Equitrans Midstream, the operator of Mountain Valley Pipeline (MVP) project, has secured a consent order from the US pipeline regulator for the MVP project.

Equitrans will be required to submit an appropriate action plan and carry out tests on coatings intended to prevent corrosion and pipeline damage in accordance with the conditions of the consent agreement with the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

The agreement comes in response to the notice issued by PHMSA in August, highlighting the potential risk to public safety, property, or the environment from the MVP project.

According to Equitrans, the consent order resolved that notice, and the terms of the agreement's conditions are not anticipated to materially affect the project's budget or schedule.

Spanning over 487km from northwestern West Virginia to southern Virginia, MVP is a $6.6bn project.

The pipeline, which is currently 94% complete, will give drillers in the gas-rich Appalachian Basin essential transport capacity, reported Bloomberg.

The MVP has been designed to carry up to two billion cubic feet of Marcellus and Utica shale natural gas per day.

Mountain Valley, the company that owns the pipeline project, is run by Equitrans. Other partners in the project include Con Edison Transmission, NextEra Capital, WGL Midstream, and RGC Midstream.

Equitrans president and chief operating officer Diana Charletta said: “The terms of this consent agreement are directly aligned with Equitrans’ core values, which include continually striving to go above and beyond regulatory compliance requirements. Importantly, the agreement outlines actions that are designed to reassure the public of MVP’s integrity and demonstrates our commitment to safe, responsible construction and in-service operations.

“Safety has been, and will remain, MVP’s top priority, and we are committed to meeting or exceeding all applicable regulations to ensure the safety of our communities, employees, contractors, and assets.”