Our Commitment to Safety

At Mountain Valley Pipeline, our top priority will always be the safety of our communities, employees, contractors, and assets. This includes the responsible construction and safe operation of the MVP – and meeting or exceeding all federal and state safety regulations.

Important Pipeline Safety Information:
Natural gas pipeline safety:

According to the National Transportation Safety Board and the U.S. Department of Transportation, the natural gas pipeline system has the best safety record of any energy delivery system in the U.S., and pipelines are the safest way to transport natural gas over long distances. Federal and state regulations govern the design, construction, operation, and maintenance of natural gas pipelines, which are built according to rigorous safety standards. Based on U.S. Energy Information Administration data, the U.S. natural gas pipeline network consists of more than 300,000 miles of interstate and intrastate transmission pipelines.

Safety measures during construction:

Mountain Valley will comply with all U.S. Department of Transportation Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) regulations.

Since the project’s inception, Mountain Valley has been proactive in its approach to pipeline safety and integrity. Examples of these measures include voluntarily installing approximately 470 temporary cathodic protection groundbed systems on unconnected pipe segments; utilizing three millage readings on five pipe joint locations for coating inspections, versus the standard, single millage reading; voluntarily conducting cathodic protection surveys across portions of the installed pipeline; and developing a coating remediation process that aligns with or exceeds all applicable National Association of Corrosion Engineers standards.

Additionally, there are two important facts regarding the pipe’s coating: 1) every piece of pipe that is in the ground has passed inspection and testing; and 2) as construction continues, the remaining, unburied sections of pipe are being inspected, recoated as necessary, and inspected again prior to the pipe being placed into the ditch and backfilled. After installation, all pipeline field welds will be tested and inspected. Finally, before being placed into operation, the line will be pressure tested to certify integrity.

Protecting the pipeline and maintaining its safe operation:

Safety has been and will remain our top priority. Mountain Valley will ensure safe operations by maintaining the rights-of-way to provide easy access and will operate the pipeline in accordance with U.S. DOT and Federal Energy Regulatory Commission regulations. Once in service, the pipeline will be patrolled, monitored, inspected, and maintained by Equitrans Midstream – with regular inspections occurring to ensure pipeline integrity. Additionally, the pipeline will be monitored 24-hours-a-day, 365-days-a-year using sophisticated computerized systems and around-the-clock personnel.

There will be pipeline markers placed to indicate the location of the pipeline. And importantly, before conducting any type of excavation work near the pipeline – the federally mandated 811 One Call system (‘Call Before You Dig’ program) must be utilized. Please visit Call811 website for details on how to utilize this system.