# HESS CORPORATION — Notice of Probable Violation

**Citation:** CPF 120056003  
**Type / status:** enforcement / historical  
**Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration  
**Effective:** Not stated  
**Published:** 2005-06-28

CLOSED notice of probable violation citing 195.509(a).

## Document text

Notice of Probable Violation involving HESS CORPORATION. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 195.509(a). The case was opened on 2005-06-28 and is reported as closed as of 2005-12-06. Proposed civil penalty: $10,000. Assessed civil penalty: $5,000. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.

Official case documents:

120056003_Final Order_11152005.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120056003/120056003_Final%20Order_11152005.pdf

120056003_final order_11152005_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120056003/120056003_final%20order_11152005_text.pdf

120056003_final order_11152005_text.pdf

U. S Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety
Adtninistration
400 Seventh Street, S W
Washington, D C 20590
NQIf t 5 2005
Mr. H. I. Small
Vice President - Terminal Operations
Amerada Hess Corporation
1 Hess Plaza
Woodbridge, NJ 07095
RE: CPF No. 1-2005-6003
Dear Mr. Small:
Enclosed is the Final Order issued by the Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety in the
above-referenced case. It makes a finding of violation and assesses a civil penalty of $5, 000. The
penalty payment terms are set forth in the Final Order. This enforcement action closes
automatically upon payment. Your receipt of the Final Order constitutes service of that document
under 49 C. F. R. ) 190. 5.
Sincerely,
James Reynolds
Pipeline Compliance Registry
Office of Pipeline Safety
Enclosure
cc: Mr. Bill Gute Director, Eastern Region, OPS
CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT RE UESTED



DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY
WASHINGTON, D. C. 20590
In the Matter of
AMERADA HESS CORPORATION,
Respondent.
CPF No. 1-2005-6003
FINAL ORDER
On June 21 and 23, 2004, pursuant to 49 U. S. C. g 60117, representatives of the Office of Pipeline
Safety(OPS), EasternRegion, conductedaninspectionofRespondent's Operator Qualification Plan
and records at its Bayonne Terminal in New Jersey. As a result of the inspection, the Director,
Eastern Region, OPS, issued to Respondent, by letter dated June 28, 2005, a Notice of Probable
Violation and Proposed Civil Penalty (Notice). In accordance with 49 C. F. R. g 190. 207, the Notice
proposed finding that Respondent had violated 49 C. F. R. Part 195 and proposed assessing a civil
penalty of $10, 000 for the alleged violation.
Respondent responded to the Notice by letter dated July 29, 2005 (Response). Respondent did not
contest the allegation of violation but offered an explanation and requested that the proposed civil
penalty be reduced. Respondent did not request a hearing, and therefore has waived its right to one.
FINDINGS OF VIOLATION
(Uncontested)
In its Response, Respondent did not contest the alleged violations in the Notice. Accordingly, I find
that Respondent violated the following sections of 49 C. F. R. Part 195, as more fully described in the
Notice;
49 C. F. R. g 195. 509(a) — failure to have a written Operator Qualification plan by
April 27, 2001.
This finding of violation will be considered a prior offense in any subsequent enforcement action
taken against Respondent.
ASSESSMENT OF PENALTY
Under 49 U. S. C. ) 60122, Respondent is subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $100, 000 per
violation for each day of the violation up to a maximum of $1, 000, 000 for any related series of
violations. The Notice proposed a $10, 000 civil penalty for violation of 49 C. F R. ( 195. 509(a).



49 U. S. C. $ 60122 and 49 C. F. R. $ 190. 225 require that, in determining the amount of the civil
penalty, I consider the following criteria: nature, circumstances, and gravity of the violation, degree
of Respondent's culpability, history of Respondent's prior offenses, Respondent's ability to pay the
penalty, good faith by Respondent in attempting to achieve compliance, the effect on Respondent's
ability to continue in business, and such other matters as justice may require.
The Notice proposed a civil penalty of $10, 000, as Respondent failed to have a written Operator
Qualification (OQ) plan by April 27, 2001. Respondent did not contest the allegation of violation
but offered an explanation and requested that the proposed civil penalty be reduced. At the time of
the inspection, Respondent did have an OQ plan. Respondent also had plans underway to take the
line out of service by August 15, 2005 and maintain it in a caretaker status due to business demands.
Accordingly, having reviewed the record and considered the assessment criteria, I assess Respondent
a civil penalty of $5, 000, for violation of 49 C F. R. $195. 509(a).
Payment of the civil penalty must be made within 20 days of service. Payment may be made by
sending a certified check or money order (containing the CPF Number for this case) payable to
"U. S. Department of Transportation" to the Federal Aviation Administration, Mike Monroney
Aeronautical Center, Financial Operations Division (AMZ-120), P. O. Box 25770, Oklahoma City,
OK 73125.
Federal regulations (49 C. F. R. $ 89. 21(b)(3)) also permit this payment to be made by wire transfer,
through the Federal Reserve Communications System(Fedwire), to the account of the U. S. Treasury.
Detailed instructions are contained in the enclosure. Questions concerning wire transfers should be
directed to: Financial Operations Division (AMZ-120), Federal Aviation Administration, Mike
Monroney Aeronautical Center, P. O. Box 25082, Oklahoma City, OK 73125; (405) 954-4719.
Failure to pay the $5, 000 civil penalty will result in accrual of interest at the current annual rate in
accordance with 31 U. S. C. $ 3717, 31 C. F. R. $ 901. 9 and 49 C. F. R. $ 89. 23. Pursuant to those same
authorities, a late penalty charge of six percent (6%) per annum will be charged if payment is not
made within 110 days of service. Furthermore, failure to pay the civil penalty may result in referral
of the matter to the Attorney General for appropriate action in an United States District Court.
Under 49 C. F. R. $ 190 215, Respondent has a right to submit a Petition for Reconsideration of this
Final Order. The petition must be received within 20 days of Respondent's receipt of this Final
Order and must contain a brief statement of the issue(s). The filing of the petition automatically
stays the payment of any civil penalty assessed. However if Respondent submits payment for the
civil penalty, the Final Order becomes the final administrative decision and the right to petition for
reco ideration is waived. The terms and conditions of this Final Order are effective on receipt.
St ey e ard
Asso te Administrator
for Pipeline Safety
Date Issued

## Provenance

- Official: Yes
- Source: <https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/120056003>
- Source ID: `phmsa-enforcement`
- SHA-256: `2cef19b1a67289cf713969524166d92f8b5dfd31ec40a636b7f3cd96de891871`
- Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:44:44.458Z
- Exported: 2026-08-22T12:16:30.860Z
- Document slug: `phmsa-enforcement-120056003`

### Source metadata

```json
{
  "cpf": "120056003",
  "operator": "HESS CORPORATION",
  "region": "Eastern",
  "pipelineType": "INTRASTATE LIQUID ONSHORE",
  "caseStatus": "CLOSED",
  "citedSections": [
    "195.509(a)"
  ],
  "dataAsOf": "08/04/2026 12PM",
  "caseDataAsOf": "2026-08-04",
  "attachmentCount": 2,
  "attachments": [
    {
      "name": "120056003_Final Order_11152005.pdf",
      "url": "https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120056003/120056003_Final%20Order_11152005.pdf",
      "bytes": 131282,
      "category": "agency_document"
    },
    {
      "name": "120056003_final order_11152005_text.pdf",
      "url": "https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120056003/120056003_final%20order_11152005_text.pdf",
      "bytes": 167081,
      "category": "agency_document"
    }
  ],
  "extractedAgencyDocumentCount": 1,
  "attachmentPolicy": "Official attachment links are retained. Agency-issued documents may also include a verified local PDF and page-level text representation.",
  "jurisdiction": "US",
  "operatorName": "HESS CORPORATION"
}
```
