Work in gas pipeline protection zones
The Vitebsk Regional Inspectorate for Industrial Safety (Gosgortekhnadzor) hereby informs economic entities that Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus No. 726 dated October 25, 2022, approved the "Regulations on the Procedure for Establishing Protection Zones of Gas Distribution System Facilities, their Sizes and Use Regime" (hereinafter referred to as the Regulations).
Gas pipeline protection zone is a land area located between two parallel lines running along both sides of the gas pipeline axis.
In accordance with the Regulations, the following protection zone sizes have been established:
· 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 located 50 meters from the axes of the extreme strands of the gas pipeline crossings on each side;
· around gas distribution points (GRP), gas pressure regulating points (SHRP), liquefied petroleum gas filling station (AGZS) territories, distribution units (RU), and group cylinder installations - in the form of a land area bounded by a conditional line located 10 meters from the boundaries of the specified facilities in all directions.
According to clause 640 of the Rules for ensuring industrial safety in the field of gas supply, approved by the Resolution of the Ministry of Emergency Situations of the Republic of Belarus dated December 5, 2022 No. 66, when carrying out repair, construction, and earthworks in the protection zones of gas distribution system facilities, the integrity of gas pipelines and structures must be ensured.
Within the boundaries of hazardous zones, it is prohibited:
- to move, dismantle, cover, or damage markers of underground gas pipeline routes and locations of network facilities on them, as well as control and measuring points;
- to arbitrarily open manholes of gas wells and covers, gates of switchgear, and doors of gas regulating points, gas distribution points, gas pipeline protection stations, to open and close valves and shut-off valves, to disconnect and connect power supply and telemechanics devices of gas pipelines;
- to create dumps, to pour aggressive liquids, including solutions of acids, salts, and alkalis;
- to store materials and equipment, including for temporary storage, along the route of an underground gas pipeline within 2 meters on both sides of its axis;
- to destroy structures and devices that protect gas pipelines and structures on them from damage;
- to drop anchors, to navigate with anchors dropped, chains, sounding leads, drag dredges, to carry out trawling with rigid and semi-rigid trawls;
- to light fires and place any open or closed sources of fire;
- to carry out any events associated with large gatherings of people not engaged in performing work permitted in the established manner;
- to 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;
- to carry out planting, cultivation, or allow the growth of trees 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 specified by the Regulations).
An interested legal entity or individual entrepreneur, if it is necessary to carry out repair, construction, and excavation work within the protection zone of a gas distribution system facility, to obtain a permit, provides the gas supply organization or its structural unit with the following in written or electronic form via the unified portal of electronic services:
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 the 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 to issue it (to refuse to perform 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 with respect 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 within 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 commencement 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 Promnadzor.