[Docket No. PHMSA-2017-0094 and PHMSA-2018-0026] June 12-13, Washington, DC PHMSA is holding a two-part public meeting to discuss amending: 1. the applicable Unusually Sensitive Areas (USA) definition for the Great Lakes, coastal beaches, and marine coastal waters, and 2. public awareness and engagement. During this meeting, PHMSA will provide updates on amending the applicable USA and/or high consequences area (HCA) definitions to include…
June 2019
PHMSA Public Meeting to Solicit Input for 2020 Emergency Response Guidebook
June 17, 2019 Washington, DC PHMSA’s Office of Hazardous Materials Safety has scheduled a public meeting for June 17, 2019, to solicit input on the development of the 2020 edition of the Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG). The ERG is a guidebook intended for use by first responders during the initial phase of a transportation incident…
PHMSA Sends Gas Transmission Rule to OMB
PHMSA has indicated that the first of the three gas transmission and gathering final rules (Safety of Gas Transmission Pipelines: MAOP Reconfirmation, Expansion of Assessment Requirements, and Other Related Amendments) has been sent to the Office of Management and Budget for their review. This review can take up to 90 days to complete, but it…
Proposed Pipeline Safety Act Modifications
On June 3, 2019, U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao Announced DOT’s 2019 Pipeline Safety Legislative Proposal. According to Secretary Chao, the proposed legislation prioritizes safety, promotes innovation, and encourages reliable energy infrastructure in the United States. The proposed legislation would reauthorize pipeline safety programs at the Department’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)…
Aliso Canyon Gas Storage Incident Findings Published
The California Public Utility Commission (CPUC) and the Division of Oil, Gas, and Geothermal Resources (DOGGR) published their findings for the Southern California Gas Company, Aliso Canyon Gas Storage SS-25 Incident. The report concludes the ruptured production casing was due to external microbial corrosion. Root cause analysis findings included: Risk assessments were not conducted to…
American Gas Association Recommends Adoption of API RP 1173 Pipeline Safety Management Systems
The American Gas Association (AGA) Board of Directors approved a resolution recommending that all members implement Pipeline Safety Management Systems (PSMS) within three years. From the AGA news release: “. . . At the heart of PSMS is a safety culture promoting non-punitive reporting and consistent self-evaluation to help identify top-priority risks, taking steps to…
AGA White Paper for Natural Gas Systems
[Released April 8, 2019] The American Gas Association (AGA) has published a white paper, “Skills and Experience for Effectively Designing Natural Gas Systems,” that provides guidance to operators on workforce knowledge, skills and communications. The report details a tiered approach to developing a foundational understanding of natural gas systems, improving knowledge about operator-specific processes and…
Fundamentals of Pipeline Operations Workshop
June 26-27, 2019 Join us June 26-27, 2019 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…
California Proposed One Call Changes
[CRNR, Register 2019, Volume No. 20-Z, 05/17/2019, pages 780-784] The California Underground Facilities Safe Excavation Board is proposing to add sections 4000 through 4361 under California Code of Regulations, Title 19, Division 4, Chapters 1 – 4. The regulations proposed in this rulemaking action would establish definitions for certain terms used in the proposed regulations,…
Illinois Gas Regulations Update
On May 21, 2019, the Illinois Commerce Commission revised their regulations in Title 590 – Minimum Safety Standards for Transportation of Gas and for Gas Pipeline Facilities. These revisions updated Section 590.10(a) to exclude Section 49 CFR 192.12 from the Federal Standards Incorporated by Reference. In addition, the revisions state Operators are not required to…
Job Opening – Executive Director of the Pipeline Safety Trust
Carl Weimer, the executive director of the Pipeline Safety Trust since its inception in 2003, has announced his intention to retire at the end of this year. The board of the PST is actively seeking a replacement, and is accepting resumes until June 12, 2019. Additional information can be found here. On a personal note,…
2019 Summer Industry Conference Schedule
TGA Operations and Management ConferenceJuly 9-12, 2019Embassy Suites | San Marcos, TXRegistration opening soon. SGA Natural Gas ConnectJuly 15-17, 2019J.W. Marriott Hill Country Resort & Spa | San Antonio, TX RCP is a proud sponsor and exhibitor of this new conference with a new name. Also known as NGC, this new conference will offer more…