PHMSA - Natural Gas Pipelines

Natural Gas Pipelines

Natural Gas Pipeline

The Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Act of 1968 authorizes the Department of Transportation to regulate pipeline transportation of flammable, toxic, or corrosive natural gas and other gases as well as the transportation and storage of liquefied natural gas. Natural gas supplies 25 percent of all the energy Americans consume. It's our second largest source of energy.

PHMSA develops and enforces regulations for the safe, reliable, and environmentally sound operation of the nation's 2.6 million mile pipeline transportation system and the nearly 1 million daily shipments of hazardous materials by land, sea, and air.

Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Chronology

October 2012: Held data workshop about integrity management to solicit input on meaningful performance measures.
July 2012: Held pipeline research and development forum to identify technical challenges and discuss solutions to improve the safe operation of pipelines.
May 2012: Issued advisory bulletin reminding pipeline operations of the requirements to preserve and verify records.
April 2012: Published notice of proposed rulemaking seeking to revise pipeline safety regulations to encourage states to enhance existing or develop new damage prevention law enforcement programs that are effective in protecting the public from excavation damage related failures.
March 2012: PHMSA held workshops on pipeline leak detection and the use of automatic/remote controlled valves.

Natural Gas Pipeline Safety Chronology 2010-2012

Want to learn more about the pipelines in your community?

The following links contain valuable information about pipelines, including definitions, state pipeline profiles, and tips for encouraging pipeline safety in your community.

	Pipeline Basics
	What are pipelines? Where are they? And why do we need them in the first place?

	State Pipeline Profiles
	View maps of your state's pipeline network, read incident reports, and learn who regulates pipelines in your state

	Safe Digging
	Don't assume you know what's below. Protect yourself and those around you. Call 811 every time.

	Public Awareness Programs
	Federal pipeline safety regulations require pipeline operators to conduct continuing public awareness programs to provide pipeline safety information to four stakeholder audiences, including the affected public, emergency officials, local public officials and excavators.

	National Pipeline Mapping System
	View National Pipeline Mapping System data, one county at a time

	Frequently Asked Questions
	Questions and answers about our nation's pipeline infrastructure

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