Order amending and supplementing the Technical Rules for the design, execution and operation of natural gas supply systems, approved by Order No 89/2018 of the President of the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority

Order on the modification and supplementing of the Technical Rules for the design, execution and operation of natural gas supply systems, approved by Order No 89/2018 of the President of the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority (ANRE)

The amendments and completions to the technical rule shall include, in particular, the following:

– mandatory compliance by engineers with the solution presented in the technical connection advice;
– the introduction of a new article providing for the establishment of conditions on the change of usage of a natural gas installation, regardless of the gas pressure regime, and its classification as a natural gas distribution system or as a closed distribution system, on the basis of a technical expertise report, with the prior acceptance of the distribution system operator;
– the protection area of a gas distribution pipeline, gas direct trunk pipeline, connection or installation for the use of natural gas operating under high pressure regime, PI > 6 bar, shall be established in compliance with the provisions of Article 31 of the Technical Rules for the design and execution of natural gas transmission pipelines, approved by Order No 118/2013 of the President of the Romanian Energy Regulatory Authority, as subsequently amended and supplemented, and the safety zone shall be established in compliance with the provisions of Articles 32 and 33 of the same law;
– reducing / adjusting security distances of the distribution system facilities based on a risk assessment carried out by an engineer;
– banning the mounting of user installations on properties other than those of the beneficiary;
– introduction of natural gas supply interruptions devices in case of damage / aggression;
– specifications regarding natural gas detectors and related electrovalves;
– completion of the types of products used in the natural gas supply systems which fall within the scope of the European Directive 2014/68//EU;
– modifying the leakage test performance duration according to the volume of the natural gas distribution pipeline, the connection or the installation for the use of natural gas;
– extending the period for carrying out the technical revision of natural gas distribution pipelines and connections to maximum 5 years;
– introduction of the Annex with Principles and specificities for carrying out risk assessment for natural gas distribution systems / closed gas distribution systems - steel and / or polyethylene (PE) pipelines

Key words:
– design, execution, operation, risk;
– minimum safety distances.