The Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) has just released a new report on, “Pipeline Defect Assessment – A Review & Comparison of Commonly Used Methods.” This document is intended to provide the user with basic tools for defect assessment when the information available includes knowledge of the applied static stress levels in the pipe, the…
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TRRC Rule Amendments & Propositions
On August 23, 2011, the Railroad Commission of Texas (TRRC) adopted some amendments to §3.80, relating to Commission Oil and Gas Forms, Applications, and Filing Requirements. The amendments revise three existing forms, add five new forms, and delete five other forms. The adoption will be published in the September 9, 2011, issue of the Texas…
PHMSA Inspection Forms Updated
PHMSA has issued newly released inspection forms: PHMSA Form 1 Standard Inspection Report of a Gas Transmission Pipeline, Revised 8/4/11 PHMSA Form 2 Standard Inspection Report of Gas Distribution Operator, Revised 5/6/11 PHMSA Form 3 (Standard Inspection Report of a Liquid Pipeline Carrier), Revised July 15, 2011 PHMSA Form 21 Public Awareness Program Effectiveness Inspection…
Advisory Bulletin (ADB-11-05) Potential Pipeline Damage Due to Hurricanes
The Department of Transportation/Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) recently published advisory bulletin ADB-11-05 to advise owners and operators of gas and hazardous liquid pipelines of the potential for damage to pipeline facility caused by the passage of hurricanes. Pipeline operators are urged to take the following actions to ensure pipeline safety: Identify persons who…
Gas Transmission Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM)
On August 25th, PHMSA published in the Federal Register an ANPRM titled “Pipeline Safety: Safety of Gas Transmission Pipelines.” In this ANPRM PHMSA is considering whether changes are needed to the regulations governing the safety of gas transmission pipelines. In particular, PHMSA is considering whether integrity management (IM) requirements should be changed, including increasing prescriptiveness…
PHMSA Webinar – Valve Automation and Leak Detection Study Briefing
October 5, 2012 (9:00 am to 4:00pm EDT) The Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) will be hosting a webinar on Friday October 5, 2012 discussing two studies commissioned by the organization in response to mandates from the Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011, and NTSB recommendations from the San…
Expert Forum on the Use of Performance-based Regulatory Models in the U.S. Oil & Gas Industry, Offshore and Onshore September 20 & 21 – Texas City, Texas
The Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), along with OSHA, US Coast Guard, EPA, the Department of Interior, Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE); and Department of Homeland Security invite interested parties to participate in a co-sponsored stakeholder meeting, and submit comments on the use and implementation of performance-based regulatory…
API Damage Prevention Workshop September 12 -13, Houston, TX
Registration is now open for API’s Damage Prevention Workshop that will be held at the Doubletree Hotel, 15747 John F. Kennedy Boulevard in Houston. Click here for registration information and preliminary agenda. The deadline for pre-registration is September 5. Day One – September 12 1PM – 5PMDay 1 of this workshop will present the latest…
National Pipeline Mapping System Updates Version 3
The National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) has released new High Consequence Area (HCA) data based upon the 2010 census that impacts Highly Populated Areas and Other Populated Areas. The Other Populated Areas (OPA) and Highly Populated Areas (HPA) are boundaries of populated areas; and during the last 10 years, a number of these have changed…
Nebraska State Proposed Rules Rule 183 – 3rd Set
The Nebraska State Public Service Commission (Commission) is proposing to Amend Title 291, Chapter 9, Natural Gas and Pipeline Rules and Regulations to adopt rules regarding pipelines and to implement the provisions of the Major Oil Pipeline Siting Act. (See related article in the May 2012 edition of the DOT Pipeline Compliance News.) Based upon…
TRRC Adopts Amended Rules Relating to Penalty Guidelines for Pipeline Safety Violations
[GUD Docket No. 10131 and 10130] The Railroad Commission of Texas (TRRC) adopted amended rules to l6 TAC §8.135 and §18.12 adding guidelines for administrative penalties for pipeline safety violations. This rulemaking is part of a larger effort to align all TRRC penalty guidelines, and includes corresponding changes in oil and gas, liquefied petroleum gas,…
PHMSA NPRM for Amendments to Administrative Procedures
[Docket No. PHMSA-2012-0102] The Department of Transportation/Pipeline Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) to update the administrative civil penalty maximums for violation of the pipeline safety regulations; and update the informal hearing and adjudication process for pipeline enforcement matters to conform to current law. In addition, PHMSA proposes to…
CGA DIRT Report for 2012 | Vol. 9 Released September 2013
The Common Ground Alliance (CGA) has issued its Damage Information Reporting Tool (DIRT) Report for 2012, providing a summary and analysis of the pipeline damage, near miss, and downtime events that occurred in 2012. The DIRT Report identifies the importance of calling 811 as most critical to safety. The DIRT report for 2012 includes the…
NAPSR Compendium of State Pipeline Safety Requirements, 2nd Edition
The National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR) released the revised “Compendium of State Pipeline Safety Requirements & Initiatives.” The purpose of this report is to highlight the hundreds of areas where actions have been taken to improve pipeline safety improvements throughout the country and to showcase the many different areas of focus. State pipeline…
Illinois Pipeline Regulation Update
[37 Ill. Reg. 15336] On September 30, 2013 the Illinois Commerce Commission published an update to their rules in Title 83 Chapter I Part 590. In addition to the sections of 49 CFR Part 191 that were incorporated by reference in January 1, 2011, the Commission incorporated 49 CFR Section 191.12 and 191.22 as of…
EPA Proposed Rulemaking & Draft Study for Comments
[Docket ID # EPA-HQ-OA-2013-0582] On September 17, 2013, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced a joint proposed rule with the intent to clarify which streams, wetlands and other waters are “waters of the United States” and subject to jurisdiction under the federal Clean Water Act (CWA). The agencies…
PHMSA Class Location Requirements – extension of comment period
[Docket No. PHMSA–2013–0161] On August 1, 2013, PHMSA published a notice of inquiry in the Federal Register on “Class Location Requirements,” seeking comments on whether integrity management program (IMP) requirements, or elements of IMP, should be expanded beyond high consequence areas (HCA) and, with respect to gas transmission pipeline facilities, whether applying IMP requirements to…
PHMSA Notice, Information Collection Request, National Pipeline Mapping Program
[Docket No. PHMSA-2013-0137] The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a notice announcing that the renewal of the Information Collection Request regarding the annual update of information for the National Pipeline Mapping Program is being forwarded to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) for review and approval. Each operator of a pipeline…
PHMSA Publishes Hazardous Liquid Integrity Management Enforcement Guidance
The Pipeline and Hazardous Liquids Safety Administration has recently posted the enforcement guidance document for hazardous liquid pipeline integrity management. The enforcement guidance documents are used by PHMSA staff during an inspection of an operator’s integrity management program. This provides information on the actual code requirements and lists any applicable interpretations, guidance and examples of…
PHMSA Final Rules for Administrative Civil Penalty Maximums, Requests for Specific Information, Informal Hearing Procedures, and Technical Corrections
[Docket No. PHMSA 2012-0102] PHMSA published final rules to update the administrative civil penalty maximums for violation of the pipeline safety regulations, provide for requests for specific information (RSI) at any time, rather than only pursuant to an inspection, changes in informal hearing procedures and various technical corrections. The new rules are effective October 25,…