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PHMSA Advisory Committee Meets on Gas Regulatory Reform Rule

By Erin Kurilla posted 10-08-2020 11:55 AM

  
The Gas Pipeline Advisory Committee (GPAC) for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) met on October 7 to discuss PHMSA’s Gas Regulatory Reform Rule. The GPAC is a multi-stakeholder group comprised of individuals representing the industry, the public, and regulators. The GPAC is responsible for reviewing proposed regulatory changes for their cost-effectiveness, technical feasibility, and practicality. APGA members are represented on that group by Rich Worsinger from Wilson Energy in Wilson, N.C.

The proposed rule, published on June 9 included 10 proposed changes to gas regulatory requirements. Those proposed changes were:

1. Flexibility in farm tap inspection requirements;
2. Repeal DIMP requirements for master meter operators;
3. Repeal submission requirements for the Mechanical Fitting Failure reports (MFFR);
4. Adjust the monetary damage threshold for reporting incidents for inflation;
5. Allow remote monitoring of rectifier stations;
6. Revise the inspection interval for monitoring atmospheric corrosion (AC) on gas distribution service lines to 5 years;
7. Update the design standard for PE pipe and raise the maximum diameter limit;
8. Revise test requirements for pressure vessels consistent with ASME BPVC;
9. Revise welder requalification requirements to provide scheduling flexibility; and,
10. Extend the allowance for pre-tested short segments of pipe and fabricated units to pipelines operating at a hoop stress less than 30% SMYS and above 100 psi.

APGA, jointly with the American Gas Association, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America, and the American Petroleum Institute submitted comments in response to the proposed rule on August 10. The focus largely supported the proposed changes but offered a few suggested modifications to the code language changes to ensure the practicality of their incorporation. Specifically, the comments encouraged PHMSA to continue to allow a five-year inspection cycle when AC has been found but removed and the pipe segment has been recoated or even replaced.

Most of the suggested changes from industry were approved by the GPAC. On topics of impact to APGA members, there was significant discussion concerning the MFFR and AC re-inspection intervals. In both cases the GPAC voted in support of industry’s positions although there were dissenting votes from some public stakeholder groups. APGA plans to submit follow-up comments to the meeting jointly with the other industry trade associations. Those comments will be shared with the Operations & Safety Committee for their review prior to submission.

The Final Rule is anticipated to be published prior to the end of the year and will likely go into effect a month after it is published.

For more information on the GPAC meeting, please visit https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/meetings/MtgHome.mtg?mtg=151&nocache=9447.

For questions on this article, please contact Erin Kurilla of APGA staff by phone at 202-464-2742 or by email at ekurilla@apga.org.

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