§191.3. Definitions. — Inbound Citations

(B) For the onshore natural gas transmission pipeline and natural gas distribution industry segments, pipeline segments or event types must be grouped into the following eight categories: Pipeline integrity work (e.g., the preparation work of modifying facilities, ongoing assessments, maintenance or mitigation), traditional operations or pipeline maintenance, equipment replacement or repair (e.g., valves), pipe abandonment, new construction or modification of pipelines including commissioning and change of service, operational precaution during activities (e.g. excavation near pipelines), emergency shutdowns including pipeline incidents as defined in 49 CFR 191.3, and all other pipeline segments with a physical volume greater than or equal to 50 cubic feet. If a blowdown event resulted in emissions from multiple categories and the emissions cannot be apportioned to the different categories, then categorize the blowdown event in the category that represented the largest portion of the emissions for the blowdown event.

(a) At the earliest practicable moment following discovery, but no later than one hour after confirmed discovery, each operator must give notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section of each incident as defined in § 191.3.

(a) Each operator must establish and follow procedures for investigating and analyzing failures and incidents as defined in § 191.3, including sending the failed pipe, component, or equipment for laboratory testing or examination, where appropriate, for the purpose of determining the causes and contributing factor(s) of the failure or incident and minimizing the possibility of a recurrence.

(2) If the pipeline has had a reportable incident, as defined in § 191.3, attributed to a girth weld failure since its most recent pressure test, then the ILI program must include a tool that can detect girth weld defects unless the ECA analysis performed in accordance with this section includes an engineering evaluation program to analyze and account for the susceptibility of girth weld failure due to lateral stresses.

(i) The pipeline segment has experienced a reportable incident, as defined in § 191.3, since its most recent successful subpart J pressure test, due to an original manufacturing-related defect, or a construction-, installation-, or fabrication-related defect;

(f) Risk analyses and assessments conducted under paragraph (c) of this section must be reviewed by the operator and certified by a senior executive of the company, for operational matters that could affect rupture-mitigation processes and procedures. Review and certification must occur once per calendar year, with the period between reviews not to exceed 15 months, and must also occur within 3 months of an incident or safety-related condition, as those terms are defined at §§ 191.3 and 191.23, respectively.

(1) Master meter systems, as defined in § 191.3 of this chapter; or