inch threaded tap with pressure not to exceed 5 psi and located at remote locations approved by the commissioner.

I. Sampling Requirements

1. To assure the proper concentration of odorant in accordance with this Section, each operator (excluding farm taps) must conduct quarterly sampling of combustible gases using an instrument capable of determining the percentage of gas in air at which the odor becomes readily detectable. Farm taps must be sampled twice a calendar year, at least 6 months apart not to exceed 7.5 months. Operators of master meter systems and farm taps may comply with this requirement by: [49 CFR 192.625(f)]

a. receiving written verification from their gas source that the gas has the proper concentration of odorant (excluding farm taps); and [49 CFR 192.625(f)(1)]

b. conducting periodic "sniff" tests at the extremities of the system to confirm that the gas contains odorant. [ 49 CFR 192.625(f)(2)]

2. Each person subject to these rules (excluding "master meter systems") shall record and retain on file for review by the Office of Conservation the following information:

a. the kind or kinds of malodorant agents introduced into such gas during the sampling period;

b. the quantity of each kind of malodorant agent used during each quarter. Reports on usage of odorant shall be made annually for farm taps; and

c. the quantity of gas odorized by each malodorant agent used during each quarter. Farm taps are exempt from this requirement.

3. In the event a person subject to these regulations shall fail to record and retain on file an odorization report or an odorization report which on its face shows non-compliance, the person may be put on remedial status after written notice of such status and be required to report odorization monthly within 30 days after the close of each month or for such other interval and for such period of time as shall be necessary to remedy the deficiencies in his odorization report or reports.

J. Persons who fail to comply with the provisions of this Part after January 1, 1983, shall be subject to the penalty provision contained in Act 754 in Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 33:4525 or Louisiana Revised Statutes, Title 40:1896. The penalty specified in the cited provisions is $1,000 for each day of non-compliance therewith.

La. Admin. Code tit. 43, § XIII-2725

Promulgated by the Department of Natural Resources, Office of Conservation, LR 9:243 (April 1983), amended LR 10:535 (July 1984), LR 20:447 (April 1994), LR 21:823 (August 1995), LR 24:1312 (July 1998), LR 27:1548 (September 2001), LR 30:1265 (June 2004), Amended LR 461592 (11/1/2020).

AUTHORITY NOTE: Promulgated in accordance with R.S. 30:501 et seq.