The German Approach on Safety of Natural Gas Distribution Pipelines

1. The German Approach on Safety of Natural Gas Distribution Pipelines WORKSHOP ON THE PREVENTION OF ACCIDENTS OF GAS TRANSMISSION PIPELINES (The Hague, 8 to 9 March 2006) Klaus Söntgerath State Authority for Mining, Energy and Geology

2. Contents • Introduction • Regulations • Approval processes • Governmental Control • Technical Experts • Risk Assessment • Conclusions

3. Introduction

4. Gas Pipelines in Germany • Demand of Natural Gas in 2004: 119 * 109 m³ • 380.000 km of Pipelines • Supplier Countries 2004:

5. Gas Pipeline Grid roundabout 240 km

6. Scope of the paper • Pipelines for transportation and distribution of Natural Gas • Incidental pressure above 16 bars • Pipelines that leave the area of a plant • Pipeline includes all elements for the operation of the pipeline

7. Regulations

8. Legislation • General legislation • Energy Trade Act • Act for Safety of Products and Equipment • Special legislation • Gas Pipeline Ordinance • e. g. safety corridor, protection against third party activities, crossing of pipelines, corrosion protection, safety equipment, pressure measurement, permanent manned station, route inspection, recording, stand-by duty • Risk assessment is not required!!!

9. Technical Guidelines of DVGW • Detailed rules • State of the Art • The following of the State of the Art is assumed if the technical guidelines of the “DVGW - The German Technical and Scientific Association for Gas and Water“ are observed e. g. • G 463 Steel Gas Pipelines with an incidental pressure higher than 16 bars; Construction –Working Paper- 12/01(G 463 Gasleitungen aus Stahlrohren von mehr als 16 bar Betriebsdruck; Errichtung  -Arbeitsblatt- 12/01)

10. Technical Guidelines of DVGW • Gas Pipeline Ordinance and G 463 • Requirements: e. g. materials, safety factors, corrosion protection • Risk assessment is not required!!! • e. g. wall thickness • Depends on pressure, material, safety factor • Constant over a whole pipeline • Depends not on risks e. g. density of population

11. Approval Processes

12. 1st Step - Land Use Planning • Land Use Planning Act • Land Use Planning of the States • Regional Land Use Planning • Land Use Planning Ordinance:gas pipelines diameter > 300 mm:Approval process for land use planning • Approval process • Including assessment of spatial impacts on the environment and public hearing • Simplified approval process • States or regional Land use plans include the pipeline – no approval process on Land Use Planning necessary • Decision on Land Use Planning by Regional Authority

13. 2nd Step - Approval Process • Diameter > 300 mm • Art. 43 Energy Trade Act, established: 2001 • EIA needed (regulated or decision by authority) • Approval process including public hearing and EIA (Planfeststellung) • EIA not needed (regulated or decision by authority) • Formal approval process without public hearing and EIA (Plangenehmigung) • Diameter < or = 300 mm: • Art. 5 Gas Pipeline Ordinance; Notification Process, established: 1974

14. Demands in Approval Process • Notification Process • (Diameter < or = 300 mm, length > 1000 m) or • included in the approval processes • The construction of a Gas Pipeline • is to notify to the competent authority • at least 8 weeks before beginning of the construction • including all important documents of pipeline integrity • including a statement of a technical expert: The pipeline meets the requirements of the Gas Pipeline Ordinance

15. Demands in Approval Process • The competent authority can refuse the plan • If it is not proven that the construction and operation meets the requirements of the Gas Pipeline Ordinance • If further requirements according to the Gas Pipeline Ordinance are necessary • The construction of the pipeline can be started • After 8 weeks after the information of the competent authority • In case of refusal of the plan after the elimination of the fault(s)

16. Demands before Start of Operation • Before Start of Operation • Pre-Certification of a technical expert about • Test of tightness and stability • Existing of safety equipment • No doubts about pipeline integrity • Some time after the Pre-Certification • Final assessment of the technical expert whether the pipeline meets the requirements of the Gas Pipeline Ordinance • Final Certification

17. Governmental Control

18. Governmental Control • Operator has to supervise an maintain his pipelines (Operator Responsibility) • The Competent Authority • can require data of the supervision • can inspect the plants • can require supervision measures • In special cases • Inspections by technical experts because of supervision data

19. Announcements to the Competent Authority • Setting a pipeline out of operation because of critical circumstances • Accidents that caused dangerous wounded or killed people • Leaks, dangerous for the vicinity • Incidents with major material damages • Circumstances that people or objects expose to danger

20. Technical Experts

21. Certification of Technical Experts • Technical Expert Organisations • Listed in Gas Pipeline Ordinance • Personal certification of each Technical Expert by the States • Exchange of lists of Technical Experts between the States

22. Technical Experts - Tasks • Statement forNotification Process • Pre-Certification • Final Certification • Assessment of pipelines e. g. • in case of incidents • By order of competent authority • Statement before works at pipelines in operation

23. Risk Assessment An Example

24. Risk Assessment – Wind Turbines • To assess – risk of Wind Farms in the vicinity of Gas Pipelines • Assessed risks • Loss of a rotor blade • Loss of a rotor • Break of the tower • Probabilistic assessment: limit 10-6 damages per year • Result: lowest distance between wind turbine and gas pipeline

25. Conclusions • Germany has established an hierarchic legislative System on gas pipelines (Act – Ordinance – Rules) • Approval processes for land use planning and pipeline projects are in use • Greater projects need EIA and public hearing • Supervision of pipelines in operation consists of Operator Responsibility – Authorities Control – Statements of Technical Experts • Regulations have a deterministic approach – Risk Assessments are only used in single cases