What criteria must an operator consider in determining whether enhancements to leak detection are required?
Operators are required to have a means of detecting leakage on their pipelines. Operators must evaluate that capability and improve it, if necessary, to protect the high consequence area. The evaluation must include at least the following factors: length and size of the pipeline type of product carried the pipeline’s proximity to the high consequence area the swiftness of leak detection location of nearest response personnel leak history, and risk assessment results. In addition, PHMSA Pipeline Safety believes the operator should consider: system operating characteristics (e.g., steady state operation, high transient pressure and flow), current leak detection method for the HCA areas, use of SCADA, thresholds for leak detection, flow and pressure measurement, specific procedures for lines that are idle but still under pressure, specific consequences related to sole source water supplies regarding additional leak detection means, testing of leak detection means, such as physical removal
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