Expanding American Infrastructure Helps Achieve Climate Progress! #DidYouKnow that new pipelines could help further reduce emissions? Pipelines are key to safely capturing and storing carbon to keep it away from our air. To advance lower carbon technologies, it’s important that America expands modern infrastructure and accelerates energy innovations instead of delaying technologies and restricting needed…
Uncategorized
The Enforcement Corner
The Enforcement Corner summarizes recent PHMSA enforcement actions, indicating where PHMSA is putting its enforcement efforts and the fines they are proposing for various types of violations. In December 2023, PHMSA issued 7 NOAs, 8 NOPVs, and 7 WLs accompanied by $527,934 in proposed fines. Significant proposed fines were attributed to the following code sections: …
PHMSA Form Updates
PHMSA has made changes to several forms as listed below. PHMSA updated these forms on January 10, 2024 PHMSA updated these forms on January 2 & 3, 2024 You can download copies of these forms here.
PHMSA Issues FAQ for RIN 2 Gas Transmission Rule
PHMSA has posted new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) related to “Pipeline Safety: Safety of Gas Transmission Pipelines: Repair Criteria, Integrity Management Improvements, Cathodic Protection, Management of Change, and Other Related Amendments” Rule (87 FR 52224 (Aug. 24, 2022)), as amended by 88 FR 24708 (Apr. 24, 2023) (collectively, the “2022 Gas Transmission Final Rule”). The…
Did you know?
DID YOU KNOW? INGAA members take several proactive steps to prepare for winter weather as part of their commitment to the safe, secure, and reliable transportation of natural gas throughout the country. INGAA members’ winterization plans generally focus on three key areas: asset integrity, stakeholder coordination, and personnel safety. Click here to read more.
Unlocking the Power of Legacy Knowledge: A Knowledge Transfer Success Story
In 2023, RCP had the opportunity to collaborate with an Operator on a vital knowledge transfer project, aiming to preserve valuable insights from the client’s retiring staff. Below is a summary of the effort in the form of a case study: This case study illuminates how ‘Operator,’ a prominent utility company, effectively confronted the challenge…
PHMSA’s Enforcement Discretion: Onshore Gas Transmission Pipeline Regulations Update and Relief Period Extension
PHMSA will exercise enforcement discretion for onshore gas transmission pipelines that entered into service after August 24, 2022, and will not initiate enforcement action for an additional nine (9) months (to February 24, 2024) with the exception of the following: While these enforcement discretion actions provide limited relief in the form of an extension, pipeline operators…
Changes to the Gas Transmission and Gathering Pipeline Systems Annual Report Form F 7100.2-1
Revised Announcement for Gas Transmission and Regulated Gas Gathering Annual Report Changes: For the 2024 report to be filed in 2025, any modifications to the gas transmission and regulated gas gathering annual report, approved by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), will come into effect. Currently, OMB approval has been granted for certain changes,…
Mississippi One-Call Regulation Changes
On January 5, 2024, Significant Revisions to Mississippi’s Title 77 – Public Utilities and Carriers Chapter 13: Regulation of Excavations Near Underground Utility Facilities of the Mississippi Statutes was revised. The biggest impact of these revisions changes the minimum time for providing notice of intent to excavate to Mississippi 811 from 2 days to 3…
The Enforcement Corner
The Enforcement Corner summarizes recent PHMSA enforcement actions, indicating where PHMSA is putting its enforcement efforts and the fines they are proposing for various types of violations. In November 2023, PHMSA issued 5 NOAs, 5 NOPVs, and 6 WLs accompanied by $63,900 in proposed fines. Significant proposed fines were attributed to the following code sections: …
Amended Corrective Action Order for Enable Gas
PHMSA issued an amended corrective action order for Enable Gas due to a pipeline rupture that occurred on October 4, 2023, on its 24-inch natural gas transmission pipeline near Jessieville, Arkansas. The Enable Gas control room was alerted by the public to a possible pipeline rupture and responded to shut-in the affected segment of their…
Ecological USA Update Coming in 2024
PHMSA has hired a contractor to update the location of Ecological Unusually Sensitive Areas for Liquid IMP HCA analysis. The update is scheduled for Q4 2024. While we can’t pinpoint the exact release date by PHMSA, it’s likely to hit the public domain sometime in November or December 2024. Operators will then need to use…
Minnesota Pipeline Routing Rule Change
The State of Minnesota has revised the definitions in Chapter 216G – Pipelines concerning ROUTING OF CERTAIN PIPELINES (216G.02). The rule revisions are given below (emphasis added): Subdivision 1. Definitions. Note that these rules apply to “pipeline” routing, not pipeline safety, and require “pipelines” to obtain a pipeline routing permit issued by the Public Utilities…
The Enforcement Corner
The Enforcement Corner summarizes recent PHMSA enforcement actions, indicating where PHMSA is putting its enforcement efforts and the fines they are proposing for various types of violations. In October 2023, PHMSA issued 1 CAO, 6 NOAs, 1 NOPSO, 6 NOPVs, and 4 WLs accompanied by $87,800 in proposed fines. Significant proposed fines were attributed to…
Underwater Inspection Procedures & Inspection Interval Risk Model Updates
As a reminder, this is a good time to evaluate your pipelines in the waters of the Gulf of Mexico and see if their risk profiles have changed. It has been a quiet year for hurricanes this year, but it has been a busy year for several of the other hazards for underwater pipelines. RCP’s…
National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) Phase 0 for Breakout Tanks
The approaching NPMS Phase 0 deadline, set for June 2024, marks an important moment for operators in the energy and infrastructure sector. This deadline requires operators to submit vital data regarding breakout tanks, which are integral to the management of hazardous liquids within our energy infrastructure. Furthermore, pipeline data, such as pipeline diameter, which was…
Alabama GPS Rules for Operators
Alabama Public Service Commission has incorporated a new regulation (900-7-15 (GPS Rule 15)) concerning calibration of testing and equipment. The regulation requires natural gas and hazardous liquid pipeline operators to make sure all equipment used to verify regulatory compliance is properly calibrated on a timely basis. This includes equipment used in construction, operation, maintenance of…
The Enforcement Corner
The Enforcement Corner summarizes recent PHMSA enforcement actions, indicating where PHMSA is putting its enforcement efforts and the fines they are proposing for various types of violations. In September 2023, PHMSA issued 2 NOAs, 6 NOPVs, and 4 WLs accompanied by $445,000 in proposed fines. Significant proposed fines were attributed to the following code sections: …
Did you know?
Customer Efficiency Program Efficiency Program DID YOU KNOW? About consumer efficiency programs…
Q&A Section
Do you have questions? RCP’s SMEs have the answers. Information will be posted here for questions we often get from clients or discussions we have with regulators, interpretations and pending regulatory deadlines. Q: Our company purchased a pipeline asset from another company, and hired the technicians that worked for the previous operator. Can our company…