Safety

Pipe-in-pipe (PiP) systems are moving beyond offshore use and emerging as a safer, more efficient option for transporting LNG, LPG, ammonia and hydrogen onshore. Combining advanced insulation, structural strength and real-time leak detection, modern PiP designs deliver reliability across complex and cryogenic environments.

BP has restored part of the Olympic Pipeline System after a refined products release east of Everett, Washington, while the affected segment remains shut pending investigation. The 400-mile system supplies gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel across the Pacific Northwest.

TC Energy is repairing a ruptured natural gas pipeline in Sheboygan County, Wisconsin, after an excavation crew struck a 10-inch line, injuring four people and prompting evacuations. Repairs and restoration are underway.

Massachusetts earned a perfect PHMSA score for the third straight year, reflecting major improvements in the state’s pipeline safety oversight and enforcement of natural gas infrastructure standards.

A fire at Iraq’s Zubair oilfield killed two workers and injured five others, officials said. The blaze, caused by a gas leak during welding operations, was brought under control with no impact on crude pipeline throughput, which remains at 400,000 bpd.

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee has advanced a bipartisan bill from Sen. Gary Peters to boost PHMSA funding, expand leak detection research, and strengthen cybersecurity protections for U.S. pipelines.

Industry experts argue that focusing on safety culture—not just compliance metrics or low bids—is key to long-term performance and risk reduction in contractor selection.

The Pipeline Safety Trust called it the most sweeping initiative since the federal pipeline safety code’s creation in 1970.

Sasol is working with Johannesburg officials to address safety risks after an informal settlement encroached on its Homestead Park gas pipeline. The company has reduced pipeline pressure and urged municipal action to ensure public safety.

ONEOK contained a fire at its MB-4 fractionator in Mont Belvieu, Texas. The blaze was quickly extinguished with no injuries reported, and other plant operations are expected to resume following safety reviews.

DOT has announced $86 million in grants for state pipeline safety programs, supporting inspections of more than 85% of the U.S. pipeline network.

A Kinder Morgan natural gas pipeline ruptured in Wyoming on Sept. 21, igniting a massive fire that scorched Union Pacific freight cars and sent a glow visible from Colorado. No injuries were reported.

At the 57th Annual IPLOCA Convention in Izmir, Türkiye, four committee chairs outlined how the association is advancing safety, innovation, and sustainability in the pipeline industry.

The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has advanced the bipartisan PIPES Act of 2025, reauthorizing PHMSA’s pipeline safety programs for four years and strengthening oversight of U.S. energy infrastructure.

Oil and gas lobbyists are fighting to block safety buffer zones from California’s carbon pipeline legislation, Consumer Watchdog warns, as lawmakers prepare to vote on bills that could greenlight dozens of carbon capture projects.