ISO 20074-2019 PDF

Full title and description

Petroleum and natural gas industry — Pipeline transportation systems — Geological hazard risk management for onshore pipeline. This international standard specifies requirements and gives recommendations for identification, evaluation and management of geological hazards that may affect onshore gathering and transmission pipelines used in the petroleum and natural gas industries.

Abstract

ISO 20074:2019 sets out the tasks, contents and basic methods for geohazard identification, risk evaluation and control during pipeline design, construction and operation. It covers natural and anthropogenic geological hazards that directly affect pipelines and their right‑of‑way (RoW) — for example landslides, subsidence, seismic effects (including faulting and liquefaction), volcanic processes (where applicable), hydrologic processes (flooding, channel migration, scour), permafrost/periglacial and thermal effects, and erosion of surface or backfill. It is not intended for piping inside well‑defined plant boundaries (pump/compressor stations, processing facilities, refineries), where a separate site assessment is expected.

General information

• Status: Published, confirmed at review (stage 90.93).
• Publication date: July 2019 (Edition 1, 2019; published July 2019 / 30 July 2019 in catalogue listings).
• Publisher: International Organization for Standardization (ISO).
• ICS / categories: 75.020 (Petroleum and natural gas industries).
• Edition / version: Edition 1 (2019).
• Number of pages: 67 pages (English edition catalogues list 67 pages; some national adoptions show slight page‑count variations due to formatting).

Key publication and status details above are taken from the ISO catalogue and national catalogue records.

Scope

Applies to onshore gathering and transmission pipelines in the petroleum and natural gas industries (existing and proposed/under construction). The standard addresses geohazards that can reasonably be expected to affect the pipeline or its RoW and provides requirements and recommendations for managing those risks through design, construction and operational phases. It excludes piping wholly within well‑defined plant boundaries (these are expected to be covered by separate site assessments), and it excludes atmospheric/environmental hazards (e.g., wind, lightning, wildfires) except where they manifest as geohazards (for example, a storm that triggers slope failure). Cascading events are outside the scope unless they produce a direct geohazard at the pipeline location.

Key topics and requirements

• Geohazard identification and mapping along pipeline alignments (field investigation and desk study).
• Risk evaluation methodologies for geological hazards, including likelihood/consequence assessment and prioritisation.
• Specification of mitigation and control measures for design, construction and operation (route selection, engineering works, monitoring and maintenance strategies).
• Requirements for monitoring, inspection and surveillance to detect evolving geohazard conditions during operation.
• Roles, responsibilities and documentation needed for geohazard risk management (operator duties, records, review cycles).
• Right‑of‑way (RoW) and land‑use considerations, including interaction with third‑party or human‑induced hazards (e.g., mining subsidence).
• Guidance on applicability limits (what hazards are included/excluded) and interfaces with other pipeline standards and site assessments.

Typical use and users

Used by pipeline operators, engineering and geotechnical consultants, design and construction contractors, asset integrity and risk management teams, regulators and third‑party auditors. It is applied during route selection, detailed design, construction planning, operational risk assessments, integrity management programs and incident preparedness where geological hazards are a concern.

Related standards

ISO 20074:2019 is produced under ISO/TC 67 (pipeline transportation systems) and is intended to be used alongside broader pipeline system standards such as ISO 13623 (Petroleum and natural gas industries — Pipeline transportation systems) and with regional/adopted versions (for example EN ISO 20074:2019 / national adoptions). It should also be integrated with other technical and safety standards relevant to pipeline design, construction and integrity management.

Keywords

geohazard, geological hazard, pipeline, onshore pipeline, petroleum, natural gas, right‑of‑way, risk management, geotechnical, slope stability, subsidence, seismic, permafrost, erosion.

FAQ

Q: What is this standard?

A: ISO 20074:2019 is an international standard that specifies requirements and recommendations for managing geological hazards that affect onshore petroleum and natural gas pipelines throughout design, construction and operation.

Q: What does it cover?

A: It covers identification, evaluation and control of geohazards (natural and certain human‑induced processes) directly affecting pipelines or their RoW — e.g., landslides, subsidence, seismic effects, hydrologic scour, permafrost effects and erosion. It excludes internal plant piping and atmospheric/environmental hazards unless they manifest as geohazards.

Q: Who typically uses it?

A: Pipeline operators, geotechnical and civil engineering consultants, design/construction contractors, integrity and risk managers, and regulators use it to inform route selection, design mitigation, monitoring and operational risk management.

Q: Is it current or superseded?

A: ISO 20074:2019 was published in July 2019 (Edition 1) and is listed as a published international standard. It was subject to ISO's periodic review process (standards are reviewed every five years) and has been confirmed rather than withdrawn/replaced at review. Users should check their national adoption or ISO catalogue for the latest confirmation or amendment status before purchase or reference.

Q: Is it part of a series?

A: The standard is part of the family of pipeline‑related standards developed under ISO/TC 67/SC 2 (Pipeline transportation systems) and is intended to be used in conjunction with general pipeline system standards such as ISO 13623 and relevant regional adoptions (EN, national standards).

Q: What are the key keywords?

A: Geohazard, geological hazard, pipeline, onshore pipeline, risk management, geotechnical, RoW, slope stability, subsidence, seismic, permafrost, erosion.