Ohio Gas Association Consistent Training Criteria of Leak Classification for Compliance Purposes

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Ohio Gas AssociationConsistent Training
Criteria ofLeak Classification for Compliance
Purposes

• Ron Six
• Sr. Utility Consultant
• AEGIS Insurance Services, Inc.
• 201/417-2487

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Leak Detection Instrumentation
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Hydrogen Flame Ionization Instrument

• Search tool
• Visual and audible indication of gas
  concentrations in ppm
• Indications must be confirmed with a Combustible
  Gas Indicator (CGI)

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Mobile Survey Equipment

• HFI
• Wind
• Ground moisture
• Venting conditions
• Speed of travel
• OMD

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RMLD hard to access areas(Remote Methane
Leak Detector)

• Range 100 feet
• Methane only
• Bridge crossings
• Fenced yards
• Busy highway crossings
• Stream crossings
• Through windows

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1 Part Per Million (PPM)
One Penny in Ten Thousand Dollars
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Surface Sampling Indications Must Be Confirmed

• No matter the degree of sophistication, all
  surface sample (HFI/OMD/Laser) indications must
  be confirmed and classified with CGI and probe
  bar.

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The Combustible Gas Indicator

• CGI should be used to
• Classify an atmosphere
• Inside a building or in a confined space
• Classify underground leakage
• Determine Where is the gas?
• Pinpoint underground leakage
• Determine Where is the leak?
• You must know
• How to properly use it
• What readings might constitute a hazardous
  condition

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More Sophisticated CGI with Pump, LEL/GAS, CO,
O2
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Proper Operation and Maintenance of CGIs
Treat your combustible gas indicator with
respect. It could save your life someday!
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Instrument Calibration

• Technician must be trained
• Sample delivery system suited for the instrument
  
• Gases must be certified
• Certain gases (CO H2S) have a shelf life/check
  date
• Documentation/separate form for each instrument

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Evaluating The Leak

• Where is the gas?

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Evaluating The Leak

• here is the gas?

• W
• H
• E
• R
• E

ow much is there?
xtent of hazard (migration)
elation to other structures
valuate/evacuate
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Factors Affecting Gas Migration

• Soil type
• Soil moisture
• Surface cover/frost
• Line pressure
• Depth of burial
• Leak size and age
• Change in elevationslope
• Path of least resistance

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• Remember
• The biggest built-in safety factor of natural gas
  is that it is lighter than air however

it will vent to the atmosphere someplace!
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Centering Where is the Gas?
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Centering The Leak

• Probe holes must be of sufficient depth
• Test all available openings
• Zero out N-S-E-W
• You must have sufficient information to make a
  good judgement

Be Careful Dont make a leak, looking for a
leak.
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Incident (2005)Company Retention 500K

• A homeowner contacted the gas company stating
  that she smelled a very strong odor of gas in
  the vicinity of her gas meter.
• The gas company sent a service technician to
  investigate the odor complaint. Upon arrival,
  the technician noticed the smell of gas as soon
  as he got out of his truck.
• He decided to put a bar hole down near the riser
  to check the soil atmosphere. The temperature
  was around 5 degrees and there was frost in the
  ground making it difficult to make the test hole.

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Incident (2005)Company Retention 500K

• Contd.
• After a lot of effort, he was able to get a test
  hole in the ground below the frost layer. When
  he pulled his probe bar out of the ground, gas
  started blowing up through the test hole. The
  escaping gas was making considerable noise so he
  put the probe bar back in the hole. He ran back
  to the truck to get a shovel to dig the plastic
  service up in order to squeeze it off and stop
  the leak.
• As he was attempting to expose the service,
  approximately 30 minutes after the line was hit,
  there was an ignition and two people inside of
  the home were badly injured.

AEGIS Incurred 5.5 Million
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What Happened?

• Bar testing and checking the soil atmosphere for
  gas is a crucial part of the overall odor
  complaint investigation. It is necessary to make
  the test hole a sufficient depth in order to
  obtain an accurate reading, thus getting below
  the frost layer is essential.
• In this case, the bar should have been left out
  of the bar hole to allow the gas to vent and
  notifying the occupants to leave the house until
  the line could be shut off.
• The main priority is Public Safety!

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GPTC GuidelinesLeak Classification

• The following establishes a criteria by which
  leakage indications of flammable gas can be
  graded and controlled. When evaluating any gas
  leak indication, the initial step is to determine
  the perimeter of the leak area. When this
  perimeter extends to a building wall, the
  investigation should continue into the building.

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GPTC GuidelinesGrade 1 Definition

• A leak that represents an existing or probable
  hazard to persons or property, and requires
  immediate repair or continuous action until the
  conditions are no longer hazardous.

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Leak Classification Action Criteria Grade 1
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400
402
404
Never purge near foundation
30 Gas _at_ Foundation Wall
Concrete Sidewalk
90 Gas _at_ Curb
Purge Away From Foundation This will draw the gas
away from the building and block the gas from
migrating to the foundation wall
8 CI UP
OLD MAIN STREET
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The venting of a leak is only for making
the area safe while in the process of either
pinpointing or repairing the leak. It
should not be used a a means of downgrading the
leak. Remember if a leak is downgraded there has
to be a logical explanation and someone must sign
off on the downgrade.
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GPTC GuidelinesGrade 2 Definition

• A leak that is recognized as being non-hazardous
  at the time of detection, but justifies
  scheduled repair based on probable future hazard.

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Leak Classification Action Criteria Grade 2
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Leak Classification Action Criteria Grade 2
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GPTC GuidelinesGrade 3 Definition

• A leak that is non-hazardous at the time of
  detection and can be reasonably expected to
  remain non-hazardous.

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• New York State Leak Classification Graphic

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GRAPHICAL PRESENTATION OF THE CLASSIFICATIONS OF
HAZARDS WHICH RESULT FROM GAS LEAKAGE REQUIRED
ACTIONS IN ACCORDANCE WITH 16 NYCRR PART
255.805-817
MANHOLES, VAULTS OR CATCH BASINS
CONTINUOUSLY PAVED AREA
UNPAVED AREA
CURB OR SHOULDER
CURB OR SHOULDER
50
50
30
20
5
5
Readings are percent gas-in-air with structure in
normal condition. Type 2 leak shall be rechecked
at least every 2 weeks and repaired within 6
months.
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• An odor complaint call should be considered a
  Grade 1 leakuntil proven otherwise.

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• Our main job is not
• finding fixing leaks
• Our main job is
• public safety

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Reminder

• Dont forget to register for the OGA First
  Response training program to be held at the
  Buckeye Hall of Fame on April 29, 2008. Flyers
  are available at the OGA registration table.

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AEGIS Insurance Services, Inc.Thank
YouPlease visit our website _at_aegislink.com