The developers of a new standard for the production of pipes for oil and gas pipelines announce attempts by companies and structures associated with the aggressor country to disrupt its entry into force on July 1 this year.

Director of the state-owned enterprise Osada Research and Design-Technology Institute of Pipe Industry Radomyr Korol said at a press conference at Interfax-Ukraine news on Thursday that from July 1, 2023, in Ukraine, GOST 20295-85 standard and other standards of the former USSR for oil and gas pipes are finally terminated.

If the new standard is not introduced from July 1 this year, this could threaten the stable operation of Ukraine's oil and gas transportation system, Korol warns.

According to him, the operating trunk pipelines of Ukraine are designed and built in line with the requirements of the former USSR: Building Regulations 2.05.06-85 "Main pipelines" and the interstate standard GOST 20295-85 "Welded steel pipes for main gas and oil pipelines."

The Interstate Technical Committee ITC 7 "Steel and cast iron pipes and cylinders" (Ukraine) was developing GOST 20295-85, but in 2015 the functions of ITC 7 "Steel and cast iron pipes and cylinders" were transferred to the Russian Federation, to JSC RosNITI (Research Institute of the Tube & Pipe Industries). Thus, Ukrainian consumers and pipe manufacturers were forced to apply to the Russian Federation for clarifications, or proposals to GOST 20295-85.

From July 1, 2023, GOST 20295-85 and other standards of the former USSR will finally terminate in Ukraine.

According to the program of work on national standardization for 2021-2023 for a continuous supply of pipe products for the stable operation of Ukraine's gas and oil transportation system, SOE Osada Research and Design-Technology Institute of Pipe Industry and the Technical Committee for Standardization TC 8 "Steel and cylinders" developed and adopted the national standard of Ukraine DSTU 9219:2023 "Welded steel pipes for main gas and oil pipelines. Specifications."

Technical Committee TC 8 is responsible for the development of DSTU 9219.

The committee includes 16 collective and individual members from organizations and enterprises.

The members of TC 8 almost unanimously (15 out of 16 members backed the decision, and one member did not vote) approved the final version of DSTU 9219.

The national standard was adopted by Order No. 80 issued by SOE UAS (Ukrainian research and training center for standardization, certification and quality issues) dated April 27, 2023 effective from July 1, 2023 to replace GOST 20295-85 (http://uas.gov.ua/standardization/nakazy/2023-2/). DSTU 9219:2023 takes into account the requirements of GOST 20295-85, Building Regulations 2.05.06-85, the experience of building domestic gas and oil pipelines, the requirements of modern regulatory documentation and consumers of pipe products, including the requirements of the Ukrainian gas transmission system operator. Also, when developing the standard, the conclusions of research institutes, design organizations, and the industry association of pipe manufacturers were taken into account.

DSTU 9219:2023 provides for the expansion of the size range of pipes, the introduction of modern methods of control, and the structural implementation of pipes for compliance with international and domestic standards, which helps to increase the structural strength and durability of pipes.

Korol said that during the development of the standard, repeated attempts were made to block its adoption. So, at the initial stage, a large number of spam requests for admission to the technical committee from various individuals and enterprises were sent to TK8. And after DSTU 9219 was approved in line with the current legislation, several waves of information attacks were carried out at the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Strategy and Industry, the Antimonopoly Committee, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine to cancel the already adopted standard with deliberate misleading of public authorities regarding the substitution of requirements for pipes of gas and oil pipelines with general purpose pipes.

Currently, the third attempt is being made through the Kyiv Administrative Court to cancel the entry into force of DSTU 9219:2023 "Welded steel pipes for main gas and oil pipelines. Specifications" on July 1, 2023. Considering the latest high-profile corruption cases in the judicial system of our country, as well as the world-famous "glory" of the liquidated District Administrative Court of Kyiv, there is a real threat when, by a court decision, the entire strategic industry of our country, ensuring its energy and defense independence, will cease to function.

The possible consequences of the standard cancellation will be that work on the reconstruction of existing pipelines and repair works on the sections of gas and oil pipelines affected by external aggression will stop. It will lead to negative consequences for critical energy infrastructure, which is very dangerous, especially in the current conditions of martial law. The aggressor country is doing everything to maintain its influence on Ukraine's oil and gas transportation system.

Korol said that an enterprise, the founder of which is connected with criminals and has links with the Opposition platform - For Life, with the aggressor country, is against the introduction of the Ukrainian pipe standard.

"We received a response from law enforcement agencies, which does not refute this information," the director of SOE Osada Research and Design-Technology Institute of Pipe Industry said at the press conference.

In turn, Ph.D. in Technical Sciences, Head of the Department of Welding of Ivano-Frankivsk National Technical University of Oil and Gas, professor Liubomyr Shlapak said that this standard provides clear guidelines for repair and use of pipes.

"If there is no such standard, it will be very negative," Shlapak said.

Vitaliy Ovsianikov, a representative of the Ukrtruboprom association, added that the new standard takes into account both consumers' and manufacturers' interests. "The supply of low-quality pipes can lead to accidents," Ovsianikov said.