The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) said on Jan. 13 it has passed a rule to boost safety requirements on the country's oil and refined products pipelines.
The rule requires pipeline operators to have a system for detecting leaks and to establish a time line for inspecting affected pipelines following an extreme weather event or natural disaster, PHMSA said in a statement.
PHMSA said it aims to improve the quality and frequency of tests used to assess threats and the condition of pipelines.
Technology touted by pipeline operators routinely fails and while there are guidelines, there are no strict federal mandates in place for a particular system to catch spills, experts have said.
Pipeline safety has become a key topic of debate in recent months after massive protests against Energy Transfer Partners' crude oil Dakota Access Pipeline due to concerns about contaminated water supply in the event of a leak.
The incoming Donald Trump administration has said it supports Dakota Access, along with other pipeline projects.
A spokeswoman for PHMSA said the regulator expects the rule to be published in the Federal Register by the end of next week, adding that from then it takes 6 months for the rule to go into effect.
Rules announced by PHMSA on Friday also expands the list of conditions that require immediate repair.
Recommended Reading
E&P Earnings Season Proves Up Stronger Efficiencies, Profits
2024-04-04 - The 2024 outlook for E&Ps largely surprises to the upside with conservative budgets and steady volumes.
Some Payne, But Mostly Gain for H&P in Q4 2023
2024-01-31 - Helmerich & Payne’s revenue grew internationally and in North America but declined in the Gulf of Mexico compared to the previous quarter.
Uinta Basin: 50% More Oil for Twice the Proppant
2024-03-06 - The higher-intensity completions are costing an average of 35% fewer dollars spent per barrel of oil equivalent of output, Crescent Energy told investors and analysts on March 5.
In Shooting for the Stars, Kosmos’ Production Soars
2024-02-28 - Kosmos Energy’s fourth quarter continued the operational success seen in its third quarter earnings 2023 report.
M4E Lithium Closes Funding for Brazilian Lithium Exploration
2024-03-15 - M4E’s financing package includes an equity investment, a royalty purchase and an option for a strategic offtake agreement.