ICPC Recommendation No.

3, Issue: 8 Issue Date: 19 August 2002

ICPC Recommendation

Recommendation No. 3
Criteria to be Applied to Proposed Crossings
Between Submarine Telecommunications Cables
and Pipelines/Power Cables

Page 1 of 7 ICPC Handbook Section No: 12.3

ICPC Recommendation No. 3, Issue: 8 Issue Date: 19 August 2002

Contact for Enquiries and Proposed Changes

If you have any questions regarding this document or suggestions for improving it, please
contact:

International Cable Protection Committee Secretary: Mr. Graham Marle

PO Box 150 Tel: + 44 1590 681 673
Lymington Fax: + 44 870 432 7761
SO41 6WA E-mail: [email protected]
United Kingdom ICPC Web-site: www.iscpc.org

DISCLAIMER
An International Cable Protection Committee ("ICPC") Recommendation ("Recommendation")
implies a consensus of those substantially concerned with its scope and provisions. A
Recommendation is intended as a guide to aid cable owners and other seabed users in promoting
the highest goals of reliability and safety in the submarine cable environment. The existence of a
Recommendation does not in any respect preclude anyone, whether he has approved the
Recommendation or not, from laying or repairing undersea cables or employing procedures to
these ends which may be required by the ordinary practice of seamanship or by the special
circumstances of each case, but which may not be conforming to the Recommendation.

The ICPC does not develop standards and will in no circumstances give an interpretation of a
Recommendation in the name of the ICPC. The ICPC and its members do not accept any
liability for any errors in the Recommendation or for any consequences resulting from its use as
a planning guide. Nothing in this Recommendation should be viewed as relieving anyone from
the rights and obligations of seabed users under international law, including but not limited to
the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea ("UNCLOS").

NB: ICPC Recommendations are subject to periodic review and users are cautioned to obtain
the latest issues. This Recommendation may be revised or withdrawn at any time without
further notice to the recipient.

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ICPC Recommendation No. 3, Issue: 8 Issue Date: 19 August 2002

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Disclaimer .................................................................................................................................. 2
Table Of Contents ...................................................................................................................... 3
1. Introduction ........................................................................................................................ 4
2. Basic Considerations .......................................................................................................... 4
2.1 All Crossings .......................................................................................................... 4
2.2 Existing Telecommunications Cable Crossed By New Pipeline/Power Cable...... 4
2.3 Existing Pipeline/Power Cable Crossed By Telecommunications Cable .............. 5
3. Crossing Agreement........................................................................................................... 6
4. Conclusion.......................................................................................................................... 7
5. References .......................................................................................................................... 7
6. Definitions.......................................................................................................................... 7
7. Attachments........................................................................................................................ 7

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ICPC Recommendation No. 3, Issue: 8 Issue Date: 19 August 2002

1. INTRODUCTION
The continued increase in both the numbers of submarine cables and the exploitation of oil
and gas from the seabed inevitably means that there will more cases of crossings between
telecommunications cables, power cables and pipelines. The purpose of this document is to
give guidance to members who are faced with this situation for the first time. It is also a
matter for consideration that the pipeline or power cable owner involved in a crossing may
well have other pipeline/cable crossings in other parts of the world and, if one
telecommunications cable owner were to allow a crossing to take place without certain
minimum standards, this could adversely effect the negotiations of other telecommunications
cable owners.
It must first be stated that every pipeline/cable crossing will have characteristics unique to that
crossing, and therefore each crossing has to be considered separately. However there are still
certain basic questions to be asked as the first step in considering that crossing, and to
establishing the areas of concern and their solutions.

2. BASIC CONSIDERATIONS
2.1 All Crossings
2.1.1 Nature of seabed.
2.1.2 Type of cable.
2.1.3 Size of pipeline.
2.1.4 Notification of crossing proposal to other seabed users

2.2 Existing Telecommunications Cable Crossed By New

Pipeline/Power Cable.
2.2.1 Is cable buried? Deliberate or self-burial? If so, to what depth?
2.2.2 Will pipeline/power cable be trenched? If so, then to what depth?
What trenching equipment will be used?
2.2.3 Will the pipeline have cathodic protection? If so, what is the planned
distance between anodes? If possible, can this distance be increased at
the crossing point? Can the anodes be arranged so that the cable is in
the mid-50% distance between anodes?
2.2.4 If power cable, what are its feed voltages. Is it adequately screened?
What impact would any residual electro-magnetic field strength have
upon adjacent telecommunications cable and/or repeaters?
2.2.5 Is the proposed crossing in the vicinity of a repeater or equaliser? If so,
will the presence of the pipeline prevent the recovery of that
repeater/equaliser in the prevailing water depth by normal cable repair
methods? Can the pipeline/power cable be altered in the planning stage
to increase the distance from the repeater/equaliser?
2.2.6 Is there any local legislation requirement protecting submarine cables
with which the pipeline/power cable owner must comply?

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ICPC Recommendation No. 3, Issue: 8 Issue Date: 19 August 2002

2.2.7 If it becomes necessary to cut and peel back the cable, are there
adequate alternative routes to which traffic may be transferred?
2.2.8 Does the proposed pipeline/power cable route cross the cable at
approximately right angles? If not, then serious maintenance problems
could arise to both systems and, therefore, can the pipeline/power cable
route be altered in the planning stage?
2.2.9 Has a minimum of two weeks notification been given to all involved
parties prior to any operational activity that could affect the
performance of working international telecommunications services?

2.3 Existing Pipeline/Power Cable Crossed By Telecommunications

Cable
2.3.1 Is pipeline/power cable trenched? If so, to what depth? Has there been
natural or artificial backfill? If so, what depth of cover exists now over
the pipeline/power cable? Is this cover adequate for the concerns of the
pipeline/power cable owner and, if not, what additional depth and type
of separation will he require?
2.3.2 Does the pipeline have cathodic protection? If so, what is the distance
between anodes? Are the anode positions accurately known? Can the
cable lay be arranged so that the cable is in the mid-50% distance
between anodes?
2.3.3 Does the pipeline/power cable owner have any specific concerns for the
safety of the pipeline/power cable which will have to be considered?
Will he require any artificial separation to be installed between
pipeline/power cable and telecommunications cable? Will the
telecommunications cable owner consider artificial separation to be
necessary to avoid chafing damage to the telecommunications cable?
2.3.4 Is there any local legislation requirement regarding operating in the
vicinity of pipelines/power cables to be complied with?
2.3.5 Does the proposed cable route cross the pipeline/power cable at
approximately right angles? If not, then serious maintenance problems
could arise to both systems and, therefore, the telecommunications
cable route shall be altered in the planning stage.
2.3.6 Does the proposed telecommunications cable system section sheet
place a repeater in close proximity to the pipeline/power cable
crossing? This could cause later maintenance problems in the event of
repeater replacement becoming necessary, therefore, can the section
sheet be altered in the planning stage?
2.3.7 If the telecommunications cable is to be buried, either during or after
the lay, how close to the pipeline/power cable will the operator allow
the burial equipment to approach?

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ICPC Recommendation No. 3, Issue: 8 Issue Date: 19 August 2002

2.3.8 If burial equipment is not allowed within a given distance from the
pipeline/power cable, what protection will be required for the
telecommunications cable? Double armouring? Rock dumping? Are
there any local legislation or local authority rules to be considered in
this context? Fishing authorities may require coverage of the crossing
to remove obstacles to fishing gear.
If Section 2.3 applies, then the telecommunications cable will be laid over the pipeline/power
cable. If Section 2.2 applies, the telecommunications cable owner must decide on his policy
as to whether to allow the pipeline/power cable on top of the telecommunications cable or to
require a cut and peel back solution and, if the latter, as the pipeline/power cable owner will
be required to pay for the costs, this must be justifiable. In all cases consideration must be
given to protection for the telecommunications cable for its lifetime, with regard to both
physical damage and cathodic corrosion. Therefore, if Section 2.2 applies to an old
telecommunications cable, the protection requirements may be less onerous than for a new
one.

3. CROSSING AGREEMENT
International Law is inadequate to protect the interests of the parties involved in a
pipeline/power and telecommunications cable crossing and, where a crossing occurs within
the legal jurisdiction of a State, the relevant legislation is also rarely sufficient. In addition,
the recourse to any court following a conflict of interest is a lengthy and expensive matter. It
is therefore recommended, in the interests of both parties, to negotiate an Agreement to cover
any pipeline/cable crossing. A sample crossing agreement is available on request to the ICPC
Secretary, or members can obtain directly from the ICPC handbook (Section 28).

The contents of an Agreement are a matter for the individual parties, but it is recommended
that the following points shall be covered:
3.1 Clauses to define the liabilities and rights of both parties.
3.2 The exclusion/inclusion of consequential losses. It is recommended that
consequential losses shall be excluded.
3.3 Definition of a specific area in the vicinity of the crossing within which the
Agreement will operate.
3.4 A general statement of the method of installation of the pipeline or cable as
appropriate. It is not recommended that installation procedures be included in
the body of the Agreement as they may require alteration prior to or during the
operation. They may of course be included in the document as an appendix.
3.5 Future maintenance of the pipeline and cable(s). This may include the method
by which notification of operations by each party is given to the other.
3.6 Definition of the expiry of the Agreement. If section 3.5 is covered then the
normal time is at the removal from service of either the pipeline or cable(s),
whichever comes first.
3.7 Provision of representatives from one party to the other party's operations and
their rights and limitation of their authority.

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ICPC Recommendation No. 3, Issue: 8 Issue Date: 19 August 2002

4. CONCLUSION
Sections 2 and 3 are not intended to be a complete or definitive list of issues that shall be
addressed when pipeline/power cables cross telecommunications. There will be items listed
which may not be applicable to some areas of the world, and equally other areas of the world
may produce problems not listed above.
The most important consideration is that as soon as it becomes apparent that a pipeline/cable
crossing will occur an exchange of information must be initiated at the earliest possible
moment. In addition, a minimum of two weeks notification shall be given to all involved
parties prior to any operational activity that could affect the performance of working
international telecommunications services.
Pipeline/power cable owners who have not crossed a telecommunications cable before often
do not appreciate the problems involved and, therefore, if a telecommunications cable owner
learns of a pipeline/power cable project that may affect the integrity of his cable he would be
wise to make the first approach. Equally, a telecommunications cable owner who has not
crossed a pipeline/power cable before shall not assume that that it is a simple or inexpensive
operation.
All discussions and negotiations shall be conducted with the understanding that both parties
have legitimate concerns. The vast majority of problems can be avoided if they are discussed
before budgets are set and the contracts for submerged plant are granted, whether that plant be
for pipeline/power or telecommunications cable.

Approved: EC 2000

5. REFERENCES
Document Number Title
ICPC Handbook Sec.28 Draft Pipeline Crossing Agreement

6. DEFINITIONS
The following words, acronyms and abbreviations are referred to in this document.
Term Definition

7. ATTACHMENTS
Document Number Title

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