Characterization and Fitness for Service of Corroded Cast Iron Pipe

Cast iron gas mains have been installed since the 1830s and they are still in service in many U.S. cities. About 32,400 miles of cast iron main is estimated to be in service in 2012, with about 50% of these pipes located within four states: New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. Consistent with the 49 CFR federal requirements, local distribution companies (LDC) have developed procedures for surveillance of their cast iron facilities to identify problems and take appropriate action concerning leak, breakage, and graphitization. Recent incidents have prompted state regulators to evaluate and modify the utilities' procedures regarding the frequencies of the cast iron surveillance. Cast iron pipelines' vulnerability and their integrity are further highlighted in the PHMSA Safety Advisory Bulletin. This requires gas operators to implement a program, based on factors such as age, pipe diameter, operating pressure, soil corrosiveness, existing graphitic damage, leak history, and external loading, to identify and replace in a planned, timely manner cast iron piping systems. This project seeks to provide a Fitness-For-Service (FFS) model and method for operators to characterize and grade graphitic corrosion defects on cast iron natural gas pipe. This will help make monitoring, repair, and replacement decisions, as well as prioritize their replacement program decisions leading to improved safety and supply stability.

• Record URL:
  • https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/matrix/FilGet.rdm?fil=11936&s=D0AF8A0B96314231A785D086D6F00004
• Summary URL:
  • https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/matrix/PrjHome.rdm?prj=641&s=D0AF8A0B96314231A785D086D6F00004
• Corporate Authors:

  Gas Technology Institute

  1700 South Mount Prospect Road
  Des Plaines, IL  United States  60018

  Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration

  Office of Pipeline Safety
  Washington, DC  United States 
• Authors:
  • Ersoy, Daniel
  • Lever, Oren
  • Farrag, Khalid
  • Miller, Brian
• Publication Date: 2018-2-15

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Maps; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 194p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alloys; Cast iron; Corrosion; Defects; Failure analysis; Methodology; Natural gas pipelines; Structural health monitoring
• Subject Areas: Maintenance and Preservation; Materials; Pipelines;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01673788
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: GTI PROJECT NUMBER 21874
• Contract Numbers: DTPH56-15-T-00006
• Files: TRIS, ATRI, USDOT
• Created Date: Jun 27 2018 10:41AM