The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced it is proposing a new rule to significantly improve the detection and repair of leaks from gas pipelines.
The Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would enhance public safety and lower methane emissions and other air pollution from more than 2.7 million miles of gas transmission, distribution, and gathering pipelines; 400+ underground natural gas storage facilities; and 165 liquefied natural gas facilities.
Why it matters: The proposed rule will update decades-old federal leak detection and repair standards that rely solely on human senses. New requirements would add a layer of safety by deploying commercially available, advanced technologies to find and fix methane and other flammable, toxic, and corrosive gas leaks. The proposal requires pipeline operators to establish advanced leak detection programs aimed at detecting and repairing all gas leaks by:
- Strengthening leakage survey and patrolling requirements by increasing the frequency of surveys and requiring the use of commercially available, advanced leak detection technology—such as aerial or vehicle surveys, handheld detection devices, and continuous monitoring systems—with flexibility for operators to use a range of approaches to meet a minimum performance standard.
- Reducing the volume of gas released due to unintentional emissions like leaks and equipment failures and revising the reporting minimum threshold to detect smaller leaks sooner.
- Minimizing intentional releases, such as those caused by equipment venting or blowdowns, associated with pipeline maintenance, repair, and construction and encouraging operators to consider cost-effective equipment that can capture the methane for later use.
- Establishing explicit criteria and timeframes for the timely repair of all leaks that pose a risk to public safety or the environment.
“Quick detection of methane leaks is an important way to keep communities safe and help curb climate change,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg. “We are proposing a long-overdue modernization of the way we identify and fix methane leaks, thereby reducing emissions and strengthening protections for the American people.”