New laws related to the transmission and distribution of gas in Great Britain came into force on 6 April 2023 following a government review of gas quality regulation and a public consultation on changes to the Gas Safety (Management) Regulations 1996.

Changes will see new values for the content and characteristics of gas that may be conveyed in the gas network, an extension of the co-operation duties to liquified natural gas import facilities, the creation of an Emergency Reporting Service to take over the functions and responsibilities of the gas emergency telephone service for gas escapes and additional regulatory requirements for pipelines conveying biomethane in gas networks.

The Gas Safety (Management) (Amendment) Regulations 2023 (GSMAR) apply to gas transmission and distribution, providing for the safe management of gas flow through a network; gas quality specifications; arrangements for dealing with gas escapes and arrangements for managing gas supply emergencies, and will play an important role in the continued supply of gas and resilience in our supply mix, and in the health and safety of gas conveyance.

It should be noted that the change to the lower Wobbe Number limit comes into force on 6 April 2025 and that there are transition periods applying to biomethane pipelines and the safety case for the emergency reporting service provider.

For more information on the changes, please see these useful links:

• The Gas Safety (Management) (Amendment) Regulations 2023
• GSMAR consultation
• GSMAR consultation response (.PDF)
• GSMAR impact assessment

HSE will also be publishing updated L80 guidance on the regulations in due course.

Comment: "No comment."

Source: HSE ebulletin