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Safety of Gas Transmission Pipelines Rule Fact Sheet: MAOP Reconfirmation, Expansion of Assessment Requirements, and Other Related Amendments, RIN 1 Objectives

Objectives

Several of the amendments made in this rule are related to congressional legislation from the 2011 Pipeline Safety Act. The Act provides a 6-month grace period, with written notice, for the completion of periodic integrity management reassessments that otherwise would be completed no later than every 7 calendar years. Another requirement is that operators explicitly consider and account for seismicity in identifying and evaluating potential threats. The Act also requires operators to report exceedances of the maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) of gas transmission pipelines. PHMSA is incorporating these changes into the PSR at 49 CFR parts 190-199 in this final rule.

This rule also requires operators of certain onshore steel gas transmission pipeline segments to reconfirm the MAOP of those segments and gather any necessary material property records they might need to do so, where the records needed to substantiate the MAOP are not traceable, verifiable, and complete. This includes previously untested pipelines, which are commonly referred to as "grandfathered" pipelines, operating at or above 30 percent of specified minimum yield strength (SMYS). Records to confirm MAOP include pressure test records or material property records (mechanical properties) that verify the MAOP is appropriate for the class location. Operators with missing records can choose one of six methods to reconfirm their MAOP and must keep the record that is generated by this exercise for the life of the pipeline. PHMSA has also created an opportunistic method by which operators with insufficient material property records can obtain such records. These physical material property and attribute records include the pipeline segment's diameter, wall thickness, seam type, grade (the minimum yield strength and ultimate tensile strength of the pipe), and Charpy V-notch toughness values (full-size specimen and based on the lowest operational temperatures), if applicable or required. PHMSA considers "insufficient" material property records to be those records where the pipeline's physical material properties and attributes are not documented in traceable, verifiable, and complete records.

PHMSA is requiring operators to perform integrity assessments on certain pipelines outside of HCAs, whereas prior to this rule's publication, integrity assessments were only required for pipelines in HCAs. Pipelines in Class 3 locations, Class 4 locations, and in the newly defined "moderate consequence areas" (MCA) must be assessed initially within 14 years of this rule's publication date and then must be reassessed at least once every 10 years thereafter. These assessments will provide important information to operators about the conditions of their pipelines, including the existence of internal and external corrosion and other anomalies, and will provide an elevated level of safety for the populations in MCAs while continuing to allow operators to prioritize the safety of HCAs. This action fulfills the section 5 mandate from the 2011 Pipeline Safety Act to expand elements of the IM requirements beyond HCAs where appropriate.

This rule also explicitly requires devices on in-line inspection (ILI), launcher or receiver facilities that can safely relieve pressure in the barrel before inserting or removing ILI tools, and requires the use of a device that can indicate whether the pressure has been relieved in the barrel or can otherwise prevent the barrel from being opened if the pressure is not relieved. PHMSA is finalizing this requirement in this final rule because it is aware of incidents where operator personnel have been killed or seriously injured due to pressure build-up at these stations.

Summary of Final Rule Requirements in Table format (see regulatory text for specific requirements):

Summary of Gas Rule 2022 in Table format (see regulatory text for specific requirements)
Provision Scope
Reporting
§§ 191.23, 191.25
All Gas Distribution, Gas Gathering, Gas Transmission operators
General
§§ 192.3, 192.5, 192.7, 192.9, 192.18, 192.67, 192.69
Onshore Gas Transmission operators
Pipe Design
§§ 192.127, 192.150, 192.205, 192.227, 192.285
All Gas Distribution, Gas Gathering, Gas Transmission operators
Corrosion Control
§ 192.493
Onshore Gas Transmission operators
Testing Requirements
§§ 192.506, 192.517
All Gas Distribution, Gas Gathering, Gas Transmission operators
Operations & Maintenance
§§ 192.607, 192.619, 192.624, 192.632
Onshore Steel Gas Transmission operators
Maintenance
§§ 192.710, 192.712, 192.750
Gas Transmission operators
Qualification of Pipeline Personnel
§ 192.805
Gas Transmission operators
Integrity Management
§§ 192.909, 192.917, 192,921, 192.933, 192.935, 192.937, 192.939, 192.949
Gas Transmission operators
Guided Wave Ultrasonic Testing
192 Appendix F
Gas Transmission operators