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Ordinance No. 142/2011 of 6 April approves the National Natural Gas Transportation Regulation ("Rules"), amending the previous legislation, approved by Decree No. 390/94 of 17 June.

The Regulation establishes the technical and safety conditions to be met in the design, construction, operation, infrastructure maintenance and placement out of service of the National Natural Gas Transportation Network ("RNTGN"), with the aim of ensuring adequate flow of natural gas, interoperability with networks to which they relate and safety of people and property.

The RNTGN has application in:
(a) Pipeline transportation of natural gas in diameter equal or superior to  100 mm and whose operating pressures are higher than 20 bar; and
(b) Pressure regulating stations belonging to the national gas transmission network.

The gas transported must be non toxic and non corrosive, in compliance with ISO 13686, or a technically equivalent standard. Natural gas should be transported at a temperature compatible with the infrastructures of transport and can never exceed the temperature of 120ºC.

The quality management system of pipelines to transport natural gas must be based on the specifications of EN ISO 9000 or a technically equivalent standard.

A classification system for local implementation of the pipes takes into account: (i) the population density, (ii) the nature, extent and purpose of the buildings, constructions and works of art therein, (iii) the intensity of rail traffic, road transport and (iv) the future allocations provided in the various planning instruments.

As part of security measures and protection of pipelines, stand out, among others, the establishment of the control area of activities of third parties, reliance on the authorization of the RNTGN responsible technician to perform works ranging from the bondage of the pipeline, a minimum distance of 35 m from any inhabited building (75 m in case of buildings open to the public or that present particular risks) and comply with a minimum depth of 0.8 m.

Technical requirements are also set for the pressure regulation points, the pipes, the materials of the various components of the pipeline and the conditions of operation and maintenance, including mandatory periodic inspections ranging between six months to two years, according to the type of inspection and the area of the location of the infrastructure.


© 2011 Macedo Vitorino & Associados