Court Forces Feds to Fix Gas Pipeline Rules They Botched
Published Date: 1/15/2025
Rule
Summary
Starting January 15, 2025, pipeline companies must follow updated safety rules after a court removed some parts of the 2022 gas pipeline safety law. These changes affect how gas pipelines are checked and fixed, especially around corrosion and cracks, making sure repairs happen on time without extra costs. This update keeps pipelines safer and clearer for everyone involved.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 4 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Internal-corrosion Monitoring Removed
Starting January 15, 2025, PHMSA removes 49 CFR 192.478, so pipeline operators no longer must follow the rule on monitoring and mitigation of internal corrosive constituents formerly located at Sec. 192.478.
Crack Repair Pressure Threshold Vacated
Effective January 15, 2025, PHMSA removes the immediate-repair criterion that applied to cracks or crack-like anomalies with predicted failure pressures below 1.25 times maximum allowable operating pressure (MAOP) from Secs. 192.714(d)(1)(v)(C) and 192.933(d)(1)(v)(C). Cracks are now addressed under the remaining criteria such as crack depth plus metal loss greater than 50% of wall thickness or greater than the inspection tool's maximum measurable depth.
High-frequency ERW Seams Excluded
As of January 15, 2025, the regulation no longer treats high-frequency electric resistance welded (HF ERW) seams as a seam type that automatically qualifies for the immediate-repair criterion for preferential metal loss. The immediate-repair condition continues to apply for seams formed by direct current low-frequency ERW, electric flash welding, or seams with a longitudinal joint factor less than 1.0.
Immediate Effect; No New Costs Found
PHMSA made these conforming corrections effective January 15, 2025, and states the corrections "relieve discrete requirements" and impose no incremental compliance costs or adverse safety impacts beyond the 2022 Gas Transmission Final Rule.
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