# LINN WESTERN OPERATING, INC — Warning Letter **Citation:** CPF 520080021W **Type / status:** enforcement / historical **Agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration **Effective:** Not stated **Published:** 2008-09-08 CLOSED warning letter citing 192.475(b), 192.479(a), 192.615(c). ## Document text Warning Letter involving LINN WESTERN OPERATING, INC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 192.475(b), 192.479(a), 192.615(c). The case was opened on 2008-09-08 and is reported as closed as of 2008-09-08. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status. Official case documents: 520080021W_warning letter_09082008.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/520080021W/520080021W_warning%20letter_09082008.pdf 520080021w_warning letter_09082008_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/520080021W/520080021w_warning%20letter_09082008_text.pdf 520080021w_warning letter_09082008_text.pdf U. S. Department of Transporl'ation Pipe!lies and Hmzmdous Materidlls Safety AdmirtiistmHon 1 2300 W Dakota Ave, Suite 110 Lakewood, CO 80228 WA~1NG I KIT'KR September 8, 2008 Mr. Kelly Roberts EH@, S Advisor Linn Energy, LLC 600 Travis, Suite 5100 Houston, TX 77002 CPF 5-2008-0021W- Dear Mr. Roberts. From July 7-9, 2008, a representative of the Pipehne and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code, conducted an onsite inspection of your Linn Western Operating, Inc. 's (Linn Western) pipehne facihties and records in Brea, Cahfornia. As a result of the inspection, it appears that you have committed probable violations as noted below of pipehne safety regulations, Title 49, CFR, Part 192. The items inspected and the probable violations are: g 192. 605 (a) General. Each operator shall prepare and follow for each pipeline a manual of written procedures for conducting operations and maintenance activities and for emergency response. Linn Western pipeline personnel could not produce records of haison with pubhc officials. Whenever an operator has knowledge that any portion of a buried pipeline is exposed, the exposed portion must be examined for evidence of external corrosion if the pipe is bare, or if the coating is deteriorated. And (b) Whenever any pipe is removed from a pipeline for any reason, the interal surface must be inspected for evidence of con osion. Linn Western pipehne personnel could not produce records of external and mternal pipe examination of the East Coyote Gas Line when the line was rerouted in 2008 (a) Each operator must clean and coat each pipehne or portion of pipehne that is exposed to the atmospheric, except pipelines under paragraph (c) of this section. The coating of the East Coyote Gas Line at the Breitburn tie-in facihty deteriorated to a point that atmospheric corrosion could be seen at an early stage. Under 49 United States Code, ) 60122, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $100, 000 for each violation for each day the violation persists up to a maximum of $1, 000, 000 for any related series of violations. We have reviewed the circumstances and have decided not to assess you a civil penalty We advise you to correct the items identified in this letter Failure to do so will result in Linn Western being subject to additional enforcement action No reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, in your correspondence please refer to CPF 5-ZOO8-OOZlW. Be advised that all material you submit in response to this enforcement action is sub]ect to being made pubhcly available. If you beheve that any portion of your responsive material quahfies for confidential treatment under 5 U. S. C. 552(b), along with the complete original document you must provide a second copy of the document with the portions you beheve qualify for confidential treatment redacted and an explanation of why you believe the redacted information quahfies for confidential treatment under 5 U S C. 552(b). Sincerely, Chris Hoidal Director, Western Region Pipehne and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration cc. PHP-60 Comphance Registry PHP-500 (P. Nguyen, ¹122101) ## Provenance - Official: Yes - Source: - Source ID: `phmsa-enforcement` - SHA-256: `4b2a463a73346cdf7c471d6644f53286745667fc5bd38e7d2af44b9f21d94a4d` - Retrieved: 2026-08-20T04:44:44.458Z - Exported: 2026-08-22T05:29:54.180Z - Document slug: `phmsa-enforcement-520080021w` ### Source metadata ```json { "cpf": "520080021W", "operator": "LINN WESTERN OPERATING, INC", "region": "Western", "pipelineType": "GAS INTRASTATE ONSHORE", "caseStatus": "CLOSED", "citedSections": [ "192.475(b)", "192.479(a)", "192.615(c)" ], "dataAsOf": "08/04/2026 12PM", "caseDataAsOf": "2026-08-04", "attachmentCount": 2, "attachments": [ { "name": "520080021W_warning letter_09082008.pdf", "url": "https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/520080021W/520080021W_warning%20letter_09082008.pdf", "bytes": 177497, "category": "agency_document" }, { "name": "520080021w_warning letter_09082008_text.pdf", "url": "https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/520080021W/520080021w_warning%20letter_09082008_text.pdf", "bytes": 159610, "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": "LINN WESTERN OPERATING, INC" } ```