7.6.

1 When the minimum depth requirements cannot be met or where external loads are
excessive,thepipelinemustbejacketed,ordesignedtowithstandanticipatedexternalload.
Inareaswheretherecanbecarriedoutagriculturalactivitiesthatrequiredeepplowing,inareas
subject to erosion, or in areas where it is planned the construction of roads, railroads, among
others,itshouldbeconsideredadditionalprotectionorburythepipelinedeeper.
7.6.2 The pipes to be installed in a navigable river or body of water or in a seaport must have a
minimumcoverof120cminnormalsoiland60cminconsolidatedrock.However,inthesecasesa
minimumcoverisallowedthatislowertheestablishedinaccordancewiththeprecedingsection.
A.Designformulaforsteelpipe
7.7 Thickness of the Pipe.The calculation of the thickness of the steel pipe that transports gas is
determinedinaccordancewiththefollowingformula:

t=
PxD
2xSxFxExT

Where:
t = minimum wall thickness required in cm. The additional wall thickness required for external
loadingwillbedeterminedtakingintoaccounttheprovisionsofsection7.2.
P=designpressure,inkilopascals(kPa).
S=minimumyieldstrengthinkilopascals(kPa)
D=specifiedoutsidediameterofthepipeline,incm.
F=designfactordeterminedinaccordancewiththeprovisionsofsection7.10.(Table2)
E=efficiencyfactoroflongitudinaljointdeterminedasprovidedundersection7.11(Table3)
T=correctionfactorfortemperaturedeterminedasprovidedinsection7.12.(Table4)

7.7.1 Limiting values in piping design. The design pressure of a steel pipe is limited to 75 %
(seventyfivepercent)ofthevaluedeterminedinaccordancewiththeprovisionsofsection7.7,if
it has been subjected to cold expansion to meet the MPA and its was subsequently heated to a
temperature exceeding, at some point, 755 K or if the pipe has been maintained for more than
onehouratatemperatureabove589K,unlessthisheatwasbyweldingorstressrelieved.
7.8 Minimum yield strength or MPA for steel pipes. The MPA will be established in the
specificationofthepipeline.
7.9 Specified Thickness. The specified thickness should not be reduced in any part of the tube
beyondthetolerancesofthethicknesscontainedintheinternationallyrecognizedpractice.
7.10 Design Factor (F) for steel pipe. The factor used in the design formula in section 7.7 is
determinedasdescribedinTable2,exceptasprovidedinsubsections(a),(b)and(c)below:
Table2.Designfactorbypopulationdensity
Location Rock
Centimeters(tothetopofthepipe)
locationclass1,2
locationclass3y4
Intersectionswithroadsandsewerfringesinpublicroads
Intersectionswithrailroads
60
75
90
120
45
60
60
120
locationclass Designfactor(F)
1 0.72
2 0.60
3 0.50
4 0.40

a)Inthedesignformulaofsection7.7inlocationclass1,itshouldbeusedadesignfactorof0.60
orlowerforpipelinesthat:
Crossoverwithoutjacketedapublicroadoranunpavedroad;
Crossoverwithoutjacketedorinvadeinparalleltherightofwayofroads,highways,streets
orrailroadtracks;
Arelocatedonvehicular,pedestrian,railorpipelinebridges,or
Use manufactured assemblies, including accessories for separators, assemblies of valve
heads, cross connections, heads in river crossings, among others or that are used at a
distance smaller than five diameters pipeline of any accessory of the manufactured
assembly,exceptfromsometransientoranelbowpieceusedinabendofthepipelinethat
isnotassociatedwiththeassembly.
b)Inlocationclass2,itshouldbeusedadesignfactor(F)equaltoorlessthan0.50intheformula
in section 7.7, for the unjacketed steel pipeline crossing the right of way of a paved road,
highway,publicstreetorrailroadtrack;
c)Inlocationclasses1and2,itshouldbeusedadesignfactor(F)equaltoorlessthan0.50inthe
designformulainsection7.7for:
Ductsinacompression,regulatingormeteringstationand
Pipelines,whichincludeanascendingpipeplacedinnavigablewaters.
7.11Efficiencyfactorofthelongitudinaljoint(E)forsteelpipes.Thelongitudinaljointfactorused
intheformulainsection7.7,isdeterminedinaccordancewithfollowingTable3:
Table3.Efficiencyfactoroftheweldedlongitudinaljoint(E)

Specification Tubeclass Factorofthe

longitudinal
joint(E)
ASTMA53 Seamless
Weldedbyelectricresistance
Buttweldedinoven.Continuouswelding
1.00
1.00
0.60
ASTMA106 Seamless 1.00
ASTMA135 Weldedbyelectricresistance 1.00
ASTMA139 Weldedbyelectricfusion 0.80
ASTMA211 Helicalwelding 0.80
ASTMA333 Seamless
Weldedbyelectricresistance
1.00
1.00
ASTMA381 Weldedwithdoublesubmergedarc 1.00
ASTMA671 Weldedbyelectricfusion
Classes13,23,33,43and53
Classes12,22,32,42and52
0.80
1.00
ASTMA672 Weldedbyelectricfusion
Classes13,23,33,43and53
Classes12,22,32,42ad52
0.80
1.00
API5L Seamless
Weldedbyelectricresistance
Weldedbyelectricflashing
Weldedwithsubmergedarc
Buttweldedinoven
1.00
1.00
1.00
1.00
0.60
Otherspecification
orunknown
specification
Pipe with nominal diameter equal to or greater
than101.6mm(4")
0.80
Otherspecification
orunknown
specification
Pipe with nominal diameter lower than 101.6 mm
(4")
0.60

7.12Correctionfactorfortemperature(T)forsteelpipes.Thetemperaturecorrectionfactortobe
usedinthedesignformulaofsection7.7,isdeterminedinaccordancewithTable4below:
Table4.Temperaturecorrectionfactor(T)

Gastemperature(K) T
400olower 1.000
*420 0.967
*450 0.933
*480 0.900
*500 0.867

(*)Forintermediategastemperatures,thetemperaturecorrectionfactorisdeterminedbydirect
interpolation.
B.Componentsofthepipe
7.13 Technical specifications and safety requirements. This section B establishes the technical
specifications and the minimum safety requirements to be met by the components of the
transportation system. It also establishes the requirements for protection against accidental
overpressureandprovides:
a)Specificationsandselectionofpartsandaccessoriesoftheconveyingpipelines;
b)Appropriatemethodsfortheconnectionsofthebranches;
c)Considerationsrelatingtotheeffectsofchangesintemperatureand
d)Appropriatemethodsforsupportingandanchoringthepipelines,whetherexposedorburied.