The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), under the Department of Transportation, recently unveiled proposed new safety rules for natural gas pipelines, and the American Petroleum Institute's (API) Midstream Group welcomed them cautiously.
The PHMSA's proposal would expand repair and inspection rules to include some rural lines and new lines installed in gas fields in the wake of recent explosions, including a 2010 incident in California that killed eight people.
Robin Rorick, group director of Midstream Group, welcomed the proposed new rules, but reserved judgment.
“We are currently reviewing the new PHMSA rule," Rorick said. Safety is our industry’s core value. As we assess the content of the rule, we will be looking to ensure that any proposed change to the current regulatory framework does not compromise safety."
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