A proposed new standard under the jurisdiction of ASTM International Committee F17 on Plastic Piping Systems will be useful to the gas gathering and distribution industries.  Subcommittee F17.11 on Composite is developing the proposed standard, WK21276, Specification for Polyethylene Pipe with a Co-Extruded Polyamide Inner and/or Outer Barrier Layer for Oil and Gas Applications.

According to Gene Palermo, Palermo Plastics Pipe Consulting and a member of F17, the type of piping covered in WK21276 is helpful to users in areas in which there are liquid hydrocarbons inside the polyethylene pipe or in the ground that would otherwise affect the performance of the polyethylene. "The barrier layer on the inside diameter and/or outside diameter prevents the liquid hydrocarbon from being absorbed by the PE pipe and affecting its strength," says Palermo. "We will have very stringent requirements for the PE material because of the demanding applications where the product will be used."

Interested parties, particularly those who would be potential end users of the pipe, are welcome to join the subcommittee in its development of WK21276.

For technical Information, contact Gene Palermo, Palermo Plastics Pipe Consulting, Friendsville,Tenn. (phone: 865-995-1156; gpalermo@plasticspipe.com).  Committee F17 meets April 20-23, 2009, during the April committee week in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. For ASTM meeting or membership information, contact Robert Morgan, ASTM International (phone: 610-832-9732; rmorgan@astm.org).

Release #8110/Dec08