Safety of Gas Distribution Pipelines and Other Pipeline Safety Initiatives
NPRM Summary On August 24, 2023, PHMSA issued their notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for Safety of Gas Distribution Pipelines and Other Safety Initiatives, which published to the Federal Register today. This rulemaking comes out of the Protecting our...
Valve Rule Analysis
On April 8, 2022, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) published the Requirement of Valve Installation and Minimum Rupture Detection Standards, Final Rule (Valve Rule) in the Federal Register with an effective date October 5, 2022. This...
PHMSA Webinar on Emissions Reduction Expectations and Inspections
PHMSA Webinar on Emissions Reduction Expectations and Inspections Pipes Safety Act 2020, Section 114 PHMSA hosted a webinar on February 17, 2022, to discuss procedural emission reduction expectations and upcoming inspections for all oil and gas operators with assets...
Gas Gathering Final Rule Summary
PHMSA's Safety of Gas Gathering Pipelines: Extension of Reporting Requirements, Regulation of Large, High-Pressure Lines, and Other Related Amendments, rule was issued on the Federal Register today with the published version expected on Monday November 15, 2021....
First Annual Report Coming Due for Previously Unregulated Liquid Gathering Lines
In 2019 PHMSA released an updated rulemaking to 49 CFR Part 195, Transportation of Hazardous Liquids by Pipeline. This rulemaking added section §195.15, What requirements apply to reporting-regulator- only gathering lines?, which subjects otherwise unregulated rural...
PIPES Act of 2020 Summary
On December 27, 2020, President Trump signed the Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety (PIPES) Act of 2020 into law. This law includes mandates for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) to execute actions within...
Project Spotlight: Facility IMP
Elemental Compliance developed gas and liquid Facility Integrity Management Programs for an operator with over 20 jurisdictional facilities. Recently the gas program was audited by PHMSA and received no findings. This project came in response to PHMSA’s increased...
Pipeline Valve Rule GPAC/LPAC Meeting
The Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) and the Liquid Pipeline Advisory Committee (LPAC) met last week to discuss the Amendments to 49 CFR Parts 192 and 195 to require Valve Installation and Minimum Rupture Detection Standards. The Valve Installation and Minimum...
Mega Rule Part 1 Check-In
As the original deadline date looms closer operators might be asking themselves how well they are doing with process development and implementation of Part 1 of the Gas Transmission Rule: MAOP Reconfirmation, Expansion of Assessment Requirements, and Other Related...
Underground Natural Gas Storage Facility Final Rule
If you are a natural gas operator, it is likely your regulatory focus is currently on development and implementation of Part 1 of the Gas Transmission Rule, A.K.A the “Mega Rule”. Though this rulemaking was significant the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety...
Mega Rule Part 1
How is your organization doing with tackling Part 1 of the Gas Transmission Rule: MAOP Reconfirmation, Expansion of Assessment Requirements, and Other Related Amendments, a.k.a the “Mega Rule” issued October 1, 2019 by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety...
COGCC HB 181 Flowline Rulemaking
The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) published a new draft flowline rulemaking to meet House Bill (HB) 181 requirements. This rulemaking expands on the recent flowline rule which went into effect May 1, 2018. Key requirements of this draft...
Three New PHMSA Rules
The Federal Register will be publishing three new Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) rules on October 1, 2019. These rules include the much-anticipated natural gas maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) verification; traceable,...
Elemental Compliance and Lean Compliance Announce Strategic Alliance to Deliver Effective Pipeline Safety Management Programs to US and Canadian Markets
Houston - August 14, 2019 - Elemental Compliance today announced the formation of an alliance with Lean Compliance Consulting, Inc., experts in compliance driven operational processes to deliver effective pipeline safety management programs supporting US and Canadian...
TX RRC Draft Pipeline Safety Changes
The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) is drafting regulatory updates to the pipeline safety rule (Chapter 8) to address natural gas and hazardous liquid gathering lines currently exempt from regulation. The draft language proposes to add the following requirements to...
June GPAC Meeting Blog
This week the Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) held its meeting on proposed Gas Gathering rulemaking, otherwise known as the third part of the “Mega Rule”. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHSMA) officials and members of the GPAC,...
Voluntary Information-Sharing Report Published
The Voluntary Information-Sharing (VIS) Working Group has released its final report detailing its recommendations to the Secretary of Transportation on how a VIS system might be achieved. The report contains 3 Primary Recommendations it deems essential to get a VIS...
Colorado Flowlines: Are You Ready?
We are less than six months away from the Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission (COGCC) Form 44 registration and compliance deadline for flowlines.• Does your company operate flowlines or crude oil transfer lines subject to the COGCC requirements passed in...
PHMSA Issues New Advisory Bulletin on Earth Movement and Geological Hazards
Today the Pipeline Hazard Materials and Safety Administration (PHMSA) has released Advisory Bulletin 2019-0087, Potential for Damage to Pipeline Facilities Caused by Earth Movement and Other Geological Hazards. There have been several recent...
Pipeline Regulatory Updates Spring 2019
Pipeline regulatory updates are back! For updates on the below topics and other state and federal regulatory initiatives, follow Elemental Compliance on LinkedIn, or watch for our blogs at www.ElementalCompliance.com . There’s a lot going in the regulatory arena...