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Pipeline Setbacks A Safety or an Illusion?

Pipeline Setbacks A Safety or an Illusion?. A Focus on Transmission Pipelines. Today’s Focus. Clarify What is a Setback Why A Setback Isn’t Really a Safety Suggests Where to Go From Here. ROW Versus Setbacks. Setback’s Objective?. Mainly to Protect the Pipeline

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Pipeline Setbacks A Safety or an Illusion?

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  1. Pipeline Setbacks A Safety or an Illusion? A Focus on Transmission Pipelines

  2. Today’s Focus • Clarify What is a Setback • Why A Setback Isn’t Really a Safety • Suggests Where to Go From Here Accufacts Inc.

  3. ROW Versus Setbacks Accufacts Inc.

  4. Setback’s Objective? • Mainly to Protect the Pipeline • From Some Third Party Activity • A Proper ROW Program Can Do This Task • Must Go Beyond One-Call • One Call Enforcement Actions (PIPES 2006)!!! • Sterilized ROW is Usually Overkill • Not Really A Safety from Pipeline Failure • Some Limited Protection From Leaks • Not A Protection From Most Ruptures • Many Ruptures Have Very Large Impact Zones • Setback Safety Mostly an Illusion • Site/Operate Transmission Pipelines & Surrounding Infrastructure Wisely Accufacts Inc.

  5. One ROW Extreme • Any Laws Being Violated? Accufacts Inc.

  6. Pipeline Releases • All Carbon Based Fuels Can Be Made to Detonate • “Sensitivity” To Explosion/Fire Depends on - • The Fuel/The Release Mechanism/The Environment • All Releases Pass Through the “Flammability” Zone Somewhere • Mass Rate Release “Fingerprint” Key • Leaks • Usually Limited Migration (Watch for Paths - e.g. gophers, frost) • Distribution Systems and Setbacks Incompatible • Ruptures • Larger Potential Impact Zones (PIZs) • Detonation Zone Hard to Accurately Estimate • Thermal Radiation Flux Zone Easier to Estimate • Large Diameter Pipelines - A Whole Different Animal • Siting / Encroachment Needs Special Consideration • Time to Ignition Critical Accufacts Inc.

  7. Rupture Failure Boundary Conditions • Blast/Explosion • Pressures Don’t Have to Be Very High to Destroy/Kill • Open Fields • Pressures Dissipate Rapidly With Distance • Blast Originating Within Structures Not Good • Thermal Radiation • Usually Controls Size of PIZ from Pipeline • Flux Level and Exposure Time is the Factor • How Hot is Hot? • Running is Probably Not a Bona fide Safety Accufacts Inc.

  8. Thermal Radiation and Time Accufacts Inc.

  9. Near a Pipeline ROW • Place “Appropriate” Structures Toward the ROW • Not Talking Bunkers! • Avoid Walling or Congestion Effect! • Shadowing Buys Important Time for Unsheltered • Avoid Large Unsheltered Gatherings Sites • Sensitive to Blast or High Thermal Flux Radiation • Want Easy Exit Away from a Pipeline • Best Path - Screened to Avoid Thermal Exposure • Avoid Excessive Tree Removal • Trees Good Blast / Thermal Shields • Over Reaction to “Killer Tree Syndrome” Accufacts Inc.

  10. Killer Tree Syndrome • Trees Over Pipelines Vs Trees in/near ROW • Is it Really a Coating Issue? • Abnormal Loading • Lightening Strike in Some Areas • Avoid Abuse of Easement Privileges • Cost Reduction Appears to Be Driving Extreme Tree Removal Accufacts Inc.

  11. Thoughts Going Forward • On ROW • Develop a More Informed Standard ROW Width • Construction Usually Sets the Minimum Width • Varies for Larger Pipelines • ROW with Multiple Pipelines • Activities Permitted on ROW • Sterilized ROWs Unwarranted • Off ROW • Develop Recommended Guidelines • The Reality - Can’t Be Retroactive! • Extreme Positions on Either Side Unwarranted • Setbacks Not the Answer Accufacts Inc.

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