Criticality: High Progress: Not Addressed Score: 40 DOT Relevance: §192.14
Description of Key Area
A number of hydrogen
pipelines in use today have been converted from earlier oil or gas use.
Generally, these are derated relative to allowable percentage of SMYS. Under
Subpart A (General) of 49 CFR 192, conversion of service refers to using
existing in-ground pipe for service.
Discussion of Criticality
A number of assessments
are typically performed prior to conversion, including research into service
history, previous replacement and repair work, metallurgical analyses, reviews
of right-of-way documents, etc. Parameters must be defined for standards for
using existing in-ground oil or gas pipe for hydrogen service.
Discussion of Progress
Requirements have been
developed by a number of companies internally but there are not yet any public
guidelines.
Recommendations
The ASME B31.12 task
group has included a section on pipeline conversion in their draft document. Standards
for conversion of service to hydrogen should be established and incorporated by
reference into the federal code.
