Pipeline Safety: Hazardous Liquid Valve Maintenance Schedule

The American Petroleum Institute (API) and the Liquid Energy Pipeline Association (LEPA) support the proposed rule to extend hazardous liquid pipeline valve inspection intervals from 7.5 months to 15 months. They argue that the proposal simplifies compliance, reduces regulatory burdens, and harmonizes requirements with natural gas pipelines without compromising safety.

The American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), a trade association representing the refining and petrochemical sector, supports the proposed rule to allow hazardous liquid and carbon dioxide pipeline operators to set their own valve inspection schedules. They argue that the proposal harmonizes requirements with gas transmission systems, reduces unnecessary regulatory burdens, and allows for a more risk-based approach to maintenance.

The Pipeline Safety Trust, a nonprofit watchdog organization, opposes the proposed rule because it reduces the federal minimum standard for valve inspections without a sufficient safety analysis. They argue that the data shows hazardous liquid pipelines have higher incident rates than gas pipelines and that the proposed reduction in inspection frequency could compromise safety.

The National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR), representing state agency pipeline safety managers, opposes the proposed reduction in hazardous liquid and carbon dioxide valve inspection requirements. They argue that the proposal ignores higher incident rates for hazardous liquid pipelines compared to gas pipelines and fails to account for the more severe consequences of hazardous liquid releases.

South Bow Infrastructure Operations Inc. opposes the proposed biannual valve inspection frequency, arguing that annual inspections are sufficient for maintaining valve performance and reliability. The company contends that biannual inspections create unnecessary operational risks, increase the burden on field and control room personnel, and divert resources from higher-risk maintenance activities.