Work in gas pipeline protection zones
The Vitebsk Regional Inspectorate for Industrial Safety reminds business entities that Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus No. 726 of October 25, 2022, approved the "Regulations on the Procedure for Establishing Gas Distribution System Object Protection Zones, their Sizes, and Usage Regimes" (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations).
Gas pipeline protection zone is a land area located between two parallel lines running on both sides of the gas pipeline axis.
In accordance with the Regulations, the following protection zone sizes have been defined:
- along high-pressure gas pipelines of Category I - in the form of a land area bounded by conditional lines running 10 meters from the gas pipeline axis on each side;
- along high-pressure gas pipelines of Category II - in the form of a land area bounded by conditional lines running 7 meters from the gas pipeline axis on each side;
- along medium-pressure gas pipelines - in the form of a land area bounded by conditional lines running 4 meters from the gas pipeline axis on each side;
- along low-pressure gas pipelines - in the form of a land area bounded by conditional lines running 2 meters from the gas pipeline axis on each side;
- along underwater gas pipeline crossings - in the form of a water area from the water surface to the bottom, enclosed between parallel planes, offset from the axes of the extreme strands of the gas pipeline crossings by 50 meters on each side;
- around gas distribution points (GDP), gas regulating points (GRP), territory of liquefied petroleum gas filling stations (AGZ), regulating units (RU), and group cylinder installations - in the form of a land area bounded by a conditional line offset from the boundaries of the territories of the specified objects by 10 meters in all directions.
Within the boundaries of hazardous zones, it is **prohibited** to:
- move, dismantle, cover, or damage indicators of underground gas pipeline routes and the locations of network structures on them, as well as control and measuring points;
- arbitrarily open hatches of gas wells and covers, gates of switchgear and doors of gas regulating points, gas regulating and distribution points, corrosion protection stations for gas pipelines, open and close valves and shut-off valves, disconnect and connect power supply and telemechanics systems of gas pipelines;
- create dumps, pour aggressive liquids, including solutions of acids, salts, and alkalis;
- stack materials and equipment, including for temporary storage, along the route of an underground gas pipeline within 2 meters on both sides of its axis;
- destroy structures and devices that protect gas pipelines and structures on them from damage;
- drop anchors, pass with anchors, chains, sounding leads, drag nets, conduct trawling with rigid and semi-rigid trawls;
- start fires and place any open or closed sources of fire;
- carry out any events involving large gatherings of people not engaged in performing work permitted in the established manner;
- carry out the construction of buildings, structures, and facilities in violation of the minimum distances to gas distribution system facilities established by technical regulatory legal acts, including building codes, and other rules;
- plant, grow, or allow trees to grow within:
- 1 meter on both sides of the axis of an underground polyethylene gas pipeline with a diameter of up to 63 mm inclusive;
- 2 meters on both sides of the axis of an underground steel gas pipeline regardless of its diameter, and an underground polyethylene gas pipeline with a diameter of more than 63 mm.
- - carrying out repair, construction, and excavation work without a permit issued by the gas supply organization (unless otherwise determined by the Regulations).
an application for a permit to carry out repair, construction, and excavation work within the protection zone of a gas distribution system facility;
a work execution project that complies with the requirements of legislation on architectural, urban planning, and construction activities.
The gas supply organization (its structural unit) reviews the application for work execution and the work execution project and makes a decision to issue a permit to the legal entity or individual entrepreneur or to refuse its issuance (to refuse the administrative procedure) within the period established in subparagraph 3.15.1 of paragraph 3.15 of the unified list of administrative procedures carried out in relation to business entities, approved by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated September 24, 2021, No. 548 (5 working days, and in case of sending a request to other state bodies, other organizations – 15 working days).
Legal entities and individual entrepreneurs who have received a permit are obliged to comply with (fulfill) the requirements (conditions) specified therein for carrying out repair, construction, and excavation work in the protection zone.
Upon expiration of the permit, the interested party has the right to apply, in the manner established by these Regulations, for a new permit if the duration of repair, construction, and excavation work exceeds or has exceeded three months.
Work in the protection zone is carried out in the presence of the work supervisor, as well as a representative of the gas supply organization (owner of the gas distribution system facility) in the manner determined by the permit.
Legal entities and individual entrepreneurs carrying out repair, construction, and excavation work in protection zones are obliged, no later than one day before the start of work, in the manner determined by the permit, to summon a representative of the gas supply organization (owner of the gas distribution system facility) to the work site.
Agricultural work in protection zones is carried out by land users with prior notification of its commencement to the owners of gas distribution system facilities.
We draw the attention of business entities to the fact that, in accordance with Article 18.34 of the Code of the Republic of Belarus on Administrative Offenses dated January 6, 2021, No. 91-3, taking into account amendments and additions, violation of the rules for the protection of main and other pipelines entails the imposition of a fine in the following amounts: on an individual from ten to forty basic units, on an individual entrepreneur – up to fifty basic units, on a legal entity – up to two hundred basic units.
Vitebsk Regional Department of Gospromnadzor.