8 September 2005 Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [Federal Register: September 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 172)] [Notices] [Page 53273] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr07se05-119] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Pipeline Safety Advisory: Potential for Damage to Natural Gas Distribution Pipeline Facilities Caused by the Passage of Hurricane Katrina AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), DOT. ACTION: Notice; issuance of advisory bulletin. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: PHMSA is issuing this advisory bulletin to owners and operators of natural gas distribution pipeline facilities to communicate the potential for damage to pipeline facilities caused by the passage of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. ADDRESSES: This document can be viewed on the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) Home page at: http://ops.dot.gov . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joy Kadnar, (202) 366-0568, or by e- mail at Joy.Kadnar@dot.gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background The purpose of this advisory bulletin is to warn all operators of natural gas distribution pipeline facilities that safety problems may have been caused by the passage of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. Past instances of flooding have resulted in significant pipeline system damage including exposed pipes, failure of pipelines crossing rivers and streams, damage to meter sets, pipeline leaks from soil movement, and water leaking into pipeline systems. Due to the storm surge and extensive flooding caused by Hurricane Katrina, extensive damage to facilities may be expected. The Federal pipeline safety regulations (49 CFR part 192) require operators to shut down and start up pipeline facilities in a safe manner and to conduct periodic pipeline patrols to detect unusual operating and maintenance conditions and to take corrective action if conditions are unsafe. Gas pipeline safety regulations require that operators mitigate the safety condition if a pipeline facility is damaged. The regulations require damaged pipeline facilities be repaired or replaced as necessary to eliminate the hazard, and that damage resulting in a death or injury or exceeding $50,000 must be promptly reported to the National Response Center (NRC) at 1-800-424-8802. II. Advisory Bulletin (ADB-05-07) To: Owners and operators of natural gas distribution pipeline facilities. Subject: Potential for damage to natural gas distribution pipeline facilities caused by the passage of Hurricane Katrina. Advisory: All operators of natural gas distribution pipeline facilities in the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida are warned that pipeline safety problems may have been caused by the passage of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. Likely problems include but are not limited to damage of above ground equipment due to flooding and flying debris, damage to buried pipelines from soil movement, and water leaking into low pressure pipelines. Pipeline operators are urged to take the following actions to ensure personal and environmental safety and the integrity of natural gas distribution pipeline facilities located in areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina: 1. Conduct additional leak surveys and inspection of above ground equipment as necessary to detect any damage which may have occurred. 2. For distribution systems or portions of systems that have been shut down, check for damage to piping, valves, emergency shutdown systems, risers and meter sets prior to restoring system operation and relighting customers. 3. Check for water that may have leaked into low pressure systems. 4. Identify and correct any conditions on the pipeline as required by the Federal pipeline safety regulations. (49 U.S.C. Chapter 601; 49 CFR 1.53). Issued in Washington, DC on August 31, 2005. Joy Kadnar, Director of Engineering and Engineering Support. [FR Doc. 05-17653 Filed 9-6-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-60-P ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [Federal Register: September 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 172)] [Notices] [Page 53272-53273] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr07se05-118] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration Pipeline Safety Advisory: Potential for Damage to Pipeline Facilities Caused by the Passage of Hurricane Katrina AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), DOT. ACTION: Notice; issuance of advisory bulletin. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: PHMSA is issuing this advisory bulletin to owners and operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines to communicate the potential for damage to pipeline facilities caused by the passage of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. ADDRESSES: This document can be viewed on the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) home page at: http://ops.dot.gov . FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Joy Kadnar, (202) 366-0568, or by e- mail at Joy.Kadnar@dot.gov . SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: I. Background The purpose of this advisory bulletin is to warn all operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent state waters that pipeline safety problems may have been caused by the passage of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. PHMSA received numerous reports of damage to pipeline facilities in the offshore and inland areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle. Department of the Interior reported on August 29, 2005 that 615 of the 819 oil platforms in the Gulf of Mexico had been evacuated and that crude oil production had dropped by nearly 92 percent, or 1.4 million barrels a day, and natural gas production was down 83 percent. The first aerial inspections of crude oil and natural gas platforms have reported extensive damage and numerous oil and gas pipeline leaks. There is also a report of a production platform missing. Several on shore pipeline companies have reported facilities (pumping stations, compression stations, and terminals) to be underwater water and leaking. The Federal pipeline safety regulations at 49 CFR parts 192 and 195 require operators to shut down and start up pipeline facilities in a safe manner and to conduct periodic pipeline patrols to detect unusual operating and maintenance conditions and to take corrective action if conditions are unsafe. Because this patrolling is generally by aircraft, pipelines exposed or damaged on the sea floor may not be visually detected. It is likely that some pipeline facilities and pipelines located in the area of Hurricane Katrina's impact are damaged or exposed. The gas and hazardous liquid pipeline safety regulations require that operators mitigate the safety condition if a pipeline facility is damaged or if a pipeline is exposed on the sea floor or constitutes a hazard to navigation. The regulations require that damaged pipeline facilities or exposed pipelines must be repaired, replaced, or reburied to eliminate the hazard, and pipelines that are a hazard to navigation must be promptly reported to the National Response Center (NRC) at 1- 800-424-8802. II. Advisory Bulletin (ADB-05-08) To: Owners and operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipeline systems. Subject: Potential for damage to pipeline facilities caused by the passage of Hurricane Katrina. Advisory: All operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent state waters are warned that pipeline safety problems may have been caused by the passage of Hurricane Katrina on August 29, 2005. PHMSA received numerous reports of damage to pipeline facilities, particularly offshore Louisiana. Pipeline operators are urged to take the following actions to ensure personal and environmental safety and the integrity of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines located in areas impacted by Hurricane Katrina: 1. Identify persons who normally engage in shallow water commercial fishing, shrimping, and other marine vessel operations and caution them that underwater offshore pipelines may have become unprotected on the sea floor. Marine vessels operating in water depths comparable to a vessel's draft or when operating bottom dragging equipment can be damaged and their [[Page 53273]] crews endangered by an encounter with a underwater pipeline. 2. Identify and caution marine vessel operators in offshore shipping lanes and other offshore areas where Hurricane Katrina may have affected a pipeline that deploying fishing nets or anchors, and dredging operations may damage the pipeline, their vessels, and endanger their crews. 3. In the process of bringing offshore and inland transmission facilities back online, check for structural damage to piping, valves, emergency shutdown systems, risers and supporting systems. Aerial inspections of pipeline routes should be conducted to check for leaks in the transmission systems. In areas where floating and jack-up rigs have moved and their path could have been over the pipelines, review possible routes and check for sub-sea pipeline damage where required. 4. Identify and correct any conditions on the pipeline as required by the Federal pipeline safety regulations. PHMSA would appreciate receiving information about all damage to pipeline facilities in the Gulf of Mexico and adjacent State waters caused by Hurricane Katrina. The Federal pipeline safety regulations require that operators report certain incidents and accidents to PHMSA by specific methods. Damage not reported by these methods may be reported to Joy Kadnar at (202) 366-0568 or joy.kadnar@dot.gov . (49 U.S.C. Chapter 601; 49 CFR 1.53). Issued in Washington, DC on August 31, 2005. Joy Kadnar, Director of Engineering and Engineering Support. [FR Doc. 05-17652 Filed 9-6-05; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4910-60-P