Oklahoma U.S. Senator Jim Inhofe has introduced a measure to ensure drones can continue to be used by energy pipeline operators as well as others responding to natural disasters. He introduced the UAVs for Energy Infrastructure Act and immediately drew the support of energy associations.
“Energy companies that maintain critical infrastructure, such as pipelines, are required to comply with significant monitoring regulations across thousands of miles of their infrastructure network,” said Sen. Inhofe. “This legislation would establish a process to allow companies to use unmanned aircraft to meet monitoring requirements, which can currently be done with manned aircraft, on foot or in vehicles.”
The Senator said the legislator also enhances the safety of the energy infrastructure by allowing companies to quickly respond to emergencies and other events with unmanned aircraft to assess on-the-ground conditions without unnecessarily risking human lives.
“The Inhofe bill to break down regulatory barriers to using drone technology to keep pipelines safe is welcome legislation,” said Andy Black, president of the Association of Oil Pipe Lines. “Drones hold the possibility for additional high tech inspection of pipelines from the air.”
Martin Edwards, vice president of legislative affairs at the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America explained that for years, federal safety regulations required natural gas transmission pipelines to patrol their rights of way using manned aircraft.
“Unmanned aircraft offer natural gas pipelines a 21st century solution to this regulatory requirement, a solution that can be more effective in numerous ways. This legislation will allow pipelines to use this new technology,” added Edwards.
Support for Sen. Inhofe’s drone bill also came from the American Petroleum Institute.
“The number one goal of the oil and natural gas industry is zero incidents, and unmanned aerial system technologies provide enormous potential to improve the safe operation of all oil and natural gas infrastructure through the ability to safely conduct preventative inspections, maintenance, repairs and response activities,” said Robin Rorick, group director of Midstream and Industry Operations at the Institute.
Inhofe’s measure, known as S. 2684 would direct the Secretary of Transportation to develop a process to allow companies operating critical infrastructure, such as energy pipelines, to use an unmanned aircraft beyond visual line of sight to carry out activities already allowed to be accomplished with manned aircraft. It would include conducting surveys required for pipeline construction, maintenance, and rehabilitation as well as maintaining compliance with federal regulations that require periodic patrolling of pipeline rights-of-way to prevent encroachment, unauthorized excavation, evidence of leaks or any other conditions that might jeopardize the safety of the pipeline.
