What to Look for in PHMSA’s Latest Final Rule Updates
By: Ed Cyzewski
Pipeline regulations have been revised as of April 29, 2024, when PHMSA published its Periodic Updates of Regulatory References to Technical Standards and Miscellaneous Amendments Final Rule. These updates to standards make a number of minor revisions and incorporate several documents into the regulations by reference.
Before we examine the changes made in this latest final rule, here is a brief overview of what it means to be “incorporated by reference.”
Incorporating By Reference (IBR) on the CFR
The government’s Code of Federal Regulations frequently combines existing standards into the regulations by clearly incorporating them by reference. Standards or Recommended Practices that have been developed by industry often capture requirements that an agency can utilize by IBR rather than develop new regulations.
Flange Regulations Incorporated by Reference
One example of incorporating a regulation by reference is the use of the American Society of Mechanical Engineering (ASME) B16.5, ANSI/MSS SP-44 standard, or the equivalent in § 192.147(a). This incorporation applies to construction of pipelines, specifying that flanges must meet these requirements.
Plastic Pipe Thickness
Another update worth noting includes revisions to 192.121 that alters tables detailing requirements for plastic pipe wall thickness and SDR values. The revised table combines SDR values and the Dimension ratio into the same column.
ITS Compliance Specialist Warren Miller cautions companies to ensure the version of the standard being used is that referenced in Part 192 or 195.
Master Meter System Definition
The 192.3 Definitions have also been revised in the latest final rule by defining Master Meter System, “a pipeline system for distributing gas within, but not limited to, a definable area (such as a mobile home park, housing project, or apartment complex) where the operator purchases metered gas from an outside source for resale through a gas distribution pipeline system.”
In order to review the rest of the minor changes, there’s a complete list at the bottom of this blog post.
The Next Big Final Rule?
The most anticipated final rule coming from PHMSA in the near future is the Leak Detection and Repair rule (LDAR). LDAR is expected to be released as a final rule the last quarter of 2024 or early 2025.
Stay on Top of the Rulemaking Process
You can learn more about the current rule at the PHMSA website. Find out about the essentials of rulemaking by watching the latest videos in our Regulation Navigation series with Warren Miller.
Sign up for the next free Regulation Navigation webinar today.
Review the Changes in the Latest Final Rule
| Current Standard | Current Version / Edition | Newly Accepted Revision |
| ASME B31.8 | 2007 | 2018 |
| ASME B31.8S | 2004 | 2018 |
| API 6D | 23rd Edition | 24th Edition |
| API RP 651 | 3rd Edition | 4th Edition |
| API Spec 5L | 45th Edition | 46th Edition |
| API Std 2350 | 3rd Edition | 5th Edition |
| API Std 650 | 11th Edition | 13th edition, Mar. 1, 2020, including Errata 1 (Jan. 2021). |
| NACE SP0204 | 2008 | 2015 |
| API RP 651 | 3rd Edition | 4th edition, Sept. 2014 |
| API RP 2026 | 2nd edition, issued Apr. 1998, reaffirmed June 2006 | 3rd edition, June 2017 |
| API Std 1104 | 20th edition | 2013 |
| API Std 620 | 11th Edition | 12th Edition, Oct. 2013, including Addendum 1 (Nov. 2014). |
| ASTM A53/A53M | 2010 | 2020 |
| API Std 2000 | 6th Edition, Nov. 2009 | 7th Edition, Mar. 2014 |
| ASTM A106/A106M-19A | 2010 | 2019A |
| ASTM A333/A333M | 2011 | 2018 |
| ASTM A381/A381M | 2005 | 2018 |
| ASTM A671/A671M | 2010 | 2020 |
| ASTM A691/A691M | 2009 | 2019 |
| ASME B36.10M | Not included | 2008 Now included |
| ANSI/MSS SP-44 | 2010 Edition | 2019 (Apr. 2020) |
| MSS SP-75-2019 | 2008 | 2019 |
| NFPA 58 | 2004 | 2020 |
| NFPA 59 | 2004 | 2018 |
| NFPA 70 | 2011 | 2017 |
