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Proposed Regs Increase Stress on Pipeline Operators

Posted April 21, 2016 12:00 AM by Engineering360 eNewsletter

If the new Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) proposed regulations become law, the term moderate consequence area (MCA) will take on a whole new meaning. Integrity management requirements already in place for high consequence areas (HCA) will extend to MCAs, adding over 40,000 miles to the HCAs already under scrutiny. Corrosion measurement requirements will also increase according to Pipeline & Gas Journal, expanding from inspection to gas contaminant monitoring. Direct inspection is also on the way out, allowed only where inline inspection or pressure testing are not feasible. The PHMSA claims the cost-benefit ratio of the new regulations exceeds 5-to-1, but industry experts remain skeptical.


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#1

Re: Proposed Regs Increase Stress on Pipeline Operators

04/21/2016 10:59 PM

Cry me a river and I'll throw you a pity party.

Under the new proposal, "approximately 41,000 miles of pipe would require an assessment within 15 years under this new MCA provision".

That's 7.5 miles a day.

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#2

Re: Proposed Regs Increase Stress on Pipeline Operators

04/22/2016 10:29 AM

Oh gee, the government is putting forth new safety regulations for natural gas pipelines, and Big Oil (through the natural gas distributors) is whining about having to do some work, and pay a little money.

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#3

Re: Proposed Regs Increase Stress on Pipeline Operators

04/22/2016 10:55 AM

When is it acceptable for a large failure of a pipeline to occur? These people practice RTF all the time and less than a decade ago vaporized an entire neighborhood. Frustrating.

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#4
In reply to #3

Re: Proposed Regs Increase Stress on Pipeline Operators

04/22/2016 11:39 AM

What is RTF in this instance?

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#5
In reply to #4

Re: Proposed Regs Increase Stress on Pipeline Operators

04/22/2016 12:00 PM

Sorry, Run To Failure.

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#6
In reply to #5

Re: Proposed Regs Increase Stress on Pipeline Operators

04/22/2016 12:43 PM

Thanks. And, yikes.

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