On November 15, 2021, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a final rule for onshore gas gathering lines. The rule, initiated 10 years ago, puts into place new safety standards and regulatory requirements for previously unregulated onshore gas gathering lines. The rule requires all gas-gathering pipeline operators to begin following new safety standards and reporting filings.
The new rule is continuing to use existing gas gathering regulations but has added some additional categories of regulated onshore gas gathering lines. The new definitions also now limit the use of the incidental gathering provision to 10 miles. In addition to PHMSA’s existing regulated onshore gas gathering lines designations (Type A and Type B), the final rule creates:
The applicability of each of the requirements for Type C regulated gas gathering lines in the final rule is as follows:
Requirements for Type C gathering lines with outside diameters of 8.625 inches and greater:
Additional requirements for Type C gathering lines with outside diameters greater than 12.75 inches: