This is part of the PHMSA New Mega Rule, Part 1 series. 

In the second part of our blog series, we cover the portion the Mega Rule, Part One, that focuses on gas transmission pipeline safety.  The PHMSA’s revisions are intended to improve the safety of onshore gas transmission pipelines by establishing new requirements pipeline operators must comply with effective July 1, 2020.  The rule was published to the Federal Register on October 1, 2019.

Safety of Hazardous Gas Pipelines

PHMSA sent the Federal Register a final rule in response to congressional mandates, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) and Government Accountability Office (GAO) recommendations, lessons learned, and public input. It is amending the pipeline safety regulations to improve the safety of pipelines transporting of natural and other gas.

New Requirements:

• MAOP confirmation of gas transmission and other pipelines lacking certain material or operational records
• Periodic pipeline assessment in areas outside of HCA’s
• Reporting of MAOP exceedance
• Seismicity as a risk factor in integrity management
• Safety features on ILI launchers and receivers
• Record keeping provisions

The final rule effective date is July 1, 2020.

Natural and other gas pipeline safety requirements highlighted herein consist of Part 1 of what is anticipated to be a three-part rulemaking; commonly referred to as the “Mega-Rule”.

Current and future rulemakings will impact hazardous liquid and gas transmission as well as gathering and distribution pipelines.  Since these rules are mandated safety requirements under 49 CFR Parts 192 and 195, Operators are required to implement procedures and practices that satisfy the regulatory requirements.

Audubon’s Advanced Asset Integrity Solutions for Mega Rule Compliance

Through Audubon Companies’ integrated, data-driven, and practical approach to pipeline regulatory compliance, asset integrity, and corrosion protection, we can successfully enable our clients to comply with these new requirements.

Our Asset Integrity & Corrosion team, which consists of pipeline designers, field technicians, operators, and technical specialists, brings a depth of experience to address the challenges that accompany pipeline design, construction, operation, and maintenance – safely and efficiently.

Specific to Mega-Rule, natural and other gas pipeline requirements, Audubon Companies can provide support to manage risk, assure compliance and optimize performance through the following:

• Review and modify written operations & maintenance and integrity management programs to address new regulatory requirements.
• Modify risk models to address new regulatory requirements.
• Update pipeline record retention requirements.
• Define and develop baseline assessment plans for moderate consequence areas (MCA’s).
• Review and modify ILI procedures to ensure compliance with the newly referenced standards in 192.493.
• Identify pipeline segments that require MAOP verification under 192.624.
  • Record review
  • TVC compliance
  • Verification vs. allowable methods
  • Develop an implementation timeline
• Provide pipeline make-piggable engineering, procurement, and construction management (EPCM) services.
• Provide integrity management pipeline assessment services.
• Develop, update, and maintain pipeline asset geospatial data integration and storage platform (ESRI).
• Perform field data collection and testing.

Contact Audubon Companies today to discuss your pipeline assets and how we can help align your current structure and operations to comply with new pipeline safety rules issued by PHMSA.

Read about PHMSA’s new safety rules to overhaul hazardous liquid transmission pipelines here.