StacksVerified U.S. regulatory reference

30 CFR §250.1751

Verified against eCFR.gov as of June 20, 2026View official text on eCFR.gov ↗
You must do the following to decommission a pipeline in place:
  1. (a)Submit a pipeline decommissioning application in triplicate to the Regional Supervisor for approval. Your application must be accompanied by payment of the service fee listed in § 250.125. Your application must include the following information:
    1. (1)Reason for the operation;
    2. (2)Proposed decommissioning procedures;
    3. (3)Length (feet) of segment to be decommissioned; and
    4. (4)Length (feet) of segment remaining.
  2. (b)Pig the pipeline, unless the Regional Supervisor determines that pigging is not practical;
  3. (c)Flush the pipeline;
  4. (d)Fill the pipeline with seawater;
  5. (e)Cut and plug each end of the pipeline;
  6. (f)Bury each end of the pipeline at least 3 feet below the seafloor or cover each end with protective concrete mats, if required by the Regional Supervisor; and
  7. (g)Remove all pipeline valves and other fittings that could unduly interfere with other uses of the OCS.