CPA Pipeline Operations & Integrity

Question 1

Which U.S. federal agency regulates the safety of natural gas and hazardous liquid pipelines?

Accepted Answer

Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)

Answer

PHMSA, within the U.S. Department of Transportation, sets and enforces safety standards for the nation's gas and hazardous liquid pipeline systems.

Question 2

What is the purpose of a 'pig' in pipeline operations?

Accepted Answer

A tool inserted into the pipeline for cleaning, inspection, or separation

Answer

Pipeline pigs are devices that travel through a pipeline driven by product flow to perform cleaning, product separation, or in-line inspection (smart pigs).

Question 3

Cathodic protection is used on buried steel pipelines primarily to prevent what?

Accepted Answer

External corrosion caused by electrochemical reactions with soil

Answer

Cathodic protection applies electrical current to make the pipe a cathode, suppressing the electrochemical reactions that cause external corrosion of buried steel.

Question 4

What does MAOP stand for in pipeline operations?

Accepted Answer

Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure

Answer

MAOP is the Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure — the highest pressure at which a pipeline system may be operated under PHMSA regulations.

Question 5

Which method is used to test pipeline integrity before commissioning by filling the line with water and pressurizing it above MAOP?

Accepted Answer

Hydrostatic pressure testing

Answer

Hydrostatic pressure testing fills the pipeline with water and raises pressure to 1.1–1.5× MAOP to verify structural integrity and detect leaks before placing the line in service.

(CPA) Certified Petroleum Apprentice Practice Test

(CPA) Certified Petroleum Apprentice Practice Test

CPA Pipeline Operations & Integrity