Pipeline Safety: Gas Pipeline Regulatory Reform Final rule; withdrawal of enforcement discretion

Date:

August 12, 2021

Purpose: 

The Minnesota Department of Public Safety Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) is issuing this Alert Notice to highlight various federal regulatory changes that should be reviewed by all pipeline operators.

Guidance Pertains to the Following Underlined Code Sections (listed in order of appearance in final rule):

1. 49 CFR Part §192.740 Pressure regulating, limiting, and overpressure protection - Individual service lines directly connected to regulated gathering or transmission pipelines.
2. 49 CFR Part §192.1003 What do the regulations in this subpart cover?
3. 49 CFR Part §191.12 [Removed and Reserved]
4. 49 CFR Part §191.3 Definitions.
5. 49 CFR Part §192.465(b) External corrosion control: Monitoring.
6. 49 CFR Part §192.481 Atmospheric corrosion control: Monitoring.
7. 49 CFR Part §192.7 What documents are incorporated by reference partly or wholly in this part?
8. 49 CFR Part §192.121 Design of plastic pipe.
9. 49 CFR Part §192.281 Plastic pipe.
10. 49 CFR Part §192.285 Plastic pipe: Qualifying persons to make joints.
11. 49 CFR Appendix B to Part 192 - Qualification of Pipe and Components
12. 49 CFR Part §192.153 Components fabricated by welding.
13. 49 CFR Part §192.229 Limitations on welders and welding operators.
14. 49 CFR Part §192.507 Test requirements for pipelines to operate at a hoop stress less than 30 percent of SMYS and at or above 100 p.s.i. (689 kPa) gage.

Scope:

On January 11, 2021, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) amended the Federal Pipeline Safety Regulations. Operators can view the published final rule online. This rule became effective on March 12, 2021. Compliance with the amendments adopted in the final rule is required by October 1, 2021.

OPS Comments:

OPS would like to highlight a few of the changes made in the final rule, changes 1-6, and 13. Not all changes are discussed below. Operators should seek additional guidance from the final rule for changes 7-12, and 14.

Inspection of Pressure Regulation Devices at Farm Taps 

Parts 192.740 and 192.1003 have been amended to allow operators of farm taps, as previously defined by PHMSA, the choice of managing inspections of pressure regulating devices at farm taps by either code section 192.740 or under their distribution integrity management plan (DIMP).

DIMP Requirements for Master Meter Operators

Parts 192.1003, 192.1005, and 192.1015 have been amended to exempt Master Meter Operators from the requirements of having a DIMP Plan. This exemption does not apply to operators of small LPG or small distribution systems.

Elimination of Mechanical Fitting Failure Reports

Parts 191.12 and 192.1009 have been removed to eliminate a dedicated report for mechanical fitting failures (MFF). The reporting of MFF will be required on major incidents as well as on annual reports. A section of the annual report will ask for the number of leaks where an MFF was involved. This is separate and in addition to the leaks by cause section of the annual report. It should be noted by operators that this does not relieve them of the requirements of part 192.617 for preventing recurrence of failures and part 192.703 for the repair of hazardous leaks as well as other code requirements.

Revision of Monetary Threshold for Incident Reporting

Part 191.3 section (1)(ii) has been amended for the definition of an incident. The Estimated Property Damage amount has been increased from $50,000 to $122,000. This damage threshold will be updated annually per appendix A of part 191 and be posted to PHMSA’s website.

Remote Inspection of Rectifiers

Part 192.465(b) has been amended to allow each protection rectifier or impressed current power source to be inspected either through remote measurement or through an onsite inspection. After January 1, 2022, each remotely inspected rectifier must be physically inspected once per calendar year not exceeding 15 months from the previous physical inspection.

Revision of Atmospheric Corrosion Requirements for Gas Service Lines

Part 192.481(a) has been amended to align the inspection interval for atmospheric corrosion on gas distribution service pipelines with the leak survey requirements of 192.723 which occur at least every 5 calendar years not to exceed 63 months. Additionally, part 192.481(d) has been added if atmospheric corrosion is found on a service line during the most recent inspections, then the next inspection for that portion of the pipeline shall be within 3 calendar years not to exceed 39 months from the previous inspection. This is regardless of any remedial measure taken as required per 192.481(c).

Part 192.491(c)(2) has been added to require operators to retain the two most recent atmospheric corrosion inspections for each distribution service line.

Part 192.1007 and 192.1015 have been amended to require operators of gas distribution systems to specifically include atmospheric corrosion in their distribution integrity management plans.

Revision of Limitations on Welders and Welding Operators

Part 192.229 has been revised to align better with the welder requalification requirement of 192.229(d)(2).

Please contact our office if you have any questions regarding this alert notice.