"NickW" wrote in message
om...
I am running oil pipes under a gravel drive where people walk and cars
drive. I was going to put the copper pipe inside some spare MDPE mains
water pipe I've got so it should be well protected.

How shallow a trench could I get away with?

It's not (just) that I'm lazy, I'm also trying to avoid damaging some
propane lines which also run through the same ground. I will have to
cross them at some point. Hopefully they will be buried quite deep.


There are standards in force for oil pipe installations which are laid down
by OFTEC in conjunction with the Building Regs. Basically since the
installation of heating systems came under building control OFTEC standards
should be applied. take a look at the OFTEC website www.oftec.org
Annex 12 to book three gives information about burying pipes in trenches
and I'm sure you will be delighted to learn that the trench should be 450mm
deep, a layer of sand 40mm thick laid down, the pipe laid on that and
covered with another 40mm layer of sand before backfilling the trench but
with a marker tape buried in the backfill material 150mm down. Any joints
in the underground section of pipe should be provided with an access
chamber for maintenance.

I'll bet you really wanted to know that didn't you?