Natural gas pipework/site supervision

The operations supervisor is responsible for supervising natural gas operations and ensuring safe use of natural gas pipework and equipment. The company must appoint a supervisor for the following:

  • natural gas transmission and distribution pipelines
  • natural gas filling stations
  • natural gas storage
  • natural gas operational pipework, the operational equipment connected to which has a total nominal fuel power of 1.2 MW or more.

The company must notify Tukes of the supervisors it has appointed.

If required, the company should also appoint one or more deputies for the supervisor. See table below. The deputy of an operations supervisor acts as an operations supervisor when the operations supervisor is prevented from carrying out his/her duties.


Situations in which an operations supervisor and a deputy is required for a natural gas pipeline/site

Natural gas pipeline/site Natural gas pipeline supervisor Natural gas pipeline deputy supervisor
Transmission pipeline

Required.

Required.
Distribution pipeline Required. Required.
Operational pipework ≥ 6 MW Required. Required.
Operational pipework > 1,2 MW and < 6 MW Required. if required
Filling station Required. if required
Natural gas storage > 0,2 t and < 5 t Required. if required
Natural gas storage ≥ 5 t Required. Required.

A new supervisor/deputy must be appointed within three months of the supervisor/deputy in question having left his/her duties.


Supervisor competence requirements

The supervisor and deputy supervisor of a natural gas pipeline must have:

  • passed the natural gas operations supervisor examination organised by Tukes
  • an applicable decree from a technical institute, polytechnic or higher education institute
  • at least two years of work experience from duties related to natural gas transmission.

The supervisor and deputy supervisor of a natural gas distribution and installation pipeline, filling station and storage must have:

  • passed the natural gas operations supervisor examination organised by Tukes

  • sufficient work experience, for the site in question, from duties related to natural gas distribution, use, filling station operations and storage.