The Hindu Business Line : BIS, GAIL form exclusive cell to develop standards

THE Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) and GAIL (India) Ltd on Tuesday formed an exclusive cell for the development of standards for high-pressure oil and gas transmission pipeline systems.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chairman and Managing Director of GAIL, Mr Proshanto Banerjee, said, "The introduction of such standards would become specially relevant in the context of de-regulation of the gas business with multiple players in the transmission business and the crying need for a cross-country National Gas Grid"

Ms Satwant Reddy, Director-General, BIS, said, "Safety and environment parameters would be given paramount importance while formulating BIS standards for transmission of natural gas." She also stressed on "the role of Weights and Measures Act under the Department of Consumer Affairs in the area of gas metering in the interest of the consumer at large."

The national standards would take cognisance of overseas standards, including those of the American Petroleum Institute , American Society of Mechanical Engineers and European Norms. The technical and safety standards have important bearings on pipeline cost and transportation tariffs. The BIS standards will set minimum acceptable specifications for design, construction and procurement of oil and gas transmission pipeline systems. This is not only intended to ensure safety of pipeline infrastructure, but also to lay down minimum technical compliance requirements. Further, BIS standards will bring parity in the understanding of all interested parties in oil and gas transmission and eliminate divergent views on the subject.

The areas that have been identified for the development of standards and code of practice are pipelines for transportation of natural gas; pipeline coating (internal or external); laying of pipelines in crossings; cathodic protection of pipelines; a gas metering system; a supervisory control and data acquisition system, centrifugal compressors for gas transmission, pumps for transportation of LPG, gas turbines and the construction and commissioning of a gas dispatch terminal. BIS has already drawn a road map for the completion of the development of standards with mutual cooperation.

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