US federal agency The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) is looking into whether to update its decades-old regulations for liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities.
The regulatory upgrade would coincide with the new administration’s push to fast-track new LNG infrastructure projects, expand export capacity and grow the small-scale LNG market.
PHMSA Acting Administrator Ben Kochman said increased US energy production was putting heightened demands on pipeline infrastructure and export facilities, making the safety and reliability of its energy transport network more critical than ever.
He said some refreshed rules could save “hundreds of millions of dollars” in regulatory costs.
“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energy by allowing them to take advantage of advances in technology and engineering best practices and removing out-of-date regulatory requirements,” he said. “These rules would contribute to lower costs for American consumers and help our allies abroad.”
In addition to LNG facilities, PHMSA announced three other priority areas where the agency would be updating or revising its rules to grow the US energy sector, covering hazardous liquid and gas transmission pipeline repair criteria, pipeline class location change requirements and modal safety advancements.
