Happy Fat Tuesday!
Can you believe
the US Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration (PHMSA) announced their new rule called, “Pipeline Safety:
Requirement of Valve Installation and Minimum Rupture Detection Standards (§87 FR 20940)” almost a year ago? I sure can’t.
The rule is to install remotely controlled or automatic shut-off valves,
or alternative equivalent technologies and it applies to all new or replaced
onshore pipelines six-inch diameter or bigger.
The new rule is to help improve pipeline safety, reduce methane
emissions, and protect the general population for when incidents occur. PHMSA also added the requirement to contact
9-1-1 emergency call centers immediately upon notification of a possible
rupture and to conduct post-rupture probe and evaluation as a well as a few
other things. If you would like to read the
PHMSA’s full rule with all its details, please click the link for the Federal
Register: FederalRegister: Pipeline Safety: Valve Installation and Minimum Rupture DetectionStandards.
If you would like to read original announcement of the
PHSMA, please click the following link: PHMSA
Announces Requirements for Pipeline Shut-off
Valves to Strengthen Safety, Improve Response Efforts and Reduce Emissions |
PHMSA (dot.gov).
Isn’t it nice to see the PHMSA making a rule which is good engineering practices and common sense! Especially in light of all the pipeline and tank farm incidents in the past couple years, if they had remotely controlled automatic valves the spills and fires may not have occurred or at least not have been so disastrous. Makes me wonder what kind of valves they had! Our team of experts will be able to help you get the remote operated shut-off valve designed into your current pipelines and even help you navigate the procurement and construction of the updated design.
We hope you have a wonderful and fun start of Mardi Gras!