Notice2026-01675
Pipeline Safety: Advisory Bulletin on the Integrity Risks of Type A Repair Sleeves
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
January 28, 2026
Issuing agencies
Transportation DepartmentPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
Abstract
PHMSA is issuing this advisory bulletin to highlight the integrity risks associated with using Type A sleeves to repair hazardous liquid pipelines. Type A sleeve failures have resulted in significant environmental damage and costs to the industry. Incident data suggests these failures were due to improper installation, moisture intrusion, and the selection of ineffective assessment methods. This bulletin provides specific technical details for managing the integrity of Type A sleeves.
Full Text
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<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 18 (Wednesday, January 28, 2026)</title>
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[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 18 (Wednesday, January 28, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 3780-3782]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-01675]
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DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
[Docket No. PHMSA-2026-0298]
Pipeline Safety: Advisory Bulletin on the Integrity Risks of Type
A Repair Sleeves
AGENCY: Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA),
Department of Transportation (DOT).
ACTION: Notice; issuance of advisory bulletin.
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SUMMARY: PHMSA is issuing this advisory bulletin to highlight the
integrity risks associated with using Type A sleeves to repair
hazardous liquid pipelines. Type A sleeve failures have resulted in
significant environmental damage and costs to the industry. Incident
data suggests these failures were due to improper installation,
moisture intrusion, and the selection of ineffective assessment
methods. This bulletin provides specific technical details for managing
the integrity of Type A sleeves.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James Urisko, Southern Region
Director, Office of Pipeline Safety, by telephone at 404-832-1150, or
by email at <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#e98388848c9ac79c9b809a8286a98d869dc78e869f"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="e288838f8791cc97908b91898da2868d96cc858d94">[email protected]</span></a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Type A and B Repair Sleeves
Operators use Type A sleeves to repair hazardous liquid pipelines.
A Type A sleeve consists of two halves of a steel cylinder that are
placed around a carrier pipe at the location of an anomaly or defect.
The two halves are then welded together to encircle the carrier pipe
fully. A Type A sleeve works by reinforcing the carrier pipe at the
location of the anomaly or defect to maintain the serviceability of the
pipeline. In the absence of that structural reinforcement, the anomaly
or defect would be subject to additional strain that could lead to a
failure. When properly installed, a Type A sleeve can be used to
provide effective structural reinforcement for many nonleaking
anomalies or defects, such as nonpitting corrosion, scrapes, gouges,
and dents.\1\
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\1\ Pipeline Research Council International, Updated Pipeline
Repair Manual Rev. 6, p. 16 (Aug. 28, 2006); J.F. Kiefner and A.R.
Duffy, A Study of Two Methods For Repairing Defects in Line Pipe,
submitted to American Gas Association Pipeline Research Committee,
p. 3, 12-14 (Oct. 31, 1974), but see p. 114 referencing the
limitations of Type A sleeves for reinforcing gouges in dents; J.
Kiefner, GRI Guide for Locating and Using Pipeline Industry Research
8: Pipeline Repair Methods, Gas Research Institute, p. 28 (Mar.
2001); J.F. Kiefner and R. Fournie, A Review of Current Methods of
Pipeline Repair, Proceedings of the Fifth Annual International
Pipeline Rehabilitation Seminar, p. 202 (Feb. 2-5, 1993).
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Operators also use Type B sleeves to repair hazardous liquid
pipelines. A Type B sleeve is similar to a Type A sleeve, except that
the ends of a Type B sleeve are welded to the carrier pipe itself. Like
a Type A sleeve, a Type B sleeve provides structural reinforcement to
the carrier pipe at the location of an anomaly or defect. However,
because the ends are welded to the carrier pipe, a Type B repair sleeve
is capable of withstanding the load and containing the pressure of that
pipe as well. A properly installed Type B sleeve can therefore be used
effectively to repair leaking anomalies or defects and areas of the
carrier pipe experiencing severe wall loss.
Type A Sleeve Integrity Risks
Type A sleeves are subject to certain integrity risks. Type A
sleeves that are not welded to the carrier pipe face a heightened
corrosion risk due to potential water intrusion, particularly if the
annular space at the end of the sleeve is not properly sealed. Type A
sleeves can also shield the carrier pipe from receiving adequate
cathodic protection. These risks are analogous to what is experienced
in a shorted casing, where the presence of an electrolyte in the
annular space between the casing and the carrier pipe can lead to
[[Page 3781]]
accelerated corrosion. Proper installation of a Type A sleeve is
necessary to mitigate such risks, e.g., minimizing the width of the
annular gap between the sleeve and the carrier pipe, and sealing the
ends with a semi-liquid material, can prevent corrosion due to water
intrusion.\2\
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\2\ Pipeline Research Council International, Updated Pipeline
Repair Manual Rev. 6, p. 15, 18 (Aug. 28, 2006); J.F. Kiefner and R.
Fournie, A Review of Current Methods of Pipeline Repair, Proceedings
of the Fifth Annual International Pipeline Rehabilitation Seminar,
p. 192 (Feb. 2-5, 1993); J.F. Kiefner and A.R. Duffy, A Study of Two
Methods For Repairing Defects in Line Pipe, submitted to American
Gas Association Pipeline Research Committee, p. 3, 95 (Oct. 31,
1974); Michael Baker Jr., Inc., Mechanical Damage Final Report,
submitted to U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, Office of Pipeline
Safety, Integrity Management Program, under Delivery Order DTRS56-
02-D-70036, p. 116 (Apr. 2009).
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Pressure cycling in hazardous liquid pipelines increases the risk
of a Type A sleeve failure. Repeated changes or fluctuations in
pressure place additional stress on the carrier pipe, and that stress
can lead to a failure over time. Type A sleeves that are not welded to
the carrier pipe face a heightened risk of such failures at the sleeve
ends, where stress concentration is more likely to occur due to
pressure cycling.
Recent Type A Sleeve Incidents
Several recent incidents demonstrate the consequences that can
result from failing to manage the risk associated with Type A sleeves
properly. On December 8, 2014, a release of gasoline was discovered on
the CNG pipeline in Belton, South Carolina. The leak originated under a
Type A sleeve installed in 1991 to remediate a dent. Metallurgical
analysis identified the cause of the failure as issues with the filler
material used to fill the dent between the pipe and the sleeve.\3\
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\3\ For more information, see CPF No. 2-2015-5001-S on PHMSA's
Enforcement Transparency website.
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On August 14, 2020, a release of gasoline was discovered on the
Colonial Line 1 pipeline in Huntersville, North Carolina. The leak
originated under a Type A sleeve installed in 2004 to remediate a dent.
Metallurgical analysis identified the cause of the failure as a crack
caused primarily by corrosion fatigue.\4\
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\4\ For more information, see CPF No. 4-2021-005-NOPSO on
PHMSA's Enforcement Transparency website.
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On January 31, 2025, a release of jet fuel was discovered on the
Twin Oaks Pipeline in Upper Makefield Township, Pennsylvania. The leak
originated under a Type A sleeve that was installed in 1995 to repair a
bottom-side dent. Metallurgical analysis revealed that the pipe had a
2.5-inch axial crack caused by near neutral Stress Corrosion Cracking
(NN-SCC) resulting from water ingress between the carrier pipe and the
sleeve.
I. Advisory Bulletin (ADB-2026-02)
PHMSA advises owners and operators of hazardous liquid pipeline
systems to take the following steps to manage the integrity of Type A
sleeves:
1. Record Maintenance and Confirmation. Operators are reminded that
Type A sleeve installations are subject to the recordkeeping
requirements in 49 CFR part 195. Operators should ensure that such
records are available and contain all necessary and appropriate
information. Operators should also:
<bullet> Evaluate maintenance records associated with sleeve
repairs to ensure they include as-found and as-left defect conditions,
the type of sleeve installed, welding and nondestructive testing
records, coating and annular filler installation records, and photo
documentation.
<bullet> If records are missing, unavailable, or incomplete,
conduct additional searches or use available data, testing results, or
other records to determine essential information about the Type A
sleeve installation necessary for threat mitigation and integrity
management.
2. Review of ILI Data. Inline inspection (ILI) data is a valuable
information source for operators to determine whether Type A sleeves
could present an integrity threat to their pipelines. Operators should:
<bullet> Utilize ILI data to confirm the locations of all Type A
sleeves and investigate Type A sleeve installation sites that lack
adequate records.
<bullet> Verify that installation records exist for all installed
Type A sleeves and the type of anomaly that is present.
<bullet> Confirm that ILI vendors do not determine without
justification that an anomaly under a Type A sleeve is not an integrity
threat.
<bullet> Determine if their ILI data is accurate and reliable for
detection of anomalies at sleeve locations, and where the ILI data is
not reliable, operators should immediately assess the pipeline's
integrity at the installation site.
3. Inventory and Interactive Threat Assessment. Type A sleeves
should be factored as a possible integrity threat on pipelines on which
they are installed. Operators should:
<bullet> Create an inventory of all Type A sleeves which includes a
determination of whether the repair is to be considered ``temporary''
or ``permanent,'' with supporting analysis for any established repair
lifespan.
<bullet> Risk models should account for the interaction between the
original defect (such as a dent), the repair method, pressure cycling
(fatigue), and the reliance on pipeline coatings to prevent moisture
intrusion and corrosion between the carrier pipe and the Type A sleeve.
4. Fatigue Evaluation. Operators should conduct engineering fatigue
analyses for any sleeve repair subjected to frequent pressure cycles in
accordance with American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) PCC-2:
Repair of Pressure Equipment and Piping.
5. Enhanced Leak Detection and Monitoring. SCADA and static
pressure tests may not be able to detect small leaks under sleeves.
Operators should:
<bullet> Consider conducting targeted ground leak surveys in areas
of Type A sleeve installations.
<bullet> Rigorously investigate all leak complaints, including
excavating any Type A sleeve(s) that are proximal to a complaint,
consistent with the commodity being transported in the pipeline.
<bullet> Consider enhanced leak detection methodologies, such as
long-term over and short analysis, when analyzing a possible small
leak.
<bullet> Review static testing procedures and modify as appropriate
to assure small pipe sections can be isolated and tested with adequate
pressures and consistent durations to identify small leaks.
<bullet> Consider additional continuous leak detection
technologies, such as acoustics ball leak detection and fiber optic
leak detection, in areas necessitating rapid identification of
potential small leaks to the surrounding environment.
6. Mechanical and Installation Standards. Operators should ensure
that Type A sleeve installation procedures are consistent with the
requirements in 49 CFR part 195 and established industry standards and
practices, including American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended
Practice (RP) 1160: Standards for Hazardous Liquid Pipeline Integrity,
API RP 2201: Safe Hot Tapping Practices in the Petroleum and
Petrochemical Industries, ASME standard B31.4: Pipeline Transportation
Systems for Liquids and Slurries, and the recommendations of the
Pipeline Research Council International and the ASME Post-Construction
Committee. Operators are reminded that under 49 CFR 195.422 repairs
must be made safely and in a manner that prevents damage to persons or
property.
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Guidance and advisory bulletins are not rules; are not meant to
bind the public in any way; and do not assign duties, create legally
enforceable rights, or impose new obligations that are not otherwise
contained in regulations.
Issued in Washington, DC, on January 26, 2026, under the
authority delegated in 49 CFR 1.97.
Linda Daugherty,
Acting Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety.
[FR Doc. 2026-01675 Filed 1-27-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4910-60-P
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</html>Indexed from Federal Register on January 28, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.