June 09, 2021
By:
Walter G. Wright
Category:
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
Arkansas Environmental, Energy, and Water Law
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The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (“PHMSA”) issued Advisory Bulletin 03-21 in a prepublication Federal Register Notice titled:
Pipeline Safety: Statutory Mandate to Update Inspection and Maintenance Plans to Address Eliminating Hazardous Leaks and Minimizing Releases of Natural Gas from Pipeline Facilities (“Bulletin”)
See Docket No. PHMSA-2021-0050.
PHMSA states that the purposes of the Bulletin include:
- Reminding pipeline and pipeline facility operators of the requirements found in the federal Protecting our Infrastructure of Pipelines and Enhancing Safety Act (“PIPES Act”) mandating minimization of methane emissions
- Noting PIPES Act requirement that pipeline operators update inspection/maintenance plans to address the elimination of hazardous leaks and minimize natural gas releases
- Ensuring that updated plans address replacement or remediation at facilities that have historically experienced leaks
- Identifying procedures to prevent and mitigate both vented (intentional) and fugitive (unintentional) pipeline emissions
- Addressing the replacement/remediation of pipelines made from cast iron, bare steel, certain vintage plastic, or other legacy materials that are stated to cause disproportionately involved methane leaks
PHMSA states that the Bulletin is applicable to:
- 2.8 million-mile pipeline network
- 17,000 underground natural gas wells
- 164 liquefied natural gas facilities
The focus on methane (which is the primary component of natural gas) is its potency as a greenhouse gas.
A copy of the Bulletin can be downloaded here.
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