Regulation library · Pipeline
Half a million miles of pipe, two core parts of the CFR.
PHMSA's pipeline safety regulations (49 CFR Parts 190–199) govern the design, construction, operation, maintenance, and integrity management of the nation's gas and hazardous liquid pipelines.
Key sections at a glance
Part 192
Gas Pipeline Safety
Part 195
Hazardous Liquid Pipelines
192 Subpart O
Gas Integrity Management
192 Subpart N
Operator Qualification
Part 199
Drug & Alcohol Testing
Part 191
Incident Reporting
The structure of the pipeline rules
Two parts do most of the work: Part 192 for natural and other gas pipelines and Part 195 for hazardous liquids. Each runs from design and material specifications through construction, testing, operations, maintenance, corrosion control, and integrity management. Around them sit Part 190 (enforcement procedures), Part 191 (gas incident and annual reporting), Part 193 (LNG facilities), Part 196 (damage prevention), Part 198 (state grants), and Part 199 (drug and alcohol testing for covered functions).
Integrity management is the modern center of gravity: operators must identify high-consequence areas, assess threats, and manage repairs on defined schedules — obligations that generate the documentation PHMSA inspectors ask for first. Operator qualification under Subpart N of Part 192 and Subpart G of Part 195 requires covered-task employees to be evaluated and requalified on defined intervals.
Who this touches beyond pipeline companies
Gathering lines pull many upstream producers into Part 192 as PHMSA has extended reporting and safety requirements to previously unregulated gathering. Contractors performing covered tasks — welding, coating, corrosion surveys, excavation near pipe — need operator qualification documentation. And every excavator in the country interacts with the damage-prevention regime behind the 811 one-call system.
Pipeline in RegLogic
Parts 192 and 195 are long, deeply nested, and heavily amended — precisely the conditions where RegLogic's color-coded outline formatting and same-day updates pay for themselves. Search in plain language, keep OQ-relevant sections pinned, and carry the full parts offline to rights-of-way where signal doesn't reach.
Pipeline integrity management programs
Parts 192 and 195 require operators to develop integrity management programs (IMP) for pipeline segments affecting high consequence areas. These programs mandate baseline assessments, periodic reassessments (typically every 5-7 years for gas, 5 years for hazardous liquids), and specific repair criteria.
RegLogic keeps the IMP requirements navigable: the color-coded formatting distinguishes mandatory actions from permissive alternatives, and the search function connects the regulatory text to referenced industry standards.
Operator qualification and control room management
Subpart N of Part 192 requires pipeline operators to qualify individuals performing covered tasks through written exams or performance testing, maintain qualification records, and requalify at specified intervals.
Control room management (192.631, 195.446) adds requirements for controller fatigue mitigation, alarm management, and shift change protocols — added after the 2010 San Bruno explosion.
Who enforces pipeline safety regulations
PHMSA is the federal regulator, but enforcement is shared with state pipeline safety offices under certification agreements. Penalties can exceed $200,000 per violation per day, with no cap on total penalties for a related series of violations.
Read Pipeline Regulations — searchable, color-coded, always current — in RegLogic.
Start HereFAQ
Common questions
Do the pipeline rules apply to gathering lines?
Increasingly, yes. PHMSA's gathering-line rules extended reporting requirements to most onshore gas gathering and safety requirements to specified categories. Classification depends on location, diameter, and pressure.
What is operator qualification (OQ)?
A requirement that individuals performing covered tasks on pipelines be evaluated and qualified — with records — under a written OQ program. It applies to operator employees and contractors alike.
How do OSHA and PHMSA jurisdiction interact?
PHMSA regulates pipeline facility safety; OSHA covers worker safety issues PHMSA doesn't address — trenching around pipe, confined spaces, PPE, and hazard communication among them. Most pipeline employers answer to both.
What is pipeline integrity management?
A systematic program required by PHMSA for pipeline segments affecting high consequence areas — including baseline assessments, periodic reassessments, repair criteria, and preventive measures.
What are the penalties for pipeline safety violations?
Up to $200,000+ per violation per day, with no cap on total penalties. PHMSA can also issue corrective action orders requiring immediate operational changes.
What is operator qualification for pipelines?
A PHMSA requirement that pipeline operators must qualify individuals performing covered tasks through testing, maintain records, and requalify at specified intervals.
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