Colorado Outlines New Pipeline Rules After Fatal Explosion

DENVER (AP) — Colorado regulators have released an outline for new rules governing oil and gas pipelines after a fatal house explosion blamed on a gas leak.

The outline calls for new standards for designing, testing and shutting down flow lines, which carry oil or gas from wells to tanks or other gathering equipment.

The documents, dated Sept. 8, were posted online Wednesday.

Regulators plan to complete draft rules by Oct. 15 and hold hearings in December. The Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, which regulates the industry, could vote on adopting the rules after that.

The rules are in response to an April explosion that killed two people.

Investigators blamed the explosion on gas leaking from a pipeline that was thought to be out of service but was still connected to a well.

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