Pipeline Operations & Integrity Flashcards

Which U.S. federal agency regulates the safety of natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines?

Answer: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)

PHMSA, within the U.S. Department of Transportation, sets and enforces safety standards for the nation's gas and hazardous liquid pipeline systems.

What is the purpose of a 'pig' in pipeline operations?

Answer: A tool inserted into the pipeline for cleaning, inspection, or separation

Pipeline pigs are devices that travel through a pipeline driven by product flow to perform cleaning, product separation, or in-line inspection (smart pigs).

Cathodic protection is used on buried steel pipelines primarily to prevent what?

Answer: External corrosion caused by electrochemical reactions with soil

Cathodic protection applies electrical current to make the pipe a cathode, suppressing the electrochemical reactions that cause external corrosion of buried steel.

What does MAOP stand for in pipeline operations?

Answer: Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure

MAOP is the Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure — the highest pressure at which a pipeline system may be operated under PHMSA regulations.

Which method is used to test pipeline integrity before commissioning by filling the line with water and pressurizing it above MAOP?

Answer: Hydrostatic pressure testing

Hydrostatic pressure testing fills the pipeline with water and raises pressure to 1.1–1.5× MAOP to verify structural integrity and detect leaks before placing the line in service.

What is a 'High Consequence Area' (HCA) in the context of U.S. hazardous liquid pipeline regulations?

Answer: An area where a pipeline failure could have significant adverse consequences on populated or sensitive areas

HCAs are defined areas near pipelines — such as populated zones, drinking water sources, or ecological resources — where a release could have the most serious consequences, requiring enhanced integrity management.