Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 38, September 20, 2024
A.
Applicability: This Section applies to the construction, reconstruction,
repair, emergency procedures, operation, and maintenance of all master meter
systems.
B. An operator of a master
meter system shall comply with this Section as a condition of receiving service
from a provider. Noncompliance with this Section by an operator of a master
meter system constitutes grounds for termination of service by the provider
when informed in writing by the AZOPS. In case of an emergency, the AZOPS may
give the provider oral instructions to terminate service, with written
confirmation to be furnished within 24 hours.
C. Each operator of a master meter system
shall comply with all applicable requirements of 49 CFR 192, as incorporated by
reference in
R14-5-202.
D. An operator of a master meter
system shall:
1. Establish an Operation and
Maintenance Plan, including an emergency plan; and
2. At all times, maintain a copy of the
Operation and Maintenance Plan at the master meter system location.
E. An operator of a master meter
system shall:
1. Ensure that no part of a gas
pipeline system is constructed under a building and that no building is placed
over any portion of a gas pipeline system; and
2. Upon discovering that a building is
located over a portion of a gas pipeline system, complete one of the following
within 180 days:
a. Remove the building from
over the pipeline,
b. Relocate the
pipeline, or
c. Discontinue service
to the portion of the pipeline system located under the building.
F. An operator of a
master meter system shall not install Acrylonitrile-Butadiene-Styrene (ABS) or
aluminum pipe in the master meter system.
G. An operator of a
master meter system that constructs a pipeline or any portion thereof using
plastic pipe shall install, at a minimum, a 14-gauge coated or corrosion
resistant, electrically conductive wire as a means of locating the pipe while
it is underground. Tracer wire shall not be wrapped around the plastic pipe.
Tracer wire may be taped or attached to the pipe in another manner, provided
that the adhesive or attachment is not detrimental to the integrity of the pipe
wall.
H. An operator of a master
meter system that constructs an underground pipeline using plastic pipe shall
bury the installed pipe with at least 6 inches of sandy type soil, free of any
rock or debris, surrounding the pipe for bedding and shading, unless the pipe
is otherwise protected as approved by the AZOPS. Steel pipe shall be installed
with at least 6 inches of sandy type soil, free of any debris or materials
injurious to the pipe coating, surrounding the pipe for bedding and shading,
unless the pipe is otherwise protected as approved by the AZOPS.
I. An operator of a master meter system that
constructs an underground pipeline using plastic pipe shall install the pipe
with sufficient slack to allow for thermal expansion and contraction. In
addition, all plastic pipe and fittings for use in an area with service
temperatures above 100º F shall be marked CD, CE, CF, or CG as required by
ASTM D2513 (1995), incorporated by reference in
R14-5-202
and available from the Arizona Office of Pipeline Safety.
J. An
operator of a master meter system shall qualify welding procedures and shall
ensure that welding of steel pipelines is performed in accordance with API
Standard 1104, as incorporated by reference in
49
CFR 192.7 and R14-5-202, by welders qualified
pursuant to API Standard 1104.
K.An operator of a
master meter system shall ensure that all repair work performed on an existing
master meter system complies with this Article.
L.An operator of a master meter system shall:
1. Ensure that each underground steel
pipeline is protected against external corrosion with an external protective
coating meeting the requirements of
49 CFR
192.461;
2. When installing a new underground steel
pipeline system, before placing the new pipeline system into service, provide a
cathodic protection system designed to protect the new pipeline system in its
entirety;
3. When repairing,
partially replacing, or relocating an existing underground steel pipeline
system, within 45 days after completing the repair, replacement, or relocation,
provide a cathodic protection system designed to protect the pipeline system;
and
4. Ensure that each cathodic
protection system has a voltage of at least negative 0.85 volts direct current
(-0.85Vdc) as measured using a saturated copper-copper sulfate half
cell.
M. An operator of a
master meter system shall ensure that no portion of an underground gas system
is installed less than 8 inches away from any other underground
structure.
N. At least 30 days
before commencing construction of any pipeline, an operator of a master meter
system shall file with the AZOPS a Notice of Construction that includes at
least the following information:
1. The dates
projected for commencing and completing construction,
2. The size and type of pipe to be
used,
3. The location of
construction, and
4. The MAOP for
the new pipeline.
O. An
operator of a master meter system shall:
1.
Perform leakage surveys at intervals not exceeding 15 months, but at least once
each calendar year, using leak detection procedures approved by the
AZOPS;
2. Except for LPG, perform
each leakage survey in accordance with ASME Guide for Gas Transmission and
Distribution Pipeline System, Guide Material, Appendix G-11-1983, other than
4.4(c), as incorporated by reference in
R14-5-202(Q);
3. For LPG, perform each leakage survey in
accordance with ASME Guide for Gas Transmission and Distribution Pipeline
System, Guide Material, Appendix G-11A-1983, as incorporated by reference in
R14-5-202(Q); and
4. Repair each
grade 1 leak immediately upon discovery, each grade 2 leak within 30 days of
discovery, and each grade 3 leak within one year of discovery.
P. In the event of an unknown
failure of a gas pipeline resulting in a master meter system operator's being
required to provide a report under subsection (Q) and in the operator's
removing a portion of the failed pipeline, the following shall occur:
1. The operator shall retain the portion of
failed pipeline that was removed;
2. The operator shall telephonically notify
the Arizona Office of Pipeline Safety of the removal within two hours after the
removal is completed, providing the following information:
a. Identity of the failed pipeline,
b. Description and location of the
failure,
c. Date and time of the
removal,
d. Length or quantity of
the removed portion,
e. Storage
location of the removed portion, and
f. Any additional information about the
failure or the removal of the portion of the failed pipeline that is requested
by the AZOPS;
3. Within
48 hours after receiving telephonic notification pursuant to subsection (Q)(2),
the AZOPS shall:
a. Determine, based on the
information provided by the operator and the availability, adequacy, and
reliability of any pipeline testing laboratory operated by the operator,
whether it is necessary to have the removed portion of pipeline tested at an
independent laboratory; and
b.
Telephonically notify the operator either:
i.
That the operator must have the removed portion of pipeline tested, in
accordance with A-ZOPS directions, by an independent laboratory selected by the
AZOPS as provided in subsection (P)(6), to determine the cause or causes of the
failure; or
ii. That the operator
is not required to have the removed portion of pipeline tested by an
independent laboratory and instead must conduct testing in its own pipeline
testing laboratory, after which the operator may discard the removed portion of
pipeline;
4.
After providing telephonic notice as provided in subsection (P)(3)(b), the
AZOPS shall confirm its notification in writing;
5. If the AZOPS directs testing by an
independent laboratory:
a. The AZOPS shall:
i. Determine, as provided in subsection
(P)(6), the independent laboratory that will do the testing and the period of
time within which the testing is to be completed;
ii. Determine, based on the available
information concerning the failure, the number and types of tests to be
performed on the removed pipeline; and
iii. Notify the operator of its
determinations;
b. The
operator shall:
i. Contact the selected
independent laboratory to arrange the scheduling of the required
tests;
ii. Notify the AZOPS, at
least 20 days before the date of the tests, of the date and time scheduled for
the laboratory tests;
iii. At the
request of the AZOPS, ensure that a representative of the A-ZOPS is permitted
to observe any or all of the tests;
iv. Ensure that the original test results are
provided to the AZOPS by the independent laboratory within 30 days after the
tests are completed; and
v. Pay for
the independent laboratory testing; and
6. In determining an independent laboratory
to perform testing required under subsection (P), the AZOPS shall:
a. Submit to at least three different
independent laboratories written requests for bids to conduct the
testing;
b. Consider each
responding laboratory's qualifications to perform the testing, as demonstrated
by:
i. Past experience in performing the
required test or tests according to ASTM International standards; and
ii. Any recognition that a
laboratory may have received from a national or international laboratory
accreditation body, such as through a certification or accreditation
process;
c. Wait to
select an independent laboratory until:
i. The
AZOPS has received written bids from at least three different independent
laboratories; or
ii. Thirty days
have passed since the date of the request for bids, whichever comes sooner;
and
d. Select the
independent laboratory that offers the optimum balance between cost and
demonstrated ability to perform the required test or tests.
Q. An operator of a
master meter system shall:
1. Telephonically
notify the AZOPS, at 602-262-5601 during normal working hours or at
602-252-4449 at all other times, at the earliest practicable moment following
discovery of any of the following related to the operator's master meter
system:
a. An event involving a release of
gas from a pipeline, along with any of the following:
i. A death or personal injury requiring
hospitalization;
ii. Injury to any
individual resulting in the individual's loss of consciousness;
iii. Estimated property damage, including the
value of all released gas, in excess of $5,000;
iv. Unintentional estimated gas loss of 3
million cubic feet or more;
v. An
explosion or fire not intentionally set by the operator;
vi. A news media inquiry;
vii. An evacuation; or
viii. An outage;
b. An event involving overpressure of a
pipeline system where a pipeline operating at less than 12 PSIG exceeds MAOP by
50%, where a pipeline operating between 12 PSIG and 60 PSIG exceeds MAOP by 6
PSIG, or where a pipeline operating over 60 PSIG exceeds MAOP plus
10%;
c. An event involving
permanent or temporary discontinuance of service to a master meter system or
any portion of a master meter system due to a failure of a leak test or for any
purpose other than to perform routine maintenance; or
d. An event that is significant, in the
judgment of the operator, even though it does not meet any of the criteria
listed in subsections (Q)(1)(a) through (c);
2. Include the following information in a
telephonic report under subsection (Q)(1):
a.
The names of the operator and the person making the report;
b. The job title of the person making the
report;
c. The telephone numbers of
the operator and the person making the report;
d. A description of the type and location of
the event;
e. The time of the
event;
f. The number of fatalities
and personal injuries, if any; and
g. All other significant facts that are known
by the operator and are relevant to the cause of the event or the extent of the
damages; and
3. Not later
than April 15 of each year, submit to the AZOPS an annual report for the prior
calendar year, completed on Commission Form MM-04: "Annual Report for Calendar
Year 20___, Small Operators of Gas Distribution System," which is included
herein as Exhibit A.
R.
The Commission may waive compliance with any of the requirements of this
Section upon a finding that such a waiver is in the interest of public and
pipeline safety.
S. To ensure
compliance with all applicable provisions of this Article, the Commission or an
authorized representative there of may enter the premises of an operator of a
mastermeter system to inspect and investigate the property, books, papers,
electronic files, business methods, and affairs that pertain to the operation
of the master meter system.
