Gas 101: Understanding Natural Gas Characteristics and Reporting Requirements

1. Vanessa Garcia Pipeline Safety Division September 15, 2015

2. GAS 101

3. Session Overview Goals of this presentations are: • When is natural gas a threat? • What reporting requirements are applicable? • Who is responsible for regulating the safe transportation of natural gas?

4. GAS 101 • Physical Characteristics of Natural Gas • Reporting Requirements • Federal: CFR Part 191 • State: TAC, Subchapter B • Rules & Regulations • Federal: CFR Part 192 • State: TAC, Chapter 8 & 18

5. Physical Characteristics of Natural Gas • Natural Substance • By-product of decaying organic materials • Paraffin Series of Hydrocarbons

6. Physical Characteristics of Natural Gas • Flammable • 5% Gas to 15% Gas in Air • Ignition Temperature is 1163°F • Ignition Sources Automobiles Telephones/Cellphones Electrical Switch ETC…. Doorbell Spark/Open Flame

7. Physical Characteristics of Natural Gas • Non-Toxic • Will not kill you when inhaled • Lighter than air • Displaces oxygen • Tasteless Colorless • Odorless

8. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Code of Federal Regulations Title 49 Transportation Part 191

9. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Incidents • Safety Related Conditions • Annual Pipeline Reports

10. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS §191.5 Immediate notice of certain incident • Must be made at the earliest practical moment • Must be made to the National Response Center (NRC) • 800-424-8802 • http://www.nrc.uscg.mil

11. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS §191.5 Immediate notice of certain incident • Must include the following information: • names of operator/person making report and their phone numbers. • location and time of the incident • number of fatalities and personal injuries, if any • all significant facts that are known by the operator

12. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Incidents – Definition • An event that involves a release of gas from a pipeline, or of liquefied natural gas, liquefied petroleum gas, refrigerant gas, or gas from an LNG facility, and that results in one or more of the following consequences:

13. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Incidents – Definition • Death or personal injury • Estimated property damage of $50,000 or more • Unintentional estimated gas loss of three million cubic feet or more

14. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Incidents – Definition • An event that results in an emergency shutdown of an LNG facility. • An event that is significant in the judgment of the operator

15. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Incidents – Reporting • DISTRIBUTION: DOT Form RSPA F 7100.1 • Master Meter operators ARE NOT required to submit an incident report • TRANSMISSION; GATHERING; & LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS: DOT Form RSPA F 7100.2 • Submit as soon as possible but not more than 30 days after detection of an incident • Supplementary information should be provided when necessary • Reference by date and subject to the original report

16. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Conditions §191.25 Each report of a SRC must be filed within 5 working days (not including Saturday, Sunday, or Federal Holidays) after the day a representative of the operator first determines that the condition exists, but not later than 10 working days after the day a representative of the operator discovers the condition..

17. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Conditions – Definition §191.23 (1) • Pipelines that operate at a hoop stress >20% SMYS (other than an LNG facility) • general corrosion that has reduced the wall thickness to less than that required for the MAOP • localized corrosion pitting to a degree where leakage might result

18. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Conditions – Definition §191.23 (2) • For an LNG Facility that contains, controls, or processes gas or LNG • Unintended movement or abnormal loading that impairs the serviceability of a pipeline or the structural integrity or reliability • Natural disaster

19. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Conditions – Definition §191.23 (3) • For an LNG facility that contains, controls, or processes gas or LNG • Crack or other material defect that impairs the structural integrity or reliability

20. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Conditions – Definition §191.23 (4) • Pipelines that operate at a hoop stress >20% SMYS • Any material defect or physical damage that impairs the serviceability

21. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Conditions – Definition §191.23 (5) • For a pipeline or LNG facility that contains or processes gas or LNG • Any malfunction or operating error that causes the pressure of to rise above its MAOP (or working pressure for LNG facilities) plus the build-up allowed for operation of pressure limiting or control devices.

22. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Conditions – Definition §191.23 (6) • For a pipeline or LNG facility that contains or processes gas or LNG • Any leak that constitutes an emergency.

23. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Conditions – Definition §191.23 (7) • For an LNG storage tank • Inner tank leakage, ineffective insulation, or frost heave that impairs the structural integrity

24. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Conditions – Definition §191.23 (8) • For a pipeline or LNG facility that contains or processes gas or LNG • Any safety-related condition that could lead to an imminent hazard and causes a 20% or more reduction in operating pressure or shutdown of operation

25. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Condition Reports – What should the report include? • Must be titled as “Safety Related Condition Report.” (1) Name & principal address of operator. (2) Date of report (3) Name, job title, & business phone number of person submitting the report. (4) Name, job title, & business phone number of person who determined that the condition exists.

26. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Condition Reports – What should the report include? (5) Date discovered and date condition was first determined to exist. (6) Location of condition (7) Description of condition (8) Corrective action(s) taken and scheduled action(s) to be taken.

27. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Safety Related Condition Reports – When are they not required? (1)Master Meter Systems (2) If it is an incident or results in an incident before the deadline for filing the safety related condition report. (3) If it exists on a pipeline that is more than 220 yards from any building intended for human occupancy (4) If it is repaired/replaced before the deadline for filing the SRC

28. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Annual Pipeline Reports • DISTRIBUTION: DOT Form PHMSA F 7100.1.1 • Must be submitted each year not later than March 15 for the preceding calendar year • Not required for Master Meter & petroleum gas systems • TRANSMISSION & GATHERING: DOT Form PHMSA F 7100.2.1 • Must be submitted each year not later than March 15 for the preceding calendar year

29. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Annual Pipeline Reports • LIQUEFIED NATURAL GAS (LNG) FACILITY: DOT Form PHMSA F 7100.3-1 • Must be submitted each year not later than March 15 for the preceding calendar year

30. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS Texas Administrative Code Title 16, Chapter 8 Subchapter B

31. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • P-5 Organization Report • T4 Permit • Annual Pipeline Report • School Proximity Report • PS-48, New Construction Report • PS-81, Plastic Pipe Inventory • PS-82, Annual Report of Plastic Installation and/or Removal • PS-95, Semi-Annual Leak Report

32. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • P-5 Organization Report • Financial assurance • Filed annually from the date first filed • T-4 Permit • Application for permit to operate a pipeline • Not applicable to MM or Distribution operators

33. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • Annual Pipeline Report • Federal DOT form must be submitted in duplicate to the RRC • School Proximity Report • Any pipeline within 1000 feet of a public school facility is required to be reported to the RRC • Report by Jan. 15th every even-numbered year • Report must include name of school, street address of school, & name of the pipeline

34. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • PS-48, New Construction Report • Constructions/installations totaling 1 mile or more • 30 days prior to commencement of construction • Must indicate all relevant pipe details

35. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • PS-82, Annual Report of Plastic Installation and/or Removal • All operators of plastic pipe • By March 15, 2003 & 2004 the amount in miles removed/installed for the previous calendar year should have been reported • PS-81, Plastic Pipe Inventory • Annually, on March 15th, the amount of plastic pipe in natural gas service for previous calendar year

36. REPORTING REQUIREMENTS • PS-95, Semi-Annual Leak Report • All operators of plastic pipe • On Jan 15th, leaks discovered July 1st - Dec 31st for the preceding calendar year • On July 15th, leaks discovered Jan. 1st – June 30th of the same calendar year

37. RULES & REGULATIONS Code of Federal Regulations Title 49 Transportation Part 192

38. RULES & REGULATIONS Texas Administrative Code Title 16, Chapter 8 and 18 Chapter 8, Subchapter A, B, & C

39. Summary • Natural gas poses a greater threat when federal and state rules and regulations are not followed. • Operators should refer to CFR, Part 192 and TAC, Chapter 8 for all applicable rules and regulations. • PHMSA and the RRC of Texas are responsible for regulating and ensuring the safe and secure transportation of natural gas.

40. Contact information Vanessa Garcia ǀ Railroad Commission of Texas Pipeline Inspector IV ǀ Pipeline Safety Division Vanessa.Garcia@rrc.texas.govǀ (361) 242-3117 1701 N. Congress Ave. P.O. Box 12967 Austin, TX 78711-2967