LNG ANPRM and Pending Rulemakings
On April 29th PHMSA announced an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) for an update to 49 CFR Part 193, Liquefied Natural Gas Facilities: Federal Safety Standards.
PHMSA is seeking comments to inform a LNG rulemaking, details of which can be found on the PHMSA home page.
The current standards codified in 49 CFR Part 193 were mostly established in the 1980s. There have been a few updates over the decades, but they haven’t seen much attention in the last ten years. Current PHMSA regulations apply mostly to small and mid-scale LNG facilities where LNG transfers to or travels through pipelines.
Production and demand for LNG has risen in recent years, and the United States has become the world’s largest exporter of LNG. The US exported 11.9 billion cubic feet per day in 2024.
Topics the ANPRM asks commentors to address include:
Potential amendments to clarify applicability of PHMSA's regulations to LNG facilities
Shared regulatory authority
Functions and potential different treatment for different types of LNG facilities
Current reporting requirements
Consideration of costs associated with implementing a variety of aspects and portions of NFPA-59 in both it's current form, a reduced form, or a modified form
Consideration of current, voluntarily incorporated standards in use by operators or other standards that should be incorporated
Risk based approaches for large scale LNG facilities
Potential reduction of existing safety regulations to save costs
Additionally, PHMSA said that it will also be working on rulemaking initiatives for the following:
ANPRM for Hazardous Liquid and Gas Transmission Pipeline Repair Criteria
Finalization of Pipeline Class Location Change Requirements
Completion of Modal Safety Advancements to streamline hazardous materials requirements
PHMSA Acting Administrator Ben Kochman is quoted in the April 29th announcement as saying: “Increased U.S. energy production is creating heightened demands on pipeline infrastructure and export facilities, making the safety and reliability of our energy transportation network more critical than ever. These rulemakings would reduce the burden on those who produce and transport American energy by allowing them to take advantage of advances in technology and engineering best practices and removing out-of-date regulatory requirements. These rules would contribute to lower costs for American consumers and help our allies abroad.”
Contact — Elemental Compliance with questions and keep your pipeline safety programs up to speed with the changing regulatory requirements. Also consider signing up for our Regulatory Compliance Newsletter on our website where we provide real time updates on PHMSA and state pipeline safety activities at https://www.elementalcompliance.com/about.