GULF SOUTH PIPELINE COMPANY, LLC — Integrity Assurance Notification

LATERAL RMV ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGYIn accordance with §192.18, Gulf South Pipeline Company LLC (GSPC) is hereby notifying PHMSA of its intent to use check valves as an alternative equivalent technology (AET) in accordance with §192.634(b)(3). GSPC intends to use check valves as AETs on five (5) 2-inch farms taps on Index 330 in St. Martin Parish, Louisiana. Installation of check valves is planned for October/November of 2025. Index 330 is a 30” pipeline originating in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, ending in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, with a Maximum Allowable Operating Pressure (MAOP) between 840-1000 psi. A series of pipeline replacements are planned between GSPC’s Arnaudville Compressor Station and the nearest mainline block valve at Grand Bois Road. These replacements, totaling more than two (2) miles within five (5) miles over twenty-four months, will include High Consequence Areas (HCAs) and Class 3 segments. Consequently, this section will be classified as an “entirely replaced onshore transmission pipeline segment,” necessitating the implementation of Rupture Mitigation Valves (RMVs) in compliance with §192.634. Check valves installed as AET will be inspected, operated, and remediated in accordance with §192.745, as referenced in §192.634(b)(3). This includes the requirement to repair or replace any valve that is found to be inoperable or unable to maintain an effective shutoff within twelve (12) months, while also designating an alternate RMV within seven (7) days during the repair period. In addition to the specific application on Index 330, GSPC anticipates that future projects on other pipelines involving small-diameter lateral taps, particularly in rural or low-risk areas, may similarly benefit from the use of check valves as an AET. GSPC will review such situations on a case-by-case basis to ensure check valve installations meet the intent of the rupture mitigation provisions in §192.634. These applications will be limited to configurations where check valves are shown to provide comparable safety outcomes, particularly in terms of reducing release volume and isolating flow during a rupture event.#