Pipeline Safety

The Oversight and Safety Division has responsibility for Alternative Fuels, Gas Services and Pipeline Safety.  This reorganization in January 2015 will bring even greater efficiency and consistency to these operations within the Commission, allowing the agency to better serve the state.

Texas has the largest pipeline infrastructure in the nation, with 479,798 miles of pipeline representing about 1/6 of the total pipeline mileage of the entire United States. Texas’ pipelines are divided into the categories of natural gas and LP-gas distribution lines (160,860 miles), hazardous liquid and natural gas transmission lines (79,034 miles), hazardous liquid and natural gas regulated gathering lines (8,656 miles), intrastate production and gathering lines leaving a lease (178,963 miles), and interstate lines (52,285  miles). The Railroad Commission of Texas has safety responsibility over the first four categories. 

The Pipeline Safety department works to enforce compliance with federal and state laws and regulations by pipeline operators. These regulatory responsibilities extend to 1,458 operators of intrastate gathering, transmission, distribution, and master-metered systems. The Commission continues to lead the nation in adopting and enforcing safety rules to enhance the integrity of pipelines throughout the state. 

The Commission also promotes and enforces an underground pipeline damage prevention program for Texas. The Pipeline Safety department is responsible for the enforcement of damage prevention regulations involving the movement of earth (excavation) surrounding pipeline facilities.

The goal of the Pipeline Safety department is to encourage an efficient, economical, and safe pipeline industry; to that end, we oversee pipeline activities to ensure compliance with state and federal safety regulations and promote public safety and awareness.