JUNE 5 – 7, 2018 Join RCP on June 5-7, 2018 in Houston at our corporate office and dedicated training facility for an informative, lively, and interactive workshop on DOT Pipeline Compliance topics. The workshop provides an overview of the DOT pipeline regulations in 49 CFR 191, 192, 194, 195, 196, and 199. It also…
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PHMSA’s Proposed Rule for Gas Transmission and Gathering Pipelines
[Docket No. PHMSA-2011-0023] The industry trade associations filed joint comments to the “congressional mandates” rulemaking to amend the federal safety regulations applicable to gas transmission and gathering pipelines. (See related article in the April 2018 Edition of the DOT Pipeline Compliance Newsletter.) Their comments and the GPAC Slide Presentation on the Gas Rule are posted…
Changes to Excavation Damage Prevention Rules in Mississippi
The State of Mississippi has recently revised Title 77 – Public Utilities and Carriers; Chapter 13 – Regulation of Excavations Near Underground Utility Facilities. In addition to various changes to the existing rules on excavation damage prevention, the rule creates a new Design Information Request, requiring response within 7 days by utility owners to a…
Audit of FERC Certification Process
The Office of Inspector General within the Department of Energy has published a report from its recent audit of the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Natural Gas Certification Process (a.k.a. a FERC Certificate). Excerpts from that report include: While nothing came to our attention to indicate that natural gas certification applications had been inappropriately approved or…
Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC)
The next GPAC meeting is scheduled for Thursday, September 6, 2018 from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and on Friday, September 7 from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The GPAC meeting will discuss the NPRM, Pipeline Safety: Safety of Gas Gathering Lines. (See related article in the April 2018 edition of the DOT Pipeline Compliance…
GAO Report on PHMSA / State Inspection Resource Needs
GAO-18-461: Published: May 29, 2018. Publicly Released: May 29, 2018 The Government Accountability Office (GAO) has recently looked into federal and state responsibilities for interstate pipeline inspections. While PHMSA expanded its inspector workforce by 25% between 2012 and 2017, the agency hasn’t planned for future workforce needs—for example, it hasn’t assessed how states can help…
Joint Industry Comments Submitted to Docket
Joint industry comments from API, INGAA, AGA and APGA have been submitted to the docket for the pending notice of proposed rulemaking “Safety of Gas Transmission Pipelines: Repair Criteria, Integrity Management Improvements, Cathodic Protection, Management of Change, and Other Related Amendments”. This NPRM is one of three rules that were split out of the original…
Fundamentals of Pipeline Operations Workshop
Sept 19 – 20, 2018 Join us September 19-20, 2018 in Houston at our corporate office and dedicated training facility for this new workshop on the fundamentals of pipeline operations. This 2-day course is designed to give a comprehensive overview of gas and liquid energy transmission pipelines and how they are operated and maintained. It…
2018 Industry Conference Schedule
2018 APGA ANNUAL CONFERENCEJuly 22 – 25, 2018Hilton Portland DowntownPortland, OR The American Public Gas Association (APGA) Annual Conference is the largest gathering of municipal natural gas professionals across the nation. From the educational sessions with key industry figures generating new ideas to networking opportunities with hundreds of colleagues from across the nation, the APGA…
New York Proposed Gas Safety Regulations
[Number 16 NYCRR 255 – Gas Safety Regulations] The New York Public Service Commission (PSC) is required to adopt federal pipeline safety standards [pursuant to 49 USC § 60105(b)(2)]. The PSC has two years from the date of adoption by PHMSA to adopt any new rules. This gas safety rulemaking is being proposed to bring…
Delaware Proposed Regulation for Underground Injection Control
[Number 7-7102 – Regulations Governing Underground Injection Control] The Final Regulation for 7102 Regulations Governing Underground Injection Control that was published in the June 1, 2018 issue of the Delaware Register of Regulations (21 DE Reg. 978) contained two errors. The submitted final regulation failed, for consistency purposes, to correct a unit of measurement of…
PHMSA Pipeline Safety Research and Development Forum
The 2018 Pipeline R&D Forum will be held on September 11-12 in Baltimore, MD. The forum is a 2-day event held periodically to generate a National research agenda that fosters solutions for the various challenges associated with pipeline safety and with protecting the environment. The forum allows public, government and industry pipeline stakeholders to develop…
Meeting of the Voluntary Information-Sharing System Working Group
[Docket No. PHMSA-2016-0128] The Voluntary Information-sharing System (VIS) Working Group will convene on August 23, 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. ET at the U.S. Department of Transportation, 1200 New Jersey Ave. SE, Washington, DC 20590 to discuss and identify recommendations to establish a voluntary information-sharing system. The VIS Working Group agenda will include…
Fundamentals of Pipeline Operations Workshop
SEPT 19-20, 2018 Join us September 19-20, 2018 in Houston at our corporate office and dedicated training facility for this new workshop on the fundamentals of pipeline operations. This 2-day course is designed to give a comprehensive overview of gas and liquid energy transmission pipelines and how they are operated and maintained. It is appropriate…
2018 Industry Conference Schedule
WESTERN REGIONAL CONFERENCE SCHEDULEAugust 28-29, 2018M Resort in Henderson, Nevada Mark your calendar for Tuesday, August 28th, and plan to attend Chris Foley’s presentation on “Developing a Comprehensive Underground Storage Integrity Management Plan” at 1:45 in the Marche Ballroom. The Western Regional Gas Conference provides a forum for the free exchange of information between natural…
DOT Pipeline Compliance Workshop
SEPTEMBER 11-13, 2018 Join us September 11-13, 2018 in Houston at our corporate office and dedicated training facility for an informative, lively, and interactive workshop on DOT Pipeline Compliance topics. The workshop provides an overview of the DOT pipeline regulations in 49 CFR 191, 192, 194, 195, 196, and 199. It also describes pipeline operations…
INGAA Interactive Gas Transmission Map Application
There’s a handy map application on the INGAA website if you need to get a big-picture look at where gas transmission pipelines are in the US, by operator and by pipeline system. Click here to view the interactive map showing the main interstate natural gas transmission pipelines (and a few intrastate) in North America. It allows you…
Louisiana State Regulations
In June 2018, the Louisiana Department of Conservation updated their regulations to incorporated 49 CFR Part 195.193. Additionally, these regulations were updated to incorporate the latest regulation changes to 49 CFR Parts 191, 192, 195 and 199.
PHMSA, FERC to Sign Memorandum of Understanding to Streamline Safety Review and Permitting Process for LNG Facility Proposals
On July 19, 2018, the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), announced that the two agencies have agreed to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that would refine and shorten the permit application review process for proposed Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) facilities. “PHMSA…
PHMSA Pipeline Safety Research and Development Forum
The 2018 Pipeline R&D Forum will be held on September 11-12 at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor Hotel, 300 Light Street, Baltimore, Maryland, 21202. The forum is a 2-day event held periodically to generate a national research agenda that fosters solutions for the various challenges associated with pipeline safety and with protecting the environment.…