Protecting Communities: Enhanced Regulations for CO2 Pipelines Unveiled

United States: The US regulator on Wednesday set new regs to increase the safety measures of carbon dioxide and hazardous liquid pipelines at this time when carbon capture technologies gain popularity to combat global warming.

New Rules

New rules will increase pressures on existing codes and introduce ‘for the first time the rules governing the transportation of gaseous carbon dioxide by pipeline,’ the US DOT’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration said, as reported by Reuters.

From here, the U.S. has projected that there could be more carbon dioxide pipelines throughout the country as the war on global warming makes more industries and citizens embrace carbon dioxide capture and storage.

Stricter Pipeline Regulations

One of the rules that the Canadian government unveiled on June 2 involves calling for more elaborate calculations on the dispersion of the vapors, which would if a pipeline failed to contain the leak, pose a threat to the general public and the surrounding ecosystem.

The US Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) on Wednesday unveiled proposed regulations designed to enhance the safety of pipelines transporting CO2 and hazardous liquids. https://t.co/sKwZBcMZtS

— Carbon Herald (@CarbonHerald) January 16, 2025

“I have learned firsthand from affected communities in Mississippi and across America why we need stronger CO2 (carbon dioxide) pipeline safety standards,” PHMSA Deputy Administrator Tristan Brown said.

On the 23rd of October 2020, Denbury’s 24-inch Delta Pipeline at Satartia, Mississippi, suddenly burst, and approximately thousands of barrels of CO2 gas were released; this led to the evacuation of residents within the affected area, and at least 45 people were taken to nearby hospitals.

Understanding the Risks of CO2 Releases

Carbon dioxide turns into a liquid when put under high pressure, but when released, it changes into vapor, and the vapor is 1.53 times heavier than air. This gas, says PHMSA, can displace oxygen and lead to asphyxiation of humans and animals, as reported by Reuters.

NEW: Federal government issued proposed updates to its regulations on pipelines transporting carbon dioxide, regulating CO2 in a gaseous state for the first time. pic.twitter.com/PdLIoAiHPJ

— Ben Inskeep (@Ben_Inskeep) January 15, 2025

Eventually, in 2023, Denbury and PHMSA agreed on a penalty of about $2.8 million which was 1 million less than the proposol when made in 2022.