Pipeline Personnel Qualification

ASME Code for Pressure Piping, B31

AN INTERNA TIONAL PIPING C ODE ®

ASME B31Q-2018

(Revision of ASME B31Q-2016)

ASME B31Q-2018

(Revision of ASME B31Q-2016)

Pipeline

Personnel Qualification

ASME Code for Pressure Piping, B31

AN INTERNATIONAL PIPING CODE®

Date of Issuance: January 18, 2019

The next edition of this Standard is scheduled for publication in 2020. This Standard will become effective 6 months after the Date of Issuance.

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CONTENTS

Foreword . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . v

Committee Roster vii

Correspondence With the B31 Committee ix

Summary of Changes xi

1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

2 Definitions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1

3 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

4 Qualification Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

5 Determining Covered Tasks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

6 Abnormal Operating Conditions (AOCs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

7 Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

8 Evaluation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

1. Qualifications 11

2. Portability 14

3. Program Effectiveness 15

4. Communicating the Qualification Program and Managing Program Changes 15

5. Documentation Requirements 17

6. Bibliography 18

   Nonmandatory Appendices

   
   

   A	Integrated Task List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	19
   B	Covered Tasks and Status History by Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	86
   C	Task List Development Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	91
   D	Example of Evaluation Criteria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	92
   E	Abnormal Operating Conditions (AOCs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	93
   F	Evaluation Method Selection . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	94
   G	DIF Analysis for Subsequent Qualification Intervals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	96
   H	Implementation of ASME B31Q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	102
   I	Program Implementation and Effectiveness Appraisals . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	122
   Figures 5.4-1	Fault Tree Example . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	5
   G-5.1-1	DIF Analysis Decision Tree . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	100
   H-3-1	Creation of a Compatible Task List in Accordance With ASME B31Q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	115
   H-3-2	Implementation of a Compatible Task List in Accordance With ASME B31Q . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	116
   Tables B-1	Covered Tasks and Status History by Categories . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	86

   
   

   iii

   
   

   C-1	Task List Development Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	91
   D-1	Task 0001, Measure Structure-to-Electrolyte Potential . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	92
   F-3-1	Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	95
   F-4-1	Appropriate Evaluation Methods . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	95
   G-3.2-1	Sample Size Needed to Respond to DIF Survey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	97
   G-3.2-2	Example: Population Size and Corresponding Sample Size for Responding to DIF Survey for ABC Energy Co. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	97
   G-4-1	Summary of Difficulty Rating Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	98
   G-4-2	Summary of Importance Rating Scale . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	98
   H-2-1	OQ Program Comparison to ASME B31Q Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	105
   H-2-2	Example of OQ Program Comparison to ASME B31Q Standard . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	114
   H-3-1	One-Year ASME B31Q-Compatible Task List Implementation Plan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .	117

   
   

   iv

   
   

   FOREWORD

   
   

   This Standard provides general and specific requirements for the qualification of pipeline personnel. The implementa- tion of this Standard is intended to minimize the impact on safety and integrity of the pipeline due to human error that may result from an individual’s lack of knowledge, skills, or abilities during the performance of certain activities.

   This Standard does not impose a requirement to perform specific tasks that affect the safety or integrity of the pipeline. It does, however, set the requirements for qualification of individuals in the event these types of tasks are performed. This Standard establishes the requirements for identifying covered tasks that impact the safety or integrity of pipelines performed during operation, maintenance, or construction, properly qualifying individuals to perform those tasks, and for managing the qualifications of pipeline personnel. Design and engineering tasks are excluded because assurance of their quality is provided by the fact that appropriately educated or experienced individuals perform these tasks using guidelines and procedures for the conduct of their work. In addition, the quality of the work product is generally confirmed procedurally through review and ultimately by field inspection and testing of the design that are required by the applicable ASME Standard (B31.4 and B31.8 for hazardous liquid pipelines and gas transmission and distribution pipelines, respectively) and jurisdictional authority. Design and engineering tasks involving analysis and integration of

   data associated with integrity management are excluded from this Standard.

   It is recognized that this Standard is being issued at a time when numerous entities have previously developed and implemented qualification programs. Therefore, as part of implementation of this Standard, the implementer should determine what changes to provisions of its existing program (e.g., span of control, subsequent qualification intervals, and evaluation methods) are required to meet this Standard. An individual qualified to perform a covered task under the existing program could be considered to be qualified under the program described by this Standard. Individuals currently qualified under an existing program can maintain their qualifications by meeting the subsequent qualification require- ments established in this Standard. A documented performance evaluation, if not previously performed for a task that requires performance evaluation for initial qualification under this Standard, should be performed either during the implementation period or at the time of subsequent qualification. The following is a summary of the revisions incor- porated into previous editions and this edition of ASME B31Q:

   1. The 2010 edition of the Standard was a revision of the first edition, published in 2006, and included the following improvements:

      1. addition of four new tasks in the task list

      2. editorial refinements

      3. clarification on handling new technology, long-term degradation of physical abilities, qualification exemptions, and new construction

   2. The 2014 edition of the Standard enhanced the qualification standards to provide more in-depth evaluation criteria for 145 of the 165 tasks in the task list.

   3. The 2016 edition of the Standard included the following improvements:

      1. refinement of the task list, including

         (-a) enhancement of the qualification standards to provide more in-depth evaluation criteria for the balance of the task list

         (-b) addition of seven new tasks to the task list

         (-c) removal of nine tasks specific to diving that were covered sufficiently by nondestructive testing (NDT), welding, and other land-based tasks

         (-d) removal of one task that had been combined with a similar task

      2. addition of a Nonmandatory Appendix that provided guidance for implementing ASME B31Q and the nonman- datory task list

      3. editorial clarification and refinements, including

         (-a) construction documentation clarified in the definition of documentation in the nonmandatory task list

         (-b) redesignation of sections and appendices to follow ASME guidelines

   4. The 2018 edition of the Standard includes the following improvements:

      1. editorial clarification and refinements, including

         (-a) consistency in language used for task titles and reference to other tasks

         (-b) addition of a definition of interval to Nonmandatory Appendix A

         
         

         v

         (-c) update of language for a few requalification intervals to match current regulatory requirements

         (-d) update of example Evaluation Criteria in Nonmandatory Appendix D to match the enhanced task standards

      2. refinement of the task list, including

         (-a) addition of Task 1020, Perform Electrical Inspection of Pipe Coating (Holiday Detection or Jeeping)

         (-b) removal of an unnecessary step in Task 0091, Troubleshoot Active Cathodic Protection System

         (-c) clarification of the scope of tasks where portions of the work are covered by other tasks

         (-d) clarification of what is covered by Task 0801, Perform Welding

      3. replacement of Nonmandatory Appendix B with a new table of tasks sorted by category and providing the latest version status of each task

This Standard was approved as an American National Standard on August 30, 2018.

vi

ASME B31 COMMITTEE

Standard for Pressure Piping

STANDARDS COMMITTEE OFFICERS

J. E. Meyer, Chair

J. W. Frey, Vice Chair

A. Maslowski, Secretary

STANDARDS COMMITTEE PERSONNEL

R. J. T. Appleby, ExxonMobil Pipeline Co.

C. Becht IV, Becht Engineering Co.

K. C. Bodenhamer, TRC Pipeline Services

R. Bojarczuk, ExxonMobil Research & Engineering Co.

M. R. Braz, MRBraz & Associates, PLLC

J. S. Chin, TransCanada Pipeline U.S.

D. D. Christian, Victaulic

R. P. Deubler, Becht Engineering Co.

1. Eskridge, Jr., Jacobs Engineering

2. J. Fetzner, BP Exploration (Alaska), Inc.

P. D. Flenner, Flenner Engineering Services

J. W. Frey, Joe W. Frey Engineering Services, LLC

D. R. Frikken, Becht Engineering Co.

R. A. Grichuk, Fluor Enterprises, Inc.

R. W. Haupt, Pressure Piping Engineering Associates, Inc.

G. A. Jolly, Consultant

K. Kaplan, Consultant

A. Maslowski, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

W. J. Mauro, American Electric Power

J. E. Meyer, Louis Perry Group

T. Monday, Team Industries, Inc.

M. L. Nayyar, NICE

G. R. Petru, Acapella Engineering Services, LLC

D. W. Rahoi, CCM 2000

R. Reamey, Turner Industries Group, LLC

M. J. Rosenfeld, Kiefner/Applus – RTD

J. T. Schmitz, Southwest Gas Corp.

S. K. Sinha, Lucius Pitkin, Inc.

W. J. Sperko, Sperko Engineering Services, Inc.

J. Swezy, Jr., Boiler Code Tech, LLC

F. W. Tatar, FM Global

K. A. Vilminot, Commonwealth Associates, Inc.

G. Antaki, Ex-Officio, Becht Engineering Co.

L. E. Hayden, Jr., Ex-Officio, Consultant

C. Kolovich, Ex-Officio, Quest Integrity

A. J. Livingston, Ex-Officio, Kinder Morgan

J. Willis, Ex-Officio, Page Southerland Page, Inc.

B31 QUALIFICATION OF PIPELINE PERSONNEL TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

A. J. Livingston, Chair, Kinder Morgan

M. Burkhart, Vice Chair, The Burkhart Group, Inc.

P. D. Stumpf, Secretary, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

J. Wu, Secretary, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

1. B. Ables, Enterprise Products

2. J. Bradley, Pacific Gas & Electric

T. Cash, Sempra LNG & Midstream

A. Chamblin, Kinder Morgan

1. S. Chin, TransCanada Pipeline U.S.

2. Denny, Spectra Energy

V. Frederick III, Henkels & McCoy

S. Goodman, Consultant

C. Grimard, TECO Peoples Gas

M. A. Gruenberg, Southwest Gas Corp.

B. A. Heck, Miller Pipeline Corp.

W. B. McGaughey, Jr., Regsafe, LLC

T. Meek, Veriforce

W. Miller, Warren Miller Enterprises, LLC

D. K. Moore, Trout Hydrodynamics, Inc.

L. P. Murray, Consultant

G. Ochs, U.S. Department of Transportation/PHMSA/Office of Pipeline Safety

A. Podoreanu, California Public Utilities Commission

K. Riddle, Magellan Midstream Partners, LP

R. C. Smith, Southern Company Gas

R. L. Stump, Midwest Energy Association

J. Trevino, Valero

J. Urtz, LIUNA Training & Education Fund

M. Zanter, State of South Dakota Public Utilities Commission

A. Borgmeyer, Contributing Member, The Mosaic Co.

J. F. Dolniak, Contributing Member, NIPSCO

E. Fonseca, Contributing Member, Enterprise Products

S. Frye, Jr., Contributing Member, Southwest Gas Corp.

J. Garland, Contributing Member, Industrial Training Services, Inc.

T. Giles, Contributing Member, T. D. Williamson

R. Hammork, Contributing Member, San Diego Gas and Electric

G. W. Isbell, Contributing Member, ENERGY Worldnet, Inc.

J. Langwell, Contributing Member, OQSG, Smith System Pinion, LLC

J. T. Schmitz, Contributing Member, Southwest Gas Corp.

T. A. Schumacher, Contributing Member, Ameren Illinois

T. Vaughan, Contributing Member, Spectra Energy

P. Williams III, Contributing Member, OQSG, Smith System Pinion, LLC

vii

B31 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

J. W. Frey, Chair, Joe W. Frey Engineering Services, LLC

A. Maslowski, Secretary, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

G. A. Antaki, Becht Engineering Co.

R. J. T. Appleby, ExxonMobil Pipeline Co.

M. R. Braz, MRBraz & Associates, PLLC

D. D. Christian, Victaulic

R. P. Deubler, Becht Engineering Co.

D. R. Frikken, Becht Engineering Co.

L. E. Hayden, Jr., Consultant

C. Kolovich, Quest Integrity

A. J. Livingston, Kinder Morgan

W. J. Mauro, American Electric Power

J. E. Meyer, Louis Perry Group

M. L. Nayyar, NICE

S. K. Sinha, Lucius Pitkin, Inc.

J. Swezy Jr., Boiler Code Tech, LLC

B31 FABRICATION AND EXAMINATION TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

J. Swezy, Jr., Chair, Boiler Code Tech, LLC

U. D’Urso, Secretary, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

D. Bingham, Los Alamos National Labs

R. Campbell, Bechtel National, Inc.

D. Couch, EPRI

R. J. Ferguson, Metallurgist

P. D. Flenner, Flenner Engineering Services

J. Frey, Joe W. Frey Engineering Services, LLC

S. Gingrich, AECOM

J. Hainsworth, WR Metallurgical

T. Monday, Team Industries, Inc

A. D. Nalbandian, Thielsch Engineering, Inc.

R. J. Silvia, Process Engineers and Constructors, Inc.

W. J. Sperko, Sperko Engineering Services, Inc.

K. Wu, Stellar Energy Systems

B31 MATERIALS TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

R. P. Deubler, Chair, Becht Engineering Co.

W. H. Eskridge, Jr., Vice Chair, Jacobs Engineering

C. O’Brien, Secretary, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

B. Bounds, Bechtel Corp.

W. P. Collins, WPC Sol, LLC

R. A. Grichuk, Fluor Corp.

J. Gundlach, Michigan Seamless Tube and Pipe

A. A. Hassan, PGESCo

L. Henderson, Jr., Chiyoda International Corp.

C. Henley, Kiewit Engineering Group, Inc.

G. Jolly, Consultant

C. Melo, S & B Engineers and Constructors, Ltd.

M. L. Nayyar, NICE

D. W. Rahoi, CCM 2000

R. A. Schmidt, Canadoil

Z. Djilali, Contributing Member, Sonatrach

J. L. Smith, Contributing Member, Consultant

B31 MECHANICAL DESIGN TECHNICAL COMMITTEE

J. Meyer, Chair, Louis Perry Group

U. D'Urso, Secretary, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

J. Wu, Secretary, The American Society of Mechanical Engineers

G. A. Antaki, Becht Engineering Co.

D. Arnett, Fluor

C. Becht IV, Becht Engineering Co.

R. Bethea, HII-Newport News Shipbuilding

N. F. Consumo, Consultant

J. P. Ellenberger, Retired

M. Engelkemier, Cargill

D. J. Fetzner, BP Exploration (Alaska), Inc.

D. Fraser, NASA Ames Research Center

J. A. Graziano, Consultant

J. D. Hart, SSD, Inc.

R. W. Haupt, Pressure Piping Engineering Associates, Inc.

B. P. Holbrook, Babcock Power, Inc.

R. A. Leishear, Leishear Engineering, LLC

G. D. Mayers, Alion Science and Technology

T. Q. McCawley, TQM Engineering PC

J. C. Minichiello, Bechtel National, Inc.

P. Moore, Burns & McDonnell

A. W. Paulin, Paulin Resource Group

R. A. Robleto, KBR

M. J. Rosenfeld, Kiefner/Applus – RTD

T. Sato, Japan Power Engineering & Inspection Corp.

M. Stewart, AECOM

viii

CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE B31 COMMITTEE

General. ASME Standards are developed and maintained with the intent to represent the consensus of concerned interests. As such, users of this Standard may interact with the Committee by requesting interpretations, proposing revisions or a case, and attending Committee meetings. Correspondence should be addressed to:

Secretary, B31 Standards Committee

The American Society of Mechanical Engineers Two Park Avenue

New York, NY 10016-5990

https://go.asme.org/Inquiry

Proposing Revisions. Revisions are made periodically to the Standard to incorporate changes that appear necessary or desirable, as demonstrated by the experience gained from the application of the Standard. Approved revisions will be published periodically.

The Committee welcomes proposals for revisions to this Standard. Such proposals should be as specific as possible, citing the paragraph number(s), the proposed wording, and a detailed description of the reasons for the proposal, including any pertinent documentation.

Proposing a Case. Cases may be issued to provide alternative rules when justified, to permit early implementation of an approved revision when the need is urgent, or to provide rules not covered by existing provisions. Cases are effective immediately upon ASME approval and shall be posted on the ASME Committee web page.

Requests for Cases shall provide a Statement of Need and Background Information. The request should identi