UNITED NATIONS
Economic and Social Council
ECONOMIC COMISSION FOR EUROPE
General
COMMITEE ON SUSTAINABLE ENERGY
Energy/WP.3/GE.5/2005/6
04 November 2008
Working Party on Gas
English
Ad Hoc Group of Experts on the Supply and Use of Gas
TECHNICAL DIAGNOSTICS AND RISK MANAGEMENT OF
GAS TRANSMISSION PIPELINES
(Draft Questionnaire prepared by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic in
cooperation with Marcogaz)
(Sixth version)
General Rapporteurs: Mr. Jiri FILIPPI and Mr. Josef ANTOS
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1. Introduction
Dependence on remote sources of natural gas and necessity of gas transportation via
multinational pipeline systems raises a problem of safety and reliability of transportation with
respecting a non-discriminating process of transportation by particular TSO's.
For this reason, an investigation of risk management and technical diagnostics minimizing
risks of operational breakdown on a liberalised gas market while ensuring balanced safety
requirements for transportation systems is of a high importance. The main objective is ensuring
reliable and safe transportation of natural gas and unification of approaches of respective countries
in solving problems of the multinational transportation.For this reason, an investigation has been
performed by the UN Economic Commission for Europe in the form of a questionnaire aimed at
responsible TSO's, which, after its publication, should provide for mutual exchange of information
and characteristics of an access of respective countries to risk management of natural gas
transportation.
Purpose of the questionnaire: Identification of the preventive diagnostics methodologies and
emergency management of multinational gas transportation pipeline systems with a
Maximum Operational Pressure (MOP) greater than 16 bars.
2. Risk management
Definitions:
Risk Assessment
The risk assessment evaluates the possibility and scope of incidents and the impact of these
incidents and their removal on the operation and natural gas transportation. The risk assessment
can generally be performed using two ways: deterministic and/or probabilistic approaches.
Safety Management System
The Safety Management System (SMS) includes two main areas:
 the Pipeline Integrity Management (PIMS) policies designed to prevent the incidents;
 the Emergency Response Plans (internal and external) designed to manage anomalous
situations and incident scenarios;
The goal of the SMS is to manage the safety of employees and technical equipment (internal), and
protection of public, urban, natural or industrial environment (external) and to manage and
minimize consequences of emergency situations.
PIMS (Pipeline Integrity Management System)
PIMS is a safety management system whose field is pipeline integrity. PIMS is based on:
 Adoption of high technological standards in construction
 Working out of emergency procedures and incidents investigation
 Carrying out of proactive measures for ensuring that the pipelines are maintained fit
 Training and definition of roles and responsibilities of personnel
Emergency Response Plan -internal
The emergency plan is a document that describes all activities and measures taken in case of a
serious incident of gas transportation system and corresponding technical equipment aimed at
mitigation of its impacts while managing the security of gas supplies.
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Yes/No
Question
2.1.
Does TSO have implemented ISO 14 000 or likewise
national standard for gas transmission system operation?
2.1.1.
2.2.
If yes, please describe to what extend.
Does TSO have implemented a management system
(SMS) to develop and maintain the integrity of pipelines?
2.2.1. Does the description of Pipeline SMS exist in a
form of a written and stand-alone document?
2.2.2. Are performance indicators of SMS included in the
system and are regularly evaluated?
2.2.3. Is the SMS a subject of regular audit and review by
a competent authority or internally?
2.2.4. Has TSO developed and implemented a Pipeline
Integrity Management System (PIMS)?
2.3.
Does TSO have elaborated and regularly updated an
Internal Emergency Plan for a gas transportation system?
2.3.1
Does national law or national regulatory
authority require an Internal Emergency Plan?
2.3.2. Is the Internal Emergency Plan regularly tested and
updated?
2.4.
Does TSO have introduced minimum standards for an
operation of the transportation system? At which level are
they established?
2.4.1. National legislation by public authorities.
2.4.2. Guidelines set by a national industrial body.
2.4.3. Company internal guidelines.
2.5.
Please, specify the basic technical standard used for an
operation of the transportation system?
2.5.1. EN 1594
2.5.2. ISO 13623
2.5.3. Other, please specify in comments (e.g. GOST,
ASME,...)
2.6.
Does TSO use deterministic or probabilistic approach to
risk assessment?
2.6.1. Deterministic (safety as a discrete value, legislation
based approach, fixed criteria and rules should be fulfilled
to declare pipeline safety)
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Comment
Yes/No
Question
2.6.2. Probabilistic (safety as distribution function, risk
based approach, probabilistic criteria should be met to
declare pipeline safety)
2.7.
Are technical risks and risks to public and environment
connected with transmission pipelines operation regularly
assessed?
2.7.1. Case by case approach.
2.7.2. Regularly updated list of operational threats to the
transmission system and mitigation measures.
2.7.3. Systematic qualitative assessment, usually by
means of an expert estimate and division into classes and
categories
2.8.
2.7.4 Systematic quantitative assessment, detailed
numerical risk assessment.
Is the Risk Assessment required by law, regulation or by
internal guidelines?
2.8.1 Obligatory, required by law or national regulator.
2.8.2. Voluntary or recommended by national industrial
body.
2.9.
2.8.3. Other
Does TSO apply risk assessment on the equipment and
parts of pipelines the damage of which can immediately
endanger transportation of natural gas? Which parts of the
system are included?
2.9.1. Pipeline system
2.9.2. Border transfer stations
2.9.3. Important delivery stations,
2.9.3. Complicated junctions
2.9.4. Valve stations
2.9.5. Compressor stations.
2.9.6. Underground Gas Storage Facilities
2.9.7. LNG regasification terminals
2.10.
Does exist a database for monitoring of incidents and
emergency situations on high-pressure pipelines ?
2.10.1. In a form of a national database?
2.10.2. At TSO as an EGIG member company?
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Comment
Yes/No
Question
2.11.
Does TSO have available stand-by capacities (special
equipment) for work with natural gas under pressure?
2.11.1. Hot tapping equipment?
2.11.2. Mobile compressor for pumping gas from one
pipeline to other for maintenance purposes?
2.11.3. Emergency pipeline material stored and available?
2.11.4. Do you prefer your own workforce or contractors
to manage emergency situations?
2.12.
Does a competent public administration body regularly
request information about identified risks and reduction
measures adopted?
2.12.1. Required by law
2.12.1. Required by market regulator
2.13.
2.12.1. Other
Other comments
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Comment
3. Technical diagnostics, preventive maintenance.
Definitions:
Internal inspection: Internal inspection of the technical condition of the pipeline carried out by
an inspection tool based on a magnetic or ultrasonic principle
Stress test: Pressure test of pipelines executed usually with water, used to remove the influence of
local stress concentrators and geometrical anomalies using plastic deformation around yield
strength. Stress test can be proved by reaching given safety factor against MOP.
1) GOST - Russian standards originally developed by the Soviet Union, which means state
standard. Former COMECON countries were bound by GOST standards especially in gas industry.
E.g. GOST 19281-high pressure seamless gas pipeline standard.
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3.1.
3.2.
Question
Has TSO introduced an information system for
maintenance management (Computerized
Maintenance Management System -CMMS)?
3.1.1. e.g. SAP PM
3.1.2. MAXIMO
Does TSO have implemented maintenance
approaches such as condition-based maintenance
CBM, reliability centred maintenance RCM, risk
based inspection RBI, ... on selected parts of
transmission system? If yes, specify which
equipment and method.
3.2.1. Pipelines
3.2.2. Equipment (valves)
3.2.3 Compressor stations
3.2.4. Junctions
3.2.5. Border transfer stations
3.2.6. Underground Storage Facilities
3.3.
Are gas transmission pipelines cathode protected
on 100% of the length? Please estimate
percentage.
3.3.1. Transit pipelines
3.3.2. Transport (intrastate) pipelines
3.4.
Are gas transmission pipelines piggable? Please
estimate percentage.
3.4.1. Transit pipelines
3.4.2. Domestic transport pipelines
3.5.
3.6.
Does TSO use the internal pipeline inspection?
3.5.1. During commissioning
3.5.2. In 5-10 years period
3.5.3. Case by case or rare
As a method for internal pipeline inspection
(ILI) does TSO use
3.6.1. Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL)
3.6.2. Transversal Field Inspection (TFI)
3.6.3. Other, please specify.
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Yes/No
Comment
Yes/No
Question
3.7
3.8.
Deleted.
Does TSO have a standardized approach to
diagnostics of unpiggable pipelines? Please
specify.
3.9.
Does TSO check external coating of the pipeline
system of the transportation system?
3.9.1. To what extent?
3.9.2. What is the frequency of inspections?
3.9.3. Which methods are used? (Pearson,
DCVG)
3.10.
What methods does TSO use to protect the
transportation system from interventions of third
parties?
3.10.1.Legislatively, by determining protective
zones
3.10.2. Legislatively, using risks assessment to
specify minimum distances from pipeline.
3.10.3. By air or vantage point surveys? How
often?
3.10.4. By other technical means? (specify)
3.11.
3.10.5. Is the performance of measures against
third party damages regularly reviewed?
Does TSO carry out pressure tests – stress tests?
3.11.1. During construction?
3.11.2. Periodically to prove pipeline safety?
3.11.3. To increase pressure or lifetime?
3.12.
3.13.
3.11.4. Other times?
Does TSO regularly monitor gas leakage? gas
leakage
Please, specify.
Does TSO have a program for reduction of
gas/methane leakages into atmosphere?
Please, specify.
3.14.
Other comments
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Comment