U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration announced new measures to increase safety oversight of carbon dioxide pipelines and protect from pipeline failures.
A 2020 carbon dioxide pipeline failure in Satartia, Miss., lead to evacuations and nearly 50 people needed medical attention, according to a May 26 news release. The new safety measures are a result of this failure.
"I recently visited with the first responders in Satartia to hear firsthand of the pipeline failure so that we can improve safety and environmental protections for CO2 pipelines and work to protect communities from experiences like this," PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown said in the news release. "The safety of the American people is paramount and we’re taking action to strengthen CO2 pipeline safety standards to better protect communities, our first responders and our environment."
According to the release, new measures include updated standards for CO2 pipelines; issuing a notice of probable violation to Denbury Gulf Coast Pipeline LLC regarding federal pipeline safety regulations and proposing $3,866,734 in civil penalties; completing a failure investigation report for the Satartia pipeline failure; issuing an advisory bulletin to pipeline operators about geohazards and land-movements that pose risks; and conducting research solicitations to strengthen the safety of CO2 pipelines.
The news release reported the investigation into the Satartia incident identified a number of probable violations. There was no timely notification to the National Response Center to inform nearby communities. Written procedures for normal operations, as well as emergency response plans were absent from the site, and the company reportedly failed to conduct routine inspections of its rights-of-way. This last point may have "fostered a better understanding of the environmental conditions surrounding its facilities," including potential threats.
