November 24, 2011

Underground Propane Tank Regulation Code

Filed under: Propane Industry,cathodic protection — Tags: , , — admin @ 12:42 am

After January 1, 2001, a new amendment of the national LP-Gas Code will require all underground propane tanks to be equipped with a cathodic protection system. The new code will also require that the cathodic system be routinely tested. A system must be tested when a propane tank is first installed to prove that it is functioning. Then, assuming that it passes, a future test will be required 12 to 18 months later. A single test every 36 months will then be required if both of the initial tests pass. If a test ever fails during any 1 of these 3 periods, then the owners of the tank must begin the testing all over again from the first initial test after repairing the propane tank and its anti corrosion system.

The N.C. Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services have actually created a survey online in order to get feedback from propane companies and owners. They have publicly stated that they are curious to know what propane owners think about the new safety standards. Regulators have welcomed all ideas, including even the more elaborate ideas. Their main concern is to find out what is most important in relevance to the use of propane tanks.

For the most part, it has been said that most propane companies are aware and have accepted these new standards. However, many customers of propane companies are not aware of these new requirements. Many are oblivious to the technical aspects of underground propane tanks, and inspectors are aware of this problem. Regulators hope to work with public to figure out how they can get propane tank customers to follow the rules.

You can visit www.NCStandards.org to give your input on the topic. You can also contact the division via telephone for a physical copy of the survey.

November 15, 2011

PG&E Natural Gas Leak

Filed under: cathodic protection — Tags: , , — admin @ 8:37 pm

A small leak was found on a pipeline in Palo Alto, California last week. Pacific Gas and Electric said this was most likely due to corrosion. Corrosion was found on the outer walls of the pipe. The pipeline is a 24 inch pipe that transports natural gas. The leak was found during a pressure test on the natural pipeline.

The leaking of this particular pipeline is of significance because the leaking section of the pipeline actually exploded last year in San Bruno, California. The explosion killed 8 people and damaged approximately 38 homes. Although there are concerns that an incident like the explosion in San Bruno could occur again, PG&E officials insisted on the integrity of the pipelines. They described the San Bruno event as isolated. An uncompleted welding job was reported to have caused the disaster in San Bruno.

The recent leak resulted in a landslide that affected the flow of traffic on the freeway for 4 hours. The Palo Alto pipeline was last checked two years ago. There have also been reasons to believe that the pipeline may have been damaged by another person. There have been future plans made to repair the leak.

November 3, 2011

Nuclear Power Plant Leaks Due to Corrosion

Filed under: CP Remote Monitoring,cathodic protection,remote monitoring — Tags: , , — admin @ 10:09 pm

Three-fourths of commercial nuclear power plants in the United States have been found to have leaked radioactive tritium into the earth through corroded pipelines. These incidents have been escalating throughout the years, as more reactors are being licensed by federal regulators.

The US Nuclear Regulatory Commission found that at least 48 of 65 sites leaked tritium. Tritium is a radioactive form of hydrogen. Out of these 48 leaks, at least 37 of them reported concentrations that exceeded the federal drinking water standard. However, rarely any of the leaks were found to have spread beyond the plant boundaries and into the public water supplies. Two plants in Illinois contaminated nearby homes, but the levels did not violate the drinking water standard.

According to the US Environmental Protection Agency, tritium levels should not exceed more than 20,000 picocuries per liter of drinking water. Specialists have also estimated that those exposed to this type of water may have the possibility of developing cancer. Although the statistical estimation is extremely low, they say there is a small percentage that cancer may still develop.

Reactors have been affected by corrosion for decades. During the years 2000 and 2009, documentations reported 38 leaks from underground pipelines. Practically two-thirds of those reportings were found within the past five years.

Although, many nuclear power plant representatives may take these leakings light heartedly, safety officials continue to stress the precautions we need to take on this issue. A former advisory committee member on Reactor Safeguards stated that a leak is a problem in itself. The leak itself is an issue. In addition, the leaks say a lot about the piping and can be a warning to more drastic problems to come.

There are, however, been efforts to stop the leaks. More monitoring wells have been drilled, along with the replacement of old pipes. Up to now, 66 reactors have been extended a 20 year extension on their original licenses. More reactors are currently pending for approval.