This document produced by Fertilizers Europe provides guidance for the inspection of and leak detection in liquid ammonia pipelines.
The guidance focuses on pipelines transporting cold (close to the atmospheric boiling temperature of -33°C) or warm liquid ammonia, with a diameter of at least 75 mm.
It deals with above-ground and underground (also called buried) pipelines which are located outside battery limits i.e. not inside ammonia or inside downstream plants but between ammonia plant and harbour, tank storage, other plants or between sites.
Thus, the guidance covers off-site pipelines and certain on-site pipelines, as defined above.
Practices of design, inspection and leak detection with respect to liquid ammonia pipelines are not uniform within the European Union (EU). They differ from Member State to Member State. This guidance provides an overview.
The guidance is based on inspection and leak detection practices of various experienced liquid ammonia pipeline operators in the EU. It does not cover fabrication inspection.
The underlying intention is to maximise the operational safety and reliability of these pipelines and to reduce environmental and health risks.