PHMSA has announced they will be splitting the Safety of Gas Transmission and Gathering Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) (81 FR 20722) into three separate final rules.

The first of three gas transmission and gathering pipeline rulemakings was published in the Federal Register on October 1, 2019 (Docket No. PHMSA-2011-0023; Amdt. Nos. 191-26; 192-125).  This rulemaking addresses several congressional mandates, dating back to the 2011 reauthorization legislation, and addresses several the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) recommendations following the PG&E San Bruno accident. The effective date of the rule is July 1, 2020, with several requirements that extend out as much as 15 years to complete.  This is a significant rulemaking, and RCP can help operators integrate the new requirements into their integrity and MAOP programs accordingly. The rule is called Safety of Gas Transmission Pipelines: MAOP Reconfirmation, Expansion of Assessment Requirements, and Other Related Amendments, and addresses the following items:

• 6-month grace period for 7 calendar-year reassessment intervals
• Seismicity threats related to integrity management
• MAOP exceedance reporting
• Material verification, MAOP reconfirmation, & amendments related to §192.619
• Non-High Consequence Area (HCA) assessments and Moderate Consequence Area (MCA) definition
• Related record provisions

RCP has been a market leader in providing MAOP Validation Services for over 20 years. Whether you are just starting your MAOP validation efforts, not sure what to do next, or need help finishing, RCP has a wealth of experienced engineers and support staff to help you understand and comply with the MAOP Reconfirmation, Expansion of Assessment Requirements Rule.