A Decade into DIMP, Pipe Replacement Still Keeps Workforce Busy

摘要

While systematic evaluation of natural gas pipelines has been going on for decades, the impetus for much of the work that is currently underway comes from the Distribution Integrity Management Program (DIMP), a federal regulation that went into effect in December 2009.Under the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) guideline, identification of threats, alongwith prioritization and mitigation of risks, must be reported by companies.Chief among the concerns that ushered in the era of DIMP was that cast-iron and uncoated steel pipelines, and the early vintage polymer (Aldyl-A) pipes, which were widely used in the 1970s and early 1980s, were aging and prone to cracks.As a result, operators were given 18 months from the date of the guideline's issuance to develop and implement a written plan.