APIA Director Richard Robinson said the need to broaden the standard was significant to the Australian pipeline industry because of the tendency to procure steel pipes from international suppliers.
“This has meant that our pipeline industry can no longer rely on the Australian steel and pipe manufacturers’ implicit understanding of the industry’s needs to ensure the required quality of pipe is provided,” he said.
Mr Robinson said that upgrading it would help ensure the thin-walled, high-strength steel pipe commonly used in Australian transmission pipelines always meet the high-quality standards essential for long-term security of supply and public safety needs.
“In turn, these improvements will help to ensure that the owners of these pipelines will be able to use them at maximum pressure, therefore transporting the maximum amount of gas possible – safely and securely,” he said.
The pipe manufacturing standards referred to in AS2885 at the moment do not provide sufficient assurance that the pipe will meet the end users’ needs without supplementary clauses. Under the expansion, AS2885 will mandate these clauses.
Work on expanding the standard has already commenced and APIA said it is expected to be finalised within a year.