British Columbia Passes New Law Requiring Pipe Restraining Systems in Oil Fields and Fracking Work Sites
October, 2015 – For companies operating in the British Columbia oil and gas fields, new legislation has just passed into law in British Columbia to protect workers from temporary pipelines, or frack lines, which could malfunction in pressure failure. Note, this is now in effect and calls for immediate action where the temporary pipelines or frack lines at your drilling site must have restraints.
Trinity Sling Authority with its patented Gangline™ Pipe Restraining Systems and local service in British Columbia will take the lead for you to ensure that your operations are in total compliance with the new law.
First, here is important information you need to know about this law that affects your operations:
G23.69(3) Restraint of Piping Systems
Regulatory excerpt
Section 23.69(3) of the OHS Regulation (“Regulation“) states: If swivel joints or hoses are used in well stimulation and similar operations, the piping system must be secured at the well head and supply vehicle or pumping unit end with wire rope safety lines not less than 11 mm (7/16 in) diameter, or chains of equal strength.
Securing or restraining the piping system
With the significant increases in operating pressures in well testing and fracturing operations in recent years, an 11 mm (7/16 in) cable or a chain of equal strength may not be adequate to restrain piping systems or hoses from undue movement and whipping in the event of a line or union failure. An 11 mm (7/16 in) cable (or chain of equal strength), as specified in section 23.69(3) of the Regulation, may not have the capacity to restrain the piping system at the expected or actual loads, due to the high operating pressures encountered.
Employers need to ensure that the anchoring and restraint system will withstand the forces that could occur in the event of a failure of the piping system. An example of an adequate engineered restraint system is a purpose-built system composed of restraint and anchoring components which have been manufactured and engineered to be adequate for the operating pressures. Installation of the component parts for such a system needs to include consideration of the forces involved and the load limits the manufacturers assign these components. Refer also to section 4.3(1) of the Regulation regarding safe use of equipment.
Restraint systems that use components that are not specifically designed by the manufacturer for the purpose of flow piping restraint can be used for this purpose with detailed engineering instructions. These components (such as round slings) are usually designed by their manufacturers for lifting a vertical load, not the dynamic forces of a whipping pipe.
Here are examples of required detailed engineering instructions in which we closely follow per the guidelines established and enforced by Workforce British Columbia:
▪ Installation instructions
▪ Engineering specifications and drawings of the restraint system (including a site specific plan, intermediate anchor points, and attachment to the piping system)
▪ Precautionary information and limitations (such as the maximum pressure in the system and worker exclusion zones)
▪ Testing certification (e.g., of the restraints and anchor points)
▪ Instructions for component use, maintenance, inspection and removal from service
▪ Certification by a professional engineer that the restraint system has been engineered and is adequate for the purpose
Click here to read the rules and regulations as outlined by Worksafe British Columbia.
The Gangline™ Pipe Restraint System
For drilling operations active in the Greater Sierra Oil Field and other drilling regions in British Columbia, your one stop solution for pipe restraining systems is Trinity Sling Authority and its patented Gangline™ Pipe Restraint System. This system meets and exceeds all criteria required by Worksafe British Columbia for pipe restraints. We can help you get your British Columbia operations secured and in compliance with the new mandate quickly and efficiently.
The Gangline™ Pipe Restraint System is tried and true in the field as hailed in these endorsements by Trinity Sling Authority customers:
“ We have found the Gangline Restraint System to be most valuable and it has mitigated deficiencies found with the installation process of other systems we have tried. The ease of application and transportation are several of the documented advantages of the system. Also, the simplicity of the system allows field personnel to receive minimal training to apply and maintain the system. We have been pleased with the performance of the system and support offered by Trinity Sling and highly recommends the system in all pressure pumping operations.”
— Marc Cagle, Calfrac Well Services
“Over the past two years we have field tested several of the advertised “Restraint Systems” and found them to be sub-standard for a host of reasons. We have seen pump iron restraints evolve from the “whip checks” that most companies started with all the way to the Kevlar endless loops. All of the previous systems provided less than desirable results when applied in the field, either with actual performance or ease of application and service once applied.
Working with the Trinity Sling Gangline™ Restraint System has proven most valuable and has mitigated the deficiencies found with other systems we have tried. We set forth several standards that we wanted to meet and we have found those with this system. Starting with the ease of application and continuing all the way to the actual performance we have documented numerous advantages, some not advertised. The ability to remove the system from a, middle of the line connection, to make corrections to the pump iron without having to remove the entire system has saved numerous hours of field time allowing us to provide better service to our customers. The simplicity of the system allows field personnel to receive minimal training to apply and maintain the system.
By far one of the biggest advantages is the customer support we have received from you and the staff at Trinity Sling. Not to mention this is the one of the first systems that was designed from the start as a restraint system, not something that was retrofitted or simply retagged to be a restraint system. We all know how hard this can be with the absence of a national standard for restraint systems and the understanding of force vs. pressure. You are definitely the pioneers in dedicated restraint systems and I base that opinion on 15 years of pressure pumping experience along with 7 years in the HSE field.”
— Jim Richardson, Mercer Well Service
Gangline™ Iron Restraint System in Shackle Configuration
Trinity Sling Authority is the leader in providing high-quality, reliable pipe restraining systems in oil fields and at fracturing sites. The Gangline™ Pipe Restraint System is an engineered pipe restraining system designed to limit the whip range of the pipe should a catastrophic failure occur to the flow line or union connections. The Gangline™ Pipe Restraint System consists of only two parts: restraints and shackles or restraints and carabiners. It offers a lightweight, high-strength installation solution for your peace of mind.
The Gangline™ Pipe Restraint System works on the following:
- Flow lines
- Frack lines
- Temporary pipelines
- Frack irons
- 1502 irons
- Swivels
- Chicksans®
- Flow irons
Trinity Sling Authority invented and holds the patent on The Gangline™ Pipe Restraint System, the solution for new pipe restraining system requirements in British Columbia. Click here to read more on our patent.
Trinity Sling Authority Gangline™ Pipe Restraint System Contacts
United States
Bobby Allen, Trinity Sling Authority, Vice President
Office: (817) 727-1094
Email: ballen@trinitysling.com