Pipeline Design

Pipe material: The pipeline will be designed and constructed using carbon steel pipe manufactured to conform to American Petroleum Institute (API) Specification 5L.

Pipeline Welds: Pipeline welds will meet or exceed the minimum requirements of 49 CFR Part 192, with weld acceptance in accordance with API 1104, prior to pipeline installation.

Hydrostatic Testing: Hydrostatic testing of the piping will be performed with a minimum pressure of 1.25 times the design pressure or 90 percent of the specified minimum yield strength of the line pipe, whichever is less. All testing will be conducted at levels that meet or exceed the specifications in 49 CFR Part 192.

Pigging: The pipeline will be designed to accept pipeline pigs, allowing the future use of “smart pigs” for integrity inspections. Smart pigs have a variety of sensors (magnetic, ultrasound) that measure the wall thickness of the pipe around the circumference as it travels internally. The use of smart pigs will provide a reliable record of changes in pipeline conditions to ensure that the pipeline integrity is maintained. The frequency of pipeline inspection by pigging and other surveillance measures to confirm integrity will meet the requirements of 49 CFR Part 192, which requires periodic patrols and inspections based on Location Class. See, e.g., 49 CFR § 192.705.

Corrosion Protection

• The exterior of the pipe will be factory coated with 16 mils of fusion-bonded epoxy (FBE) to prevent corrosion. The field joints (at the welds) will have a similar coating applied in the field. The offshore pipeline will also have a 2.5-inch concrete coating (on top of the FBE) for on-bottom stability along its entire length. The concrete coating will also provide wear protection for the FBE coating.
  
  
• A cathodic protection system using sacrificial anodes will be installed on the offshore pipeline to further protect the pipeline from corrosion. In the unlikely event that there is a break in the FBE coating, the cathodic protection system will provide additional protection by focusing galvanic corrosion through a preferential path (the sacrificial anode). Anodes will be designed to last the life of the pipeline (30 or more years). Similarly, sacrificial anodes likely will be used to protect the onshore pipeline. Changes in operating conditions on the cathodic protection network for the pipeline will also be used as an additional monitor of pipeline integrity and to trigger inspections, if warranted.

Pressure Control Valves:

At the tie-in point with both FGT and FPL (MP 52.4), automated pressure control valves and shut down systems will be installed. The automated pressure control valves will regulate the outlet pressure of the pipeline at a controlled pressure, less than or equal to the maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) of the receiving transmission line, so that the pressure will be compatible with that in the FGT and FPL systems. The FGT MAWP at the tie-in location is approximately 975 psig. A underground pressure reducing station will be installed on the landfall section of the pipeline to limit the onshore pipeline MAWP to approximately 1480 psig. In the unlikely event of an abnormal operation or failure, there would be automatic shut-down of the pipeline at the tie-in location and activation of an automatic shut-down valve at the interface between the offshore and onshore pipeline at the Dania Beach Boulevard traffic circle (the underground shutoff valve) and at the LNG facility in the Bahamas. In the event of an emergency, these measures will ensure a redundant isolation of the FGT and FPL systems from any offshore gas supply feeding the Project. These automatic shutdown valves will be sited and installed in accordance with the requirements of 49 CFR § 192.179.

Shut Down Systems

In the unlikely event of an abnormal operation or failure, there would be automatic shut-down of the pipeline at the interface between the offshore and onshore pipeline as well as at the tie-in points such as the FGT system and at the LNG facility in the Bahamas.

Operation and Maintenance

AES will operate and maintain the proposed pipeline in a manner that meets or exceeds the requirements of 49 CFR Part 192, with respect to the onshore, nearshore (the offshore HDD area), and offshore segments of the Project, as applicable. AES will prepare and implement an Operation and Maintenance Plan based on 49 CFR Part 192 that includes the following provisions:

• Employees will be trained/qualified to operate and maintain the pipeline system in accordance with the requirements of 49 CFR Part 192, Subpart N. Operating procedures will be developed in a way so that operators are trained for the activities they are expected to perform on a routine and emergency basis;

• Since much of the onshore pipeline has available ground access, the onshore segment of the Project will be walked or inspected at regular intervals at least monthly along the pipeline right-of-way to monitor its condition, including indications of third-party encroachment, with such inspections exceeding the requirements of 49 CFR Part 192.705(b);

• On-the-ground leak surveys (with gas detectors) will be performed at Class 3 locations, at least twice per year. 49 CFR § 192.706;

• Annual contact of property owners, utilities, local government agencies, contractors, and other interested parties will be performed to inform them of pipeline location and procedures to be followed in reporting and responding to potential pipeline emergencies;

• Participation in the Florida “One Call” system, including staking and marking service for third-party construction and landowner requests;

• Internal audits of field locations to ensure compliance with existing operating and maintenance standards and safe-work procedures;

• Periodic pipe-to-soil potential surveys and condition of anodes surveys to verify cathodic protection systems are performing properly and to identify sections of the line where the protection systems may require maintenance;

• Annual in-house training refresher program for operation and maintenance personnel to maintain skill levels and review safety procedures in case of a pipeline emergency;

• Annual testing and inspection of pressure limiting devices and emergency shutdown systems at compressor stations. Pressure and flow rate detectors will be installed at either end of the pipeline, so that the initiation of a shut-down on one end will automatically trigger a shut-down at the other end as well;

• A full Emergency Shut Down test will be carried out annually during the planned plant maintenance period;

• Monthly circuit testing of the Emergency Shut Down system will be performed as a simulated test; and

• The pressure safety valves will be tested at regular intervals.