A proposal from the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) recommends outfitting new and rebuilt pipelines carrying natural gas and hazardous liquids with automatic or remote-controlled shut-off valves.
According to the DOT whose proposal is outlined in the Federal Register, valves more than 6 inches in diameter would be subject to the new rule and outfitted with either automatic or remote-controlled shut-off valves that close valves in the event of a leak or other damage, thereby isolating the damaged pipeline within 40 minutes of rupture discovery.
The DOT added that there are some exceptions to the proposal, namely for pipelines in regions where adding additional equipment would not be fiscally, operationally or technically feasible. In those instances, the DOT believes that manual valves would be sufficient.
The DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration will accept remarks on the proposal through April 6.
