OREANDA-NEWS. OJSC Chelyabinskgorgaz (a subsidiary of the gas holding company Gazeks) has completed preparation for the diagnosis of gas distribution pipelines for which the normal useful life has expired.  Twenty-five kilometres of gas pipelines commissioned in 1967 will be inspected this year. Forty years is the "warranty period" for underground steel gas pipelines established in the current Safety Rules for Gas Distribution and Consumption Systems by the Federal Service on Environmental, Technological and Nuclear Supervision (Rostekhnadzor). The possibility to further operate each gas pipeline and the deadline for the next diagnosis are to be determined by an independent specialised organisation licensed by Rostekhnadzor of Russia.

The company has had underground steel gas pipelines diagnosed since 2004, according to Valentine Vasnev, chief engineer for Chelyabinskgorgaz. One hundred and eighty-one kilometres of distribution pipelines has been inspected over this period. This year, next in line are another 25 km of gas pipelines, including a 4 km medium-pressure gas pipeline supplying the fuel to the city's Metallurgichesky District from gas distribution station no 1. "Gas supply to Chelyabinsk began to be established from the Metallurgichesky District, therefore gas pipelines are more deteriorated here. Diagnosis will make it possible not only to determine the next period of operation for one of the main gas arteries, but also to timely prevent emergencies in areas where the pipeline may be damaged, which will improve the reliability of the operation of gas supply systems," emphasised Mr Vasnev. 

The other gas pipelines to be inspected this year are low-pressure ones. The longest of them is a three-kilometre distribution gas pipeline along Barbyusa Street in the Leninsky District. 

Specialists of the company have already prepared all necessary executive, technical, and operational documentation for experts. As soon as weather permits, workers of various services of the company will start collecting information about the operating condition of the insulation of each gas pipeline, the metal of the pipe, and the quality of welded joints. This work will be over at the end of summer. The data will be processed and analysed by specialists of an independent expert organisation.     

The diagnosis schedule and the report of the expert organisation are to be approved by the Chelyabinsk Regional Department for Technological and Environmental Supervision of Rostekhnadzor of Russia.

All costs of diagnosing the gas pipelines constituting the property of OJSC Chelyabinskgorgaz will be paid by the company.