The document summarizes data from the Plastic Piping Database Committee (PPDC) database regarding failures and leaks in plastic gas piping systems in the United States. The PPDC database contains over 45,000 reports of failures and leaks collected over 14+ years from 114 contributing companies representing 76% of plastic mains and 84% of plastic services installed in the US. The database is analyzed by the PPDC biannually to identify failure trends in ABS, PVC, PE, and other plastic piping materials to help operators improve integrity management programs. Installation errors and material defects are among the most common causes of failures identified for different piping materials.

1. What’s New with Plastic Piping

2. PPDC Information
• Identifies pipe and fittings used in plastic
piping systems
• Explains historically known plastic piping
issues
• Identifies trends to assist with Integrity
Management Programs
2

3. Background
• Response to NTSB recommendation
and database was a precondition to
DOT not mandating collection
• A national voluntary database of in-
service performance of plastic piping
systems
• Database administered by AGA on
behalf of PPDC
3

4. Plastic Piping Database Committee
(PPDC)
Government Members
• NAPSR Representatives (2)
• NARUC Representatives (2)
• PHMSA/OPS
Representatives (2)
Industry Members
• AGA Member
Representatives (2)
• APGA Member
Representatives (2)
• PPI Member
Representatives (2)
4
12 Members
• Up to 3 Invited Guests
• 1 NTSB Liaison
• AGA Observer(s)

5. Plastic Piping Database Committee
(PPDC)
• The scope of the committee has been
expanded to include failures and/or leaks of
metal or plastic components contained
within plastic piping systems.
• Immediate, clearly known, third party
damages are not collected or evaluated.
5

6. Plastic Piping Database Committee
(PPDC)
• Reviews the data, at minimum, on a semi-
annual basis*
• Consensus agrees on areas of focus or concern
• Issues Status Reports after each meeting
• Provides resources to aid in identification of
products and to assist operators with Integrity
Management Programs
* The PPDC currently meets 3 times per year.
6

7. Status of Participation
• 114 companies actively submitted data
in March 2015
• Names of active submitters are included in
Appendix A of the Status Report
• PPDC submitters represent these
percentages of all installed plastic
piping in the U.S.
– 76% plastic main
– 84% plastic services
7

8. Accuracy and Completeness of Data
VERY IMPORTANT
• Impacts the analysis and conclusions
by PPDC
• Needs full cooperation of participants
to help resolve submitted data issues
• Increasingly important with Integrity
Management Programs
8

9. Manufacturers Database
9
Manufacturers of Plastic Piping Products - Pipe
NOTE: Operators are required to install materials that meet current requirements
Company
Material
Designation From To
Size
Range Comments
Allied PE 3306/3406 1965/66 1972/73
1/2" CTS
- 2" IPS
Was also a resin producer and supplied the AC
ultra high molecular pipe compound to several
small pipe extruders including Yardley,
Orangeburg, Endot and the Barrett Division of
Allied (also an extruder of PVC pipe). Except for
Endot, most of these producers/extruders have
since gone out of business or have different
names today. Pipe was very difficult to fuse.
Amstan PE3306
Mid-late
1960s

10. Manufacturers Database
10
Manufacturers of Plastic Piping Products - Line Fittings
NOTE: Operators are required to install materials that meet current
requirements
Company
Material
Designation From To Size Range Comments
Georg Fischer Central
Plastics
Produced molded
fittings for pipe
producers
PE 2406 ?? Present
1" IPS - 12"
IPS Solid Yellow
PE 3408 ?? Present
1" IPS - 12"
IPS Solid Black
CP Chemical
Another name for
Performance Pipe

11. Manufacturers Database
11
Manufacturers of Plastic Piping Products - Other fittings
NOTE: Operators are required to install materials that meet current requirements
Company
Material
Designation From To Size Range Comments
AMP
Dupont Zytel
ST-801
1970's, stainless steel and nylon
compression fitting. Technology
purchased by Metcal in 1990; can be
white in appearance. Dupont Zytel ST-
801
Nylon ?? ??
1/2" CTS -
2" IPS
Black with Stainless Steel compression
ring. Nylon 66
Georg
Fischer
Central
Plastics
Electrofusion and heat fusion fittings,
transition fittings, meter risers.

12. Manufacturers Database
12
Manufacturers of Plastic Piping Products - Valves
NOTE: Operators are required to install materials that meet
current requirements
Company
Material
Designation From To Size Range Comments
Georg Fisher
Central Plastics
Dresser Nylon 1991 Present
1/2" CTS -
1-1/4" CTS Style 475 Curb Valve Rilsan
Friatec PE 3408 1985 1995 2" - 6" IPS
Black body with white operating
nut; ball valve

13. Summary of Database
The database
• Contains 14+ years of collected data
– Over 45,000 data reports
– More than two-5 year leak survey cycles
– Within last 3 years size of database has doubled
13

14. Summary of Database
• Status Report includes analysis of specific data
– Failures/Leaks on newly installed pipe
– ABS, PVC and PE leaks by component and cause
– DuPont & Uponor
– Century
– PE 3306*
– AMP*
– Caps*
– PVC*
* added in 2014
14

15. Failure Causes for Pipe, Fittings and
Joints
15

16. ABS Failures by Location
16
PHMSA 2013 Annual Report Data: 3,247 Miles of ABS Main
PPDC active submitters have 260 Miles of ABS Main
PHMSA annual report data downloaded 3/4/2015

17. ABS Failure Causes
17
Cause
% of Al ABS
Failures/Leaks
Excessive Expansion/Contraction 2.2%
Excessive External Earth Loading 4.3%
Installation Error 21.7%
Squeeze Off 2.2%
Point Loading 0.0%
Previous Impact 0.0%
Unknown 45.7%
Other 2.2%
Cap 10.9%
Not Recorded 4.3%
Material Defect 2.2%
Gopher/rodent/worm damage 0.0%
Unknown - Not Excavated,
Replaced 0.0%
Unknown - Abandoned 4.3%
Corrosion 0.0%
Total 100.0%

18. PVC Failures by Location
18
PHMSA 2013 Annual Report Data: 12,024 Miles of PVC Main
PPDC active submitters have 5,026 Miles of PVC Main
PHMSA annual report data downloaded 3/4/2015

19. PVC Failure Causes
19
Cause
% of All PVC
Failures/Leaks
Excessive Expansion/Contraction 2.9%
Excessive External Earth Loading 11.7%
Installation Error 31.1%
Squeeze Off 0.3%
Point Loading 3.0%
Previous Impact 0.6%
Unknown 6.6%
Other 3.3%
Cap 0.3%
Not Recorded 8.6%
Material Defect 31.5%
Gopher/rodent/worm damage 0.0%
Unknown - Not Excavated, Replaced 0.1%
Unknown - Abandoned 0.0%
Corrosion 0.2%
Total 100.0%

20. PE
Including DuPont & Uponor, Aldyl A
20
PHMSA 2013 Annual Report Data: 659,010 Miles of PE Main
PPDC active submitters have 508,860 Miles of PE Main
PHMSA annual report data downloaded 3/4/2015

21. PE Including DuPont & Uponor,
Aldyl A, Causes
21
Cause
% of All PE
Failures/Leaks
% of PE Less
DuPont &
Uponor
Failures/Leaks
% of PE Less
DuPont & Uponor
and Century
Failures/Leaks
Excessive Expansion/Contraction 0.4% 0.5% 0.5%
Excessive External Earth Loading 6.9% 3.1% 3.1%
Installation Error 29.1% 30.1% 30.3%
Squeeze Off 1.7% 1.1% 1.1%
Point Loading 7.0% 3.7% 3.8%
Previous Impact 1.6% 2.4% 2.5%
Unknown 12.1% 15.6% 15.7%
Other 17.4% 10.2% 10.1%
Cap 6.7% 10.0% 10.1%
Not Recorded 2.9% 3.9% 4.0%
Material Defect 11.3% 17.0% 16.6%
Gopher/rodent/worm damage 0.4% 0.8% 0.8%
Unknown - Not Excavated, Replaced 1.2% 1.2% 1.2%
Unknown - Abandoned 0.1% 0.1% 0.1%
Corrosion 1.1% 0.2% 0.2%
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

22. DuPont & Uponor, Aldyl A
22
DuPont and Uponor, Aldyl A, piping is not identified as separate from
other types of polyethylene in the PHMSA Annual Report information.
However, the PPDC includes DuPont and Uponor as manufacturers
– Aldyl A is approximately 50% of the database.

23. DuPont & Uponor, Aldyl A, Causes
23
Cause
% of Total DuPont
& Uponor
Failures/ Leaks
% of Total DuPont
& Uponor Pipe
Failures/ Leaks
% of Total DuPont
& Uponor Fitting
Failures/ Leaks
% of Total DuPont
& Uponor Joint
Failures/ Leaks
Excessive Expansion/Contraction 0.4% 0.6% 0.2% 1.0%
Excessive External Earth Loading 10.7% 17.3% 6.5% 9.8%
Installation Error 25.5% 14.3% 25.6% 64.6%
Squeeze Off 2.1% 5.6% 0.0% 0.1%
Point Loading 8.8% 19.9% 1.4% 6.5%
Previous Impact 0.8% 2.1% 0.1% 0.1%
Unknown 9.4% 8.7% 9.0% 11.5%
Other 24.9% 22.4% 30.1% 1.1%
Cap 5.3% 0.0% 10.8% 0.0%
Not Recorded 1.6% 2.0% 1.2% 2.5%
Material Defect 7.5% 3.0% 12.3% 2.6%
Gopher/rodent/worm damage 0.1% 0.2% 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Not Excavated, Replaced 0.6% 1.6% 0.1% 0.2%
Unknown - Abandoned 0.1% 0.2% 0.0% 0.0%
Corrosion 2.1% 2.1% 2.8% 0.0%
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

24. DuPont & Uponor, Aldyl A, Failures
by Year of Failure/Leak
24

25. DuPont & Uponor, Aldyl A, Failures
by Year in Service
25

26. Century Failures
26

27. Century Failures by Cause
27
Cause
% of All Century
Failures/Leaks
% of Century Pipe
Failures/Leaks
% of Century Fitting
Failures/Leaks
% of Century Joint
Failures/Leaks
Excessive Expansion/Contraction 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Excessive External Earth Loading 0.5% 0.8% 0.0% 0.0%
Installation Error 20.1% 10.6% 26.9% 46.2%
Squeeze Off 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Point Loading 1.4% 2.4% 0.0% 0.0%
Previous Impact 0.5% 0.8% 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown 5.9% 5.7% 7.5% 0.0%
Other 20.1% 29.3% 6.0% 15.4%
Cap 1.4% 0.0% 4.5% 0.0%
Not Recorded 0.9% 0.0% 3.0% 0.0%
Material Defect 49.3% 50.4% 52.2% 38.5%
Gopher/rodent/worm damage 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Not Excavated, Replaced 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Abandoned 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Corrosion 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

28. PE 3306 Failures
28

29. PE 3306 Failures
29

30. PE 3306 Failures by Cause
30
Cause
% of All PE 3306
Failures/Leaks
% of PE 3306 Pipe
Failures/Leaks
% of PE 3306 Fitting
Failures/Leaks
% of PE 3306 Joint
Failures/Leaks
Excessive Expansion/Contraction 0.8% 0.7% 1.1% 0.0%
Excessive External Earth Loading 7.7% 8.1% 4.4% 16.0%
Installation Error 6.4% 1.5% 12.2% 40.0%
Squeeze Off 25.1% 35.2% 2.2% 0.0%
Point Loading 15.1% 20.1% 3.3% 4.0%
Previous Impact 1.3% 1.8% 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown 27.9% 24.5% 37.8% 24.0%
Other 3.3% 3.3% 4.4% 0.0%
Cap 0.8% 0.0% 3.3% 0.0%
Not Recorded 2.3% 1.1% 5.6% 0.0%
Material Defect 9.0% 3.3% 24.4% 16.0%
Gopher/rodent/worm damage 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Not Excavated, Replaced 0.3% 0.4% 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Abandoned 0.0% 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Corrosion 0.3% 0.0% 1.1% 0.0%
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

31. Cap Failures by Cause
31
Cause
% of DuPont Cap
Failures/Leaks
% of Plexco Cap
Failures/Leaks
% of Other
Manufacturer Cap
Failures/Leaks
Excessive Expansion/Contraction 0.1% 0.0% 0.4%
Excessive External Earth Loading 0.3% 0.5% 0.1%
Installation Error 16.3% 2.9% 38.5%
Squeeze Off 0.2% 0.0% 0.0%
Point Loading 0.0% 0.0% 0.1%
Previous Impact 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown 1.8% 2.0% 0.7%
Other 6.3% 9.4% 2.7%
Cap 25.3% 32.7% 31.0%
Not Recorded 1.4% 0.1% 2.3%
Material Defect 47.9% 52.1% 23.4%
Gopher/rodent/worm damage 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Unknown - Not Excavated, Replaced 0.3% 0.0% 0.4%
Unknown - Abandoned 0.0% 0.2% 0.4%
Corrosion 0.1% 0.0% 0.0%
Total 100.0% 100.0% 100.0%

32. Amp Failures
32

33. Amp Failures by Cause
33
Cause
% of All AMP
Failures/Leaks
Excessive Expansion/Contraction 4.7%
Excessive External Earth Loading 20.7%
Installation Error 11.8%
Squeeze Off 0.0%
Point Loading 1.0%
Previous Impact 0.0%
Unknown 28.0%
Other 2.8%
Cap 0.0%
Not Recorded 2.4%
Material Defect 28.1%
Gopher/rodent/worm damage 0.0%
Unknown - Not Excavated, Replaced 0.0%
Unknown - Abandoned 0.0%
Corrosion 0.4%
Total 100.0%

34. Examples of Questions Received by
PPDC
34
• Question from NAPSR: What does the PPDC database show for Handley
curb valves? Is there any trend in data since 2007? Are they still being
manufactured?
• Response from the PPDC: Handley represents less than 0.1% of the data
submitted to the PPDC. The data does indicate an increasing trend of
failures/leaks since 2007. Due to the small amount of data submitted, we
suggest NAPSR encourage operators who have Handley curb valves in their
plastic piping systems to submit data. Handley is not currently listed in the
manufacturer database available on the PPDC website. However, Handley
has a currently active website; and produces natural gas carrying
components.

35. Examples of Questions Received by
PPDC
35
• Question from AGA: Should Aldyl A and
Century failure data still be submitted?
• Response from the PPDC: Yes, additional data
points support additional analysis.

36. What does this data mean to you?
192.1007 requires that an operator must demonstrate an
understanding of its gas distribution system developed from
reasonably available information
• PPDC Status Report includes analysis of specific, nationwide, data
– Failures/Leaks on newly installed pipe
– ABS, PVC and PE leaks by component and cause
– DuPont & Uponor
– Century
– AMP
– 3306
– Manufacturers Database
– Plastic Piping Timeline
– PVC
– Caps
36

37. What does this data mean to you?
192.1007 requires that an operator must consider reasonably available
information to identify existing and potential threats.
5 historically known areas of concern are reflected in the PPDC database:
• Century Utility Products polyethylene (PE) pipe produced from 1970
through 1974
• DuPont Aldyl® A low ductile inner wall PE pipe manufactured from 1970
through 1972
• PE pipe manufactured from PE 3306 resin such as Swanson, Orangeburg
and Yardley
• DuPont Aldyl® service punch tee with a white Delrin® polyacetal threaded
insert
• Plexco service tee with Celcon® polyacetal threaded cap
37

38. What does this data mean to you?
For programs dealing with plastic piping
concerns
• PPDC Status Report includes analysis of specific data
– ABS, PVC and PE leaks by component and cause
– DuPont & Uponor
– Century
– PE 3306
– AMP fittings
– Caps
38

39. How might States use the info?
• States might use the list of active submitters to
see which companies in their state are or are not
participating
• States might use the PPDC analysis publicly
available to inquire whether those issues are
relevant to a certain operator, and if so, what is
being done about it in the context of DIMP
• Responses to questions may also aid in
determining what issues to expect
39

40. For more information, consult AGA’s website at
http://www.aga.org/Kc/OperationsEngineering/ppdc/Page
s/default.aspx
Or Contact
Kate Miller at (202) 824-7342; kmiller@aga.org
Or
Junaid Faruq at (202) 824-7342; jfaruq@aga.org
40

41. Questions?
Thank you for your support of the Plastic
Pipe Database Initiative
41