CER issues a Safety Advisory about Nonconforming Materials

December 3, 2024

Issues with nonconforming pipe and component materials have been an ongoing concern for the CER. Nonconforming materials are any material that does not meet regulatory standards or company specifications. We have a duty to make sure that all energy infrastructure under our watch is safe and secure and that the environment is protected. This is why we issued a Safety Advisory to all CER-regulated companies about nonconforming materials.

The CER has continued to receive notifications from regulated companies or industry representatives that have identified times when pipeline materials were not up to standard. While there haven’t been any reported failures on CER-regulated systems because of this, the purpose of this letter is to raise awareness of the situation and prevent an incident from happening.

The CER requires all companies to:

  • Establish a Quality Assurance Program that is aligned with CER’s Onshore Pipeline Regulations. This will help stop nonconforming materials from entering the supply chain.
  • Identify and test any components that lack a proper quality assurance process.
  • Notify the CER within 15 days of discovering nonconforming materials, as outlined in Orders MO-001-2016 and MO-003-2018.

The CER also expects companies to consider all additional requirements outlined in CSA EXP13-21 Quality Assurance Requirements for Pipe and Components. This document was written by experts and complements current standards and regulations.

Safety Advisories are issued to inform the oil and gas industry of an identified safety or environmental concern, with the goal of preventing incidents. They highlight CER requirements while also conveying the CER’s expectation on how regulated companies must act to mitigate potential impacts to people or the environment.

We will continue to follow up with regulated companies to ensure they are complying with all our requirements.

For more information, please see the Safety Advisory. (Safety Advisory SA 2024-01 – Pipeline Fitting Materials Quality Assurance)

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