Action
Notice of proposed rulemaking.
Summary
This document proposes regulations to test, repair and validate through analysis the integrity of most hazardous liquid pipelines that could affect populated areas, commercially navigable waterways, and areas unusually sensitive to environmental damage. RSPA's Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) proposes to define these areas as high consequence areas. In these proposed high consequence areas, OPS is proposing that an operator develop and follow an integrity management program that continually assesses and evaluates the integrity of those pipelines that could affect a high consequence area, through internal inspection or pressure testing, and data integration and analysis. Through this required program, OPS expects operators to comprehensively evaluate the entire range of threats to pipeline integrity by analyzing all available information about the pipeline and consequences of a failure. This would include information on the potential for damage due to excavation, data gathered through the required integrity assessment, results of other inspections and tests required by the pipeline safety regulations, including corrosion control monitoring and cathodic protection surveys, and information about how a failure could affect the high consequence area, such as location of water intakes. The proposed rule requires an operator to take prompt action to address the integrity issues raised by the assessment and analysis. This means an operator must evaluate and repair all defects that could reduce a pipeline's integrity according to specified risk criteria. The integrity of these pipelines would be further assured through other remedial actions, and preventive and mitigative measures.