API Issues Standards to Improve Safety of Natural Gas Gathering Pipelines

WASHINGTON, March 26, 2020 – API issued two standards, Recommended Practice (RP) 1182 and the second edition of RP 80, designed to address the safe operation of larger-diameter gathering pipelines used to transport natural gas from production sites to larger interstate pipelines.

“These standards will enhance safety and operational efficiency, while assisting industry in meeting state and federal rules for the safe operation of natural gas gathering pipelines,” said Global Industry Services Senior Vice President Debra Phillips. “Additionally, these standards work together to ensure that the nation continues to benefit from historic shale development by delivering affordable, reliable energy to the American people through safe and sustainable infrastructure.”

RP 1182, Construction, Operation, and Maintenance of Large Diameter Rural Gas Gathering Lines, is a first-edition standard that provides operational practices to assist energy developers in the safe operation and construction of gathering pipelines. The standard helps ensure large-diameter, high-pressure gathering pipelines employ integrity management practices that prioritize routine maintenance and inspections to promote safety and operational efficiency.

To complement RP 1182, API is also issuing the second edition of RP 80, Definition of Onshore Gas Gathering Lines. This industry standard provides a functional description of onshore natural gas gathering pipelines, helping users determine the application of gas gathering, which is addressed in federal standards and in state programs that implement the federal standard. The previous edition of RP 80 is currently incorporated by reference in the Code of Federal Regulations, advising pipeline operators on which part of the pipeline system is defined as a gathering line.

A webinar is being planned for May 28, 2020, to support the release of these two documents. For more information on the RP 80 and RP 1182 webinar, or to register, please visit www.apilearning.org or email Training@api.org.

API standards are developed under API’s American National Standards Institute-accredited process, ensuring that the API standards are recognized not only for their technical rigor, but also for their third-party accreditation which facilitates acceptance by state, federal and increasingly international regulators. The team that developed RP 1182 and revised RP 80 included state and federal regulators, NGOs, industry associations, and natural gas pipeline operators and producers. API’s Global Industry Services (GIS) division is responsible for standards setting, certification, training, events, publications, and safety programs for industry operations.

API represents all segments of America’s oil and natural gas industry. Our more than 600 members produce, process and distribute most of the nation’s energy. The industry supports more than ten million U.S. jobs and is backed by a growing grassroots movement of millions of Americans. API was formed in 1919 as a standards-setting organization. In our first 100 years, API has developed more than 700 standards to enhance operational and environmental safety, efficiency and sustainability.