Federal Regulators Announce Proposed Rule for CO2 Pipeline Safety

(Photo by Oliver Bunic/Bloomberg Creative-Getty Images via the North Dakota Monitor)

(Cami Koons – North Dakota Monitor) – The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, or PHMSA, announced a notice of proposed rulemaking to strengthen guidelines for carbon dioxide pipelines.

The proposed rule would apply to carbon dioxide transported in a supercritical liquid state through pipelines and establishes, for the first time, guidelines for pipelines transporting gaseous CO2.

PHMSA, which is part of the U.S. Department of Transportation, said in a press release the proposed rules are the result of “PHMSA’s largest public outreach campaign on record.”

The proposed rule, if adopted as is, would require CO2 pipeline operators to train emergency responders and ensure local first responders have the necessary detection equipment in the event of an emergency.

The Summit Carbon Solutions proposed pipeline would have approximately 2,500-miles of pipe through Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota and Minnesota, transporting sequestered carbon dioxide from ethanol plants to underground storage in North Dakota.

A statement from Summit Carbon Solutions, said the company was “pleased” with the proposed rules for providing clear standards for project developers.

“As a company currently permitting a CO2 pipeline in the Midwest, Summit Carbon Solutions is committed to following these enhanced safety requirements and designing infrastructure that meets the highest standards of reliability and public safety,” the statement read.