U.S. gas pipeline industry regulations soon will require additional compliance from pipeline operators. Some of these regulatory changes have come in response to gas pipeline explosions that have taken lives and devastated communities.
In hopes of preventing challenging conditions such as corrosion, overpressurization, inadequate records, and third-party damage, Congress mandated the “Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011,” which requires that the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) develop stronger regulations.
These updated regulations can pose significant challenges to pipeline operators. As the last sections of the rules are finalized, there are opportunities for operators to foster a more holistic view of gathering pipelines to bolster safety and improve overall operations.
THE CHANGES TO 49 CFR 191 WILL ADD THE FOLLOWING REPORTING REQUIREMENTS FOR GATHERING LINES:
- Incident reports and supplemental incident reports
- Annual reports
- PHMSA notifications
- Safety-related condition reports
All operators with gathering lines will also need to obtain an Operator Identification Number (OPID) from PHMSA for reporting purposes.
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