The Commission’s Pipeline Safety Division was created by and receives its authority under state law, specifically Ind. Code chapter 8-1-22.5, to conduct inspections, investigate incidents, and enforce federal safety regulations from the U.S. Department of Transportation, as well as state statutes and rules. The division also monitors and evaluates regulatory and policy initiatives and advises the Commission about proceedings initiated by Indiana’s system operators. It is also responsible for educating public officials and emergency responders on how to recognize, report, and respond to gas-related emergencies.
The Commission has authority over intrastate pipeline operators only. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has jurisdiction over all interstate pipeline operators.
The page below focuses on the Division’s role in regulating gas pipeline operators around the state. You can learn more about damages to underground facilities here, mandatory and voluntary training opportunities here, and information about the Underground Plant Protection Account (UPPA) fund here.
To contact the Commission’s Pipeline Safety Division staff, click here. The contact information for gas pipeline operators in Indiana can be found here.
*Click here to find the new location for the damage information request form.
Incident Line | 317-232-2707
- Announcements & Upcoming Events
2024 Pipeline Safety Conference
Thank you to everyone who joined us for the 2024 Pipeline Safety Conference held at the Hilton Indianapolis Hotel & Suites in downtown Indianapolis from July 8-10. The conference was intended for everyone, including small operators and those new to the industry, and highlighted some of the regulatory operational requirements associated with the distribution of natural gas and hazardous liquids. Presentations and topics included updates on PSD, IAC Rule, PHMSA, and more!
- Rules & Regulations
- Federal Regulations
- Standards Incorporated by Reference - PHMSA
- Federal Register Page - PHMSA
- Standards and Rulemaking Overview - PHMSA
- NTSB Recommendations - PHMSA
- Pipeline Inspection, Protection, Enforcement & Safety Act of 2006 (PIPES Act)
- Pipeline Safety, Regulatory Certainty, and Job Creation Act of 2011
- Click here to access laws regarding enforcement of pipeline safety standards (Indiana Code chapter 8-1-22.5)
- Click here to access the latest version of Indiana Administrative Code Article 5, Gas Utilities. Rules regarding minimum safety standards can be found in Rule 3, and rules regarding 811 law cases can be found in Rule 5.
- Interstate Pipeline Construction in Indiana: Guidelines and Projects
- Forms
- IURC Pipeline Safety Annual Report for Master Meter Operators: Form
- Annual Report for Gas Distribution System: Instructions
- Operator Reports Submitted to PHMSA – Forms and Instructions
- Indiana 811 Law (excavation damage) operator response: Form
- Federal Links & Statistics
- National Pipeline Mapping System (NPMS) public viewer
- PHMSA Pipeline Safety Inspections
- PHMSA Pipeline Safety Incidents
- PHMSA Pipeline Incident 20 Year Trends
- PHMSA Reportable Incidents Caused by Excavation Damages
- PHMSA Annual Report Data
Indiana Specific Information
- Indiana main page - PHMSA
- Indiana Enforcement Program - PHMSA
- Indiana Damage Prevention Information - PHMSA
As of December 31, 2021, the PSD:
- Regulates 87 operators
- Inspects 164 inspection units
- Conducts 545 inspections every four years
In 2021, the PSD:
- Completed 1,071 inspection days
- Investigated 1,950 damages
- Additional Resources
To report a damage to an underground facility, learn more about locate tickets, and find the cases to be heard at the next Underground Plant Protection Advisory Committee (UPPAC) meeting, click here. Frequently Asked Questions regarding damages to underground facilities can be found here.
Information about mandatory training, as well as voluntary training opportunities, can be found here. The Commission offers free online training to prevent damages to underground facilities. Those trainings are available at safedigindiana.com.
The UPPA fund is an accumulation of civil penalties (fines) that were levied and collected due to violations of Indiana’s Indiana 811 law. Learn more here.
2022 IEA Pipeline Safety Conference Presentations: IURC Pipeline Safety Division Update | Distribution Integrity Management Plan | Operator Damage Response | 49 CFR 192: Inspections | Basics of MAOP | In-Line Inspections of Pipelines | Drug and Alcohol Reports | Operator Qualifications | Minimum Pipeline Safety Standards | What to Expect when being Inspected | Construction Inspections
2018 IEA Pipeline Safety Conference Presentations: IURC Pipeline Safety Division Update | Operator Qualification | Rulemaking & PHMSA Update | Expectations & Enforcement | Safety Management Systems | Overpressure Protection | 192 Updates | DIMP | UPPAC Update | UPPA Account | Misc. Issues
American Gas Association (AGA): https://www.aga.org/natural-gas/
Pipeline Safety Trust: http://pstrust.org/
American Petroleum Institute (API): https://www.api.org/
American Public Gas Association (APGA): https://www.apga.org/home
Indiana Energy Association (IEA): http://www.indianaenergy.org/
Gas Technology Institute (GTI): https://www.gti.energy/
National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE): https://www.nace.org/home.aspx
Common Ground Alliance (CGA): http://commongroundalliance.com/
National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR): http://www.napsr.org/
Pipeline 101: http://www.pipeline101.com/