Mineral Oil (Safety) Regulations

These regulations do not directly address methane but speak to maintenance of vessels that could otherwise leak methane.

 

Owners must make “regular” examination of pressure vessels (in accordance with manufacturer’s recommendations or  good field practice) (p. 11-12).

 

Compressed-air receivers should be drained of liquid every day, and tested hydraulically to the recommended pressure at least once every 5 years/60 months [in earlier versions, Sec. 15(b) required testing at least once every 26 months] (p. 12).

 

Gas separators should also tested once at least every 5 years (p. 12).

 

After 20 years, most vessels should be inspected at least once every 30 months. [This does not appear in earlier version of these regs.] (p. 12)

 

The Pressure Vessel Standards require that equipment meet the standards of the National Association of Corrosion Engineers.  Every 5 years, owners should test wall thickness of pressure vessels, record the results, and provide the same to regulators upon demand. [Note: NACE and wall thickness testing did not appear in earlier versions of the rules.] (p. 13)

 

Internal inspections must be done of storage tanks, at least once every 60 months (p. 14). [Note: This does not appear in earlier versions of the regs.]

 

 Pipelines should be kept “free of overgrowth and weeds,” for “prompt detection of leakages” (p. 17).

 

P. 19 Persons may be fined for failure to produce data [Note: Previously was Sec. 25(2), but much lower – N100 versus N50,000]; managers may be fined for failure to comply with safety rules [Note: Previously was Sec. 27, but much lower – N100 versus N250,000 and possible jail time].

 

“A person employed under a license or lease who notices an unusual escape of: (a) petroleum oil or gas from a well, pipeline, or an installation; or (b) anything unsafe or likely to produce damage, shall forthwith inform the manager or competent person of the escape (p. 21).” [Note: Previously was much lower – N100 versus N100,000 and possible jail time.]

 

Employees may be subject to fines for failure to comply with the regulations (p. 21).

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