9Natural gas quality

9 Natural gas quality

(1)  A licensee must ensure that any natural gas conveyed or supplied by the licensee is at a safe temperature with an operating pressure in accordance with regulation 11 and safe in all other respects for the purposes of the relevant gas infrastructure.

Penalty:  In the case of –

(a) a body corporate, a fine not exceeding 50 penalty units; or

(b) a natural person, a fine not exceeding 20 penalty units.

(2)  The natural gas conveyed in a distribution system and transmission pipeline, or supplied by a gas storage system to which the Act applies, and the natural gas supplied or sold to a customer through such a system is to be, at the standard conditions, within the limits, or below the maximum, specified in the following table:

| Component | Limit | | 1. Wobbe Index | Maximum: 52.0 megajoules per cubic metre Minimum: 46.0 megajoules per cubic metre | | | Maximum: 0.2 mole per cent | | 3. Hydrogen sulphide | Maximum: 5.7 milligrams per cubic metre | | 4. Total sulphur | Maximum: 50.0 milligrams per cubic metre | | 5. Water content | Dewpoint 0°Celsius at maximum transmission pressure (in any case, no more than 112.0 milligrams per cubic metre) | | 6. Hydrocarbon dewpoint | Maximum: 2.0°Celsius @ 3 500 kilopascals | | 7. Total inerts | Maximum: 7.0 mole per cent |

(3)  For the purposes of subregulation (2) , the standard conditions are that –

(a) the natural gas must be completely free from water vapour; and

(b) the temperature must be 15 degrees Celsius; and

(c) the absolute pressure must be 101.325 kilopascals.

(4)  The Director may exempt a licensee from compliance with the standard natural gas quality limits specified in this regulation in respect of a gas if the Director is satisfied that the conveyance, supply or use of the natural gas by the licensee will be safe in the circumstances.

(5)  An exemption under subregulation (24) must be in writing and must specify the conditions to which the exemption is subject.

(6)  A licensee to whom an exemption is given under this regulation must comply with the conditions of the exemption, if any.