U.S. DOT/PHMSA - One Rule Briefing Paper - 11-24-09 - NPRM: Updates to Pipeline and Liquefied Natural Gas Reporting Requirements (One Rule)

Page 1Briefing Paper November 24, 2009 Pipeline and LNG Reporting Requirement (One Rule) - NPRM - PHMSA see ks to improve data collected from operators of natural gas pipelines, hazardous liquid pipelines, and liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities. The improved data will provide PHMSA better information to decide on safety and risk-related concerns and to better allocate inspection and other resources. Advisory Committee Action: Vote Contact: Roger Little Background: PHMSA published a proposed pipeline and liquefied natural gas reporting requirement (referred to in-house as the One Rule) on July 2, 2009 (74 FR 31675) with a 60-day com ment period. The proposed rule responds to various mandates, industry petitions, and identified data gaps including PIPES Act mandates, and Government Accountability Office (GAO) and Natio nal Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Recommendations. The proposal contains the following elements:  Change the definition of gas “incident” to: (1) require reporting an explosion or a fire not intentionally set by the operator (GAO 06-946); and (2) establish a volumetric basis for reporting gas loss (3 million cubic feet) per PIPES Act Section 15, GAO 06-946, and a petition from the Interstate NGAA.  Merge gas IMP Semi-Annual Performance Measures Report with the annual r eports and revise an nual report leak cause categories to include those categories listed in gas IMP reporting (GAO 06-946). Expand annual report information on gathering miles and miles b y SMYS.  Modify hazardous liquid telephonic notification to: (1) require operators to have and use a procedure to calculate and report a reasonable initia l estimate of released product (NTS B P07- 007) and, (2) provide an additional telephonic report to the National Re sponse Center if significant ne w information becomes available during the emergency response phase (NTSB P07- 008).  Require by-state reporting on the annual report for hazardous liquid pipelines (DOT Inspector General Report 9/2006).  Create National Registry of Pipeline and LNG Operators (OPID Regist ry).  Require LNG Incident and Annual Reports (currently exempted).  Create OMB standard forms for Safety-Related Condition Reports and Offsho re Pipeline Condition Reports.  Require electronic reporting. PIPES Act Section 20 directs PHMSA to amend accident reporting forms to req uire operators of gas and hazardo us liquid pipelines to provide data related to controller fatigue. On September 4, 2008, as required by the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, PHMSA published a notice in the Federal Register of its intent to revise the agency's standardized forms for reporting pipeline incidents and accidents. PHMSA later extended the time for responding to that notice until December 12, 2008, and received comments from several pipeline operators, five trade associations representing pipeline operators, the association representing State pipeline safety regulators, two State pipeline regulatory agencies, and one public interest group. PHMSA published another Federal Register notice (74 FR 41495, dated August 17, 2009) to respond to comments, provide the public with an additional 30 days to comment on the proposed revisions to the incident and accident report forms, including the form instructions. 11/29/09#