Proposed PHMSA Pipeline Safety Rules

PHMSA Published Proposed Pipeline Safety Rules for Natural Gas and Hazardous Liquid Pipelines Under the Following Two (2) Dockets:

I. Docket No. PHMSA - 2011-0023

81 FR 20722 proposes to revise pipeline safety regulations applicable to onshore gas transmissions and gathering lines.

Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) will substantially revise its rules (at 49 CFR Part 192) around the testing and integrity of pipeline systems, validation of data and records as well as the expansion and additional regulation of gathering lines.

These changes will impact virtually every aspect of pipeline regulations including operator qualifications, control room management, integrity management, risk modeling, and the applicability of requirements to gathering operations.

II. Docket No. PHMSA - 2010-0029

80 FR 61610 proposes to revise pipeline safety regulations applicable to onshore of hazardous liquid pipelines.

PHMSA will be considering whether other areas should be included as HCAs for integrity management (IM) protections, what the repair timeframes should be for areas outside the HCAs that are assessed as part of the IM program, whether leak detection standards are necessary, valve spacing requirements are needed on new construction or existing pipelines, and if PHMSA should extend regulation to certain pipelines currently exempt from regulation.

For further details, go to:

www.phmsa.dot.gov/pipeline/regs/rulemaking/final/