US regulators on Wednesday proposed rules to speed construction of LNG projects
and expand export capacity. The proposal from the Department of Transportation’s
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) would update the
safety framework for LNG facilities and incorporate National Fire Protection
Association standards on siting, design, construction, operation and
maintenance. DOT Secretary Sean Duffy said the rule would allow operators to
adopt new technologies to boost safety and cut costs, with estimated annual
savings of about $100m, and is part of the Trump administration’s push to
accelerate energy infrastructure and lower consumer costs. The US, already the
world’s largest LNG exporter, is expected to add roughly 100 mln tonnes/year of
LNG capacity by the end of the decade.
