Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration May 21, 2009 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

PHMSA is issuing an advisory bulletin to owners and operators of natural gas pipeline and hazardous liquid pipeline systems. This bulletin advises pipeline system owners and operators of the potential for high grade line pipe installed on projects to exhibit inconsistent chemical and mechanical properties. Yield strength and tensile strength properties that do not meet the line pipe specification minimums have been reported. This advisory bulletin pertains to microalloyed high strength line pipe grades, generally Grade X-70 and above. PHMSA recently reviewed metallurgical testing results from several recent projects indicating pipe joints produced from plate or coil from the same heat may exhibit variable chemical and mechanical properties by as much as 15% lower than the strength values specified by the pipe manufacturer.