IGEM PRESS RELEASE: 29.07.10

REF: IGEM-CD-PR-005

IGEM PUBLISHES NEW TECHNICAL STANDARDS

The Institution of Gas Engineers and Managers (IGEM) is pleased to announce the forthcoming publication of five new Technical Standards:

  • IGEM/TD/13 Edition 2 – Pressure regulating installations for Natural Gas, Liquefied Petroleum Gas and Liquefied Petroleum Gas/Air
  • IGEM/GM/6 Edition 2 – Non-domestic meter installations. Standard designs.
  • IGEM/GL/6 Edition 2 – Permitry for the safe Flow of Gas
  • IGEM/UP/11 Edition 2 – Gas installations for educational establishments
  • IGEM/SR/25 Edition 2 – Hazardous area classification of Natural Gas installations.

These new Standards are all updates of previous editions and have been completely revised by panels of experts to incorporate important changes.

Additionally, technical seminars have been arranged on two of the Standards to give an overview of the changes and to give delegates an opportunity to raise any questions they have with some of the authors. The detail of these is as follows:

  • IGEM/UP/11 Edition 2 – Seminar to be held on 21 September 2010 at IGEM House, Kegworth, Derbyshire;
  • IGEM/SR/25 Edition 2 – Seminars to be held on 14 October and 10 November at IGEM House, Kegworth, Derbyshire.

Further Standards are expected to be published and further seminars are expected to be arranged before the end of 2010.

To purchase any IGEM Technical Standards:

Visit the IGEM website or call 01889 561431.

To enquiry about IGEM Technical Seminars:

Contact Anita King via email to or call 01590 678 159.

For more information on IGEM please visit:

FURTHER INFORMATION ON EACH STANDARD:

IGEM/TD/13 Edition 2

This Standard applies to the safe design, construction inspection, testing, operation and maintenance of PRIs in accordance with current knowledge and operational experience.

It reflects the need to ensure adequate reliability and continuity of supply at pressures that are safe for the downstream system and equipment.

New Edition – What has changed?

This Standard now addresses Natural Gas, LPG and LPG/air. The scope is shown below:

GAS / MOP (bar) / MAXIMUM CAPACITY (m3h-1)
Natural /  100 / No limit
LPG /  16 / No limit
LPG/air /  2 / No limit

Significant changes have been made, including:

  • clearer guidance on the provision of safety devices
  • the addition of specific requirements for `small’ PRIs
  • a more comprehensive coverage on how to test PRIs
  • new requirements for uprating and downrating.

IGEM/TD/13 Edition 2 also incorporates the updated content of IGE/SR/9 Edition 2, which will be made obsolete.

Two Seminars are planned for Autumn 2010 to introduce the new changes. The Seminars will give those delegates attending the opportunity to meet members of the drafting Panel and to pose any questions they have on PRIs. To register your interest, please contact .

IGEM/GM/6 Edition 2

IGEM/GM/6 Edition 2 covers standard design gas supply meter installations of badged capacity exceeding 6m3h-1 and not exceeding 1076 m3h-1 of MOPu not exceeding 75 mbar.

By following IGEM/GM/6, it will be possible to select, construct, install and maintain an appropriate meter installation, incorporating either a diaphragm or a RD meter.

Standard designs fall into two categories:

  • IGEM/GM/6 designs – conforming to the drawings and component list of Appendix 5
  • manufacturer-designed pre-assembled modules complying with IGEM/GM/6.

New Edition – What has changed?

The scope of this IGEM Standard still only covers Natural Gas, but this revised Edition has been fully updating, including:

  • taking account of the design minimum pressure of 19 mbar
  • changes to twin stream capacity installations
  • amended pressure drop values for individual components.

Seminars planned for Autumn 2010 will introduce the new changes. The Seminars will give those delegates attending the opportunity to meet members of the drafting Panel and to pose any questions they have. To register your interest, please contact .

IGEM/GL/6 Edition 2

IGEM/GL/6 Edition 1 was entitled Non-Routine Operations. The scope of Edition 2 has been broadened to cover permitry for the safe flow of gas in pipelines, installation pipework and associated equipment/installations intended to convey primarily Natural Gas and it includes the following types of permits:

  • Non-Routine Operation (NRO)
  • Routine Operation (RO)
  • Permits to work (PTW)
  • Other ancillary permitry for work procedures and maintenance.

The majority of the standard isapplicable to gases other than Natural Gas.

The Panel decided that IGEM/GL/6 should provide Gas Industry specific guidance for the application of HSG 250.

SCO Review

The GDNOs have updated their suite of Safe Control of Operations Documents. They were assisted by the Independent Gas Transporters so that there will be a common suite of permitry documents for the “Distribution” sector of the industry.

The Panel agreed that one of its primary objectives was to ensure that IGEM/GL/6 was aligned to and did not conflict with the updated suite of SCO documents, whilst at the same time providing a framework for the industry as a whole.

IGEM/UP/11 Edition 2

IGEM has now completed a major review of IGE/UP/11 for educational establishments (schools etc) following a number of questions in recent times and the view that the old British Gas document IM/25 had more useful information.

New Edition – What has changed?

The new Edition covers major issues such as:

  • pipework
  • ventilation
  • manual valves
  • automatic isolation valves
  • teaching areas
  • art, design & technology areas
  • food technology areas
  • laboratories
  • boiler rooms/spaces
  • testing & maintenance
  • emergency procedures.

Specifically this edition includes much more detailed information on the provision of adequate ventilation as well as on the interlocking of ventilation systems with the associated automatic isolation valve systems and the option of carbon dioxide monitoring to control ventilation as part of an energy conservation measure.

Most importantly, the 2nd edition now incorporates a section for the guidance of school personnel such as governors, bursars, head teachers, teachers, technical staff etc, detailing their duties and responsibilities with respect to the gas installation and all appliances. It is hoped that the advice given will form part of the essential training for those persons within educational establishments working with gas appliances.

The contents of the main parts of the publication are intended for competency training for registered gas personnel as part of their special responsibilities within educational establishments. It is also essential that those persons designing and specifying equipment are competent with respect to the application of this publication in order to ensure the safety of students, staff and visitors.

IGEM/SR/25 Edition 2

This Standard applies to all Natural Gas installations and complements BS EN 60079-10-1 by providing detailed requirements for the hazardous area classification of permanent and temporary Natural Gas installations, thus providing a basis for the correct selection and location of fixed electrical equipment in those areas.

This Standard applies to any potential release of Natural gas except those that may be caused by catastrophic failure such as the rupture of a process vessel or pipeline, component failure and similar rare events that are not predictable.

Certain aspects of the design of new plant and equipment can affect significantly the nature and severityof the eventual hazardous area classification.

IGEM/SR/25 is not intended to provide design details for equipment. However, compliance with the general principles of design will help minimize the severity of the hazardous area classification.

Significant changes have been made, including:

  • the concept of negligible extent hazardous areas
  • a revised methodology for ventilation of enclosures
  • revised vent zoning distances, including angled and downward-pointing
  • smaller leak hole size for LP installations
  • more information on zones external to building ventilators.

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

It is suggested that the ‘Further information on each Standard’ section could be omitted, or only be used in part depending on the Standards that are particularly relevant to your readership.

ABOUT IGEM:

IGEM is the professional engineering membership body for individuals and companies working in the international gas industry. It has in the region of 4000 individual members and 160 Industrial Affiliates. IGEM also produces a range of technical Standards, a monthly journal and holds a variety of events.

IGEM CONTACT DETAILS:

Media Contact

Rebecca Bursnall

Communications Manager

E:

T: 01509 678157

M: 07500 832258

Technical Standards Contact

Nick Cowling

Standards Officer

E:

T: 01509 678163

IGEM House, High Street, Kegworth, Derbyshire, DE74 2DA.