N.H. Admin. Code § En 506.01

Current through Register No. 45, November 7, 2024

Section En 506.01 - Pipeline Safety Standards

(a) All utilities including those with propane storage facilities shall comply with those pipeline safety regulations established by the United States Department of Transportation which are set forth in 49 C.F.R. Parts 191, 192, 193, 198 and 199, including future amendments thereto.

(b) Where En 500 or En 800 establishes more stringent safety-related requirements than those pipeline safety regulations adopted pursuant to (a) above, the more stringent requirement set forth in En 500 or En 800 shall apply.

(c) Only an individual who meets operator qualifications in accordance with 49 C.F.R. Part 192, Subpart N shall perform an activity which:

(1) Is performed on a pipeline facility, whether new or existing;

(2) Is an activity involving operations, maintenance or new construction;

(3) Is performed as a requirement of this part; and

(4) Affects the operation or integrity of the pipeline.

(d) Utilities shall ensure and document that welders performing welding work on utility pipeline facilities are qualified, as follows:

(1) No utility shall permit a welder to make any pipeline weld unless the welder has qualified by destructive testing within the preceding 63 months, but at least once every 5 calendar years in accordance with 49 C.F.R. § 192.7 and Appendix C to Part 192;

(2) Utilities shall verify that any welder originally qualified under an earlier edition of Section 6 of American Petroleum Institute Standard 1104, Welding of Pipelines and Related Facilities (API 1104), as referenced in 49 C.F.R. § 192.7, as found in Appendix B, shall be certified by the referenced edition;

(3) En 506.01(d)(1) and (2) shall not apply to those portions of LNG facilities or propane storage facilities that are not subject to 49 C.F.R. Part 192 ; and

(4) No utility shall permit a welder to weld with a particular welding process unless the welder has engaged in welding with that process within the preceding 6 calendar months. Utilities shall verify that a welder who has not engaged in welding with that process within the preceding 6 calendar months is requalified for that process as set forth in (1) and (2) above.

(e) In addition to the above requirements, the operator shall ensure that all welds are visually inspected by a welding inspector qualified in accordance with API 1104, section 8.3, and that welds are evaluated consistent with API 1104, section 9, as referenced in 49 C.F.R. § 192.7.

(f) For projects that include welds on any pipeline main or transmission line operating at pressures greater than 60 pounds per square inch gauge (psig), or welds at a service and main interface or a service and transmission line interface operating at such pressures, or any welding project involving a pressure regulator station, the operator shall:

(1) Conduct a non-destructive field test on at least 10 percent of welds completed for a project that consists of at least 10 welds; or

(2) Conduct a non-destructive field test on at least one weld for projects that include 5 to 9 welds.

(g) Non-destructive tests shall include but not be limited to radiographic, magnetic particle, liquid penetrant, or ultrasonic tests, but shall not include visual inspection, and shall be evaluated using the criteria set forth in API 1104, section 9, as referenced in 49 C.F.R. § 192.7.

(h) If any weld fails a non-destructive test, that weld shall be repaired and retested, and the utility shall perform non-destructive tests on no less than 50 percent of all welds for that project. Upon additional failures, the utility shall repair the failed welds and perform non-destructive tests on 100 percent of all welds for that project.

(i) En 506.01(e), (f), (g) and (h) shall not apply to those portions of LNG facilities or propane storage facilities that are not subject to 49 C.F.R. Part 192.

(j) "Inspection of materials" as required by 49 C.F.R § 192.307 and "Repair of pipe" as required by 49 C.F.R § 192.311 shall be applicable to all plastic pipelines including services.

(k) A utility shall ensure the periodic inspection and calibration of all equipment, used in construction, operations, and maintenance activities where improper calibration or failure to inspect could impact its performance. Equipment calibrations shall be in accordance with the frequencies defined in the manufacturers' procedures and specifications.

(l) Utilities shall have the means to verify calibrations of all such equipment covered under (k) above in the field upon the request of the enforcement division of the department.

(m) Whenever conditions permit, gas service lines installed after July 1, 2013 shall be installed with a cover of not less than 18 inches above the top of the pipe, except where interference with other sub-surface structures or the insertion of previously installed service lines makes it impracticable to maintain this depth of cover. In such cases, applicable protective devices such as steel plating or concrete padding shall be installed. Installation of protective devices shall be documented and records kept for the life of the pipeline.

(n) Utilities shall not install or operate a gas regulator that could release gas closer than 3 feet to a source of ignition, an opening into a building, an air intake into a building or any electrical source not intrinsically safe, as follows:

(1) The 3-foot clearance from a source of ignition shall be measured from the vent or source of release such as a discharge port, not from the physical location of the meter set assembly; and

(2) For encroachment within the required 3-foot clearance caused by an action of the property owner or occupant after the initial installation, the encroachment shall be resolved by extending the regulator vent to meet this requirement within 90 days of discovery.

(o) Pipelines shall be laid on continuous bedding consisting of suitable rock free materials or well compacted soil as follows:

(1) If piping is to be laid in soils which may damage the piping, the piping shall be protected before back-filling is completed;

(2) Plastic piping shall not be supported by blocking; and

(3) Well tamped earth or other continuous support shall be used.

(p) Gate stations and district regulating stations that utilize regulator(s) to provide the primary means of overpressure protection shall be designed and installed to incorporate equipment that indicates the station outlet pressure and confirms the proper operation of the regulator(s) as follows:

(1) Such equipment may include telemetering equipment that communicates with central SCADA systems, local chart or digital pressure recorders or other local indicator;

(2) When the operator chooses to use a pressure gauge as the separate device to comply with this section, the pressure gauge shall have the capability to record the high pressure, such as a recording chart or tattle-tale needle, but a standard sight gauge shall not be deemed adequate for this purpose; and

(3) Utilities shall inspect pressure regulating stations monthly to ensure proper operation and to confirm the proper operation of the regulating equipment.

(q) Each customer meter, gas regulating station, or any above-ground gas transporting facility shall be permanently marked to identify the operator's name.

(r) Gas regulating stations and above-ground gas transporting facilities shall be permanently marked to identify the operator's contact information for emergencies.

(s) Marking of facilities under (q) and (r) above shall be accomplished by metal signs, line markers, plastic decals, or other appropriate means.

(t) Each single fed distribution system shall be equipped with telemetering or recording pressure gauge or gauges as may be required to properly indicate the gas pressure in the system at all times, in accordance with the following:

(1) At least once each year the pressure variation shall be determined throughout each system; and

(2) Telemetering shall be the sole method used to properly indicate the gas pressure at all times for each single fed distribution system when the following conditions are present:

a. The single fed distribution system serves more than 150 customers; or

b. The downstream temperature on the outlet side of the pilot operated pressure regulator(s) is predicted to be lower than 32 degrees Fahrenheit and no system pre-heat or regulator pilot heat is installed.

N.H. Admin. Code § En 506.01

Derived from Number 45, Filed November 9, 2023, Proposed by #13796, Effective 10/25/2023, Expires 10/25/2033.