# PORTLAND PIPE LINE CORPORATION — Notice of Amendment

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** CPF 120085004M
- **title:** PORTLAND PIPE LINE CORPORATION — Notice of Amendment
- **source type:** enforcement
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** historical
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2008-09-16
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** CLOSED notice of amendment citing 195.403, 195.567(b)(1), 195.573(c), 195.573(e), 195.575(c), 195.579(a), 195.579(c), 195.581(a), 195.583(a), 195.589(c).
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**body:**

Notice of Amendment involving PORTLAND PIPE LINE CORPORATION. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 195.403,  195.567(b)(1),  195.573(c),  195.573(e),  195.575(c),  195.579(a),  195.579(c),  195.581(a),  195.583(a),  195.589(c). The case was opened on 2008-09-16 and is reported as closed as of 2009-12-14. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.

Official case documents:

120085004M_Closure Letter_12142009.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120085004M/120085004M_Closure%20Letter_12142009.pdf

120085004M_Closure Letter_12142009_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120085004M/120085004M_Closure%20Letter_12142009_text.pdf

120085004M_Notice of Amendment_09162008.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120085004M/120085004M_Notice%20of%20Amendment_09162008.pdf

120085004M_Operator Response and Request for Time Extension_09262008.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120085004M/120085004M_Operator%20Response%20and%20Request%20for%20Time%20Extension_09262008.pdf

120085004M_Operator Response to Notice Letter_10152009.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120085004M/120085004M_Operator%20Response%20to%20Notice%20Letter_10152009.pdf

120085004M_Notice of Amendment_09162008.pdf

U.S. Department
of Transportation
409 3° St. S.W. Suite 300
Pipeline and
Washington, D.C. 20024
Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration
NOTICE OF AMENDMENT
CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
September 16, 2008
Ms. Marjorie Dawson
President
Portland Pipeline Terminal
30 Hill Street
S. Portland, ME 04106
CPF 1-2008-5004M
Dear Ms. Dawson:
During the week of November 5, 2007, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration (PHMSA) pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code inspected
your crude oil pipeline between Portland, Maine and Jay, Vermont.
On the basis of the inspection, PHMSA has identified the apparent inadequacies found within
Portland Pipeline Corporation's (PMPL) plans or procedures, as described below:



1.
§195.403 Emergency Response Training.
(a) Each operator shall establish and conduct a continuing training program to
instruct emergency response personnel to:
(1) Carry out the emergency procedures established under 195.402 that relate to
their assignments;
(2) Know the characteristics and hazards of the hazardous liquids or carbon
dioxide transported, including, in case of flammable HVL, flammability of mixtures
with air, odorless vapors, and water reactions;
(3) Recognize conditions that are likely to cause emergencies, predict the
consequences of facility malfunctions or failures and hazardous liquids or carbon
dioxide spills, and take appropriate corrective action;
(4) Take steps necessary to control any accidental release of hazardous liquid or
carbon dioxide and to minimize the potential for fire, explosion, toxicity, or
environmental damage; and
(5) Learn the potential causes, types, sizes, and consequences of fire and the
appropriate use of portable fire extinguishers and other on-site fire control
equipment, involving, where feasible, a simulated pipeline emergency condition.
Section 11 of PMPL's Operations and Maintenance Procedures Manual (O&M) details PMPL's
regarding the training materials. Operator states that the entire O&M is the training guide. The
Emergency Response Training Procedures (ERTP). The procedures are lacking sufficient detail
ERTP was lacking specificity with respect to training materials, training curriculum and schedule
of the ERT classes.
2.
§195.567 Which pipelines must have test leads and what must I do to install and
maintain the leads?
(b) Installation. You must install test leads as follows:
(1) Locate the leads at intervals frequent enough to obtain electrical measurements
indicating the adequacy of cathodic protection.
(c) Maintenance. You must maintain the test lead wires in a condition that enables
you to obtain electrical measurements to determine whether cathodic protection
complies with Sec. 195.571.
PMPL's O&M section 6.5.2.2 states that test stations are located at most road crossings along the
OW. This does not necessarily assure that the operator can properly monitor the adequacy of
he cathodic protection alone the entire pipeline. The procedures fail to establish a maintenanc
program for the test lead wires to assure their suitability for testing the cathodic protection
system on the pipeline.
§195.573 What must I do to monitor external corrosion control?
(c) Rectifiers and other devices. You must electrically check for proper
performance each device in the first column at the frequency stated in the second
column.
2



Device
Check frequency
Rectifier
At least six times each calendar year, but
Reverse current switch
with intervals not exceeding 2 ½ months
Diode
Interference bond whose failure would
jeopardize structural protection
Other interference bond
At least once each calendar year, but
With intervals not exceeding 15 months.
PMPL's O&M section 6.5.2.2.f states:
Resistance bonds - These are electric ties between our own lines and foreign
pipelines that cross us. Data is gathered that reflects the electric current flow in
amperes to or from these lines.
The O&M provides no guidance on the testing of the interference bond nor does it provide the
results of the monitoring that would prompt corrective action.
§195.573 What must I do to monitor external corrosion control?
(e) Corrective action. You must correct any identified deficiency in corrosion
control as required by Sec. 195.401(b). However, if the deficiency involves a
pipeline in an integrity management program under Sec. 195.452, you must
correct the deficiency as required by Sec. 195.452(h).
PMPL's O&M do not specify that deficiencies identified in corrosion control must be corrected
to satisfy §195.401(b) which requires that corrections be done within a reasonable time, or if the
condition presents an immediate hazard .... the operator may not operate the pipeline until it has
corrected the unsafe condition
5.
§195.575 Which facilities must I electrically isolate and what inspections, tests, and
safeguards are required?
(c) You must inspect and electrically test each electrical isolation to assure the
isolation is adequate.
PMPL's O&M section 6.5.5.4.b state that the insulated flanges and casings will be tested, but
they do not specify a definite test interval. There is no prescribed follow-up action when
operator discovers a shorted casing.
§195.579 What must I do to mitigate internal corrosion?
(a) General. If you transport any hazardous liquid or carbon dioxide that would
corrode the pipeline, you must investigate the corrosive effect of the hazardous
liquid or carbon dioxide on the pipeline and take adequate steps to mitigate internal
corrosion.
PMPL states that the tariff limits crude to <1% BS& W (sand, grit, dirt, wax and water).
Operator runs a cleaning pig through the pipeline quarterly. Vessels provide assay analysis with
3



hydrogen sulfide (HS) concentrations, but the procedures do not provide threshold levels of
HaS, or other corrosive materials, to alert operating staff of problem batches and what protections
operator could take to protect the pipeline from internal corrosion.
7.
195.579 What must I do to mitigate internal corrosion?
(c) Removing pipe. Whenever you remove pipe from a pipeline, you must inspect
the internal surface of the pipe for evidence of corrosion. If you find internal
corrosion requiring corrective action under Sec. 195.585, you must investigate
circumferentially and longitudinally beyond the removed pipe (by visual
examination, indirect method, or both) to determine whether additional corrosion
requiring remedial action exists in the vicinity of the removed pipe.
PMPL's O&M fails to provide procedures to maintenance staff on the inspection of removed
pipe for internal corrosion.
8.
$195.581 Which pipelines must I protect against atmospheric corrosion and what
coating material may I use?
a) You must clean and coat each pipeline or portion of pipeline that is exposed to
the atmosphere, except pipelines under paragraph (c) of this section.
(b) Coating material must be suitable for the prevention of atmospheric corrosion.
PMPL O&M fails to specify the process involved in the application of coating to ensure that it
adheres to the pipeline. The O&M also fails to specify acceptable coatings to protect the
pipeline from atmospheric corrosion.
9.
§195.583 What must I do to monitor atmospheric corrosion control?
a) You must inspect each pipeline or portion of pipeline that is exposed to the
atmosphere for evidence of atmospheric corrosion, as follows:
If the pipeline is located onshore, then the frequency of inspection is at least once
every 3 calendar years, but with intervals not exceeding 39 months...
(b) During inspections you must give particular attention to pipe at soil-to-air
interfaces, under thermal insulation, under disbonded coatings, at pipe supports...
and in spans over water.
(c) If you find atmospheric corrosion during an inspection, you must provide
protection against the corrosion as required by Sec. 195.581.
PMPL's O&M in Section 6 refers to the annual paint inspection. There is only reference to
"paint and coating failures." Procedures fail to specify different levels of coating failure, levels
of pipe degradation or urgency of remediation. Procedures provide only for remediation during
warmer weather.
10.
§195.589 What corrosion control information do I have to maintain?
(c) You must maintain a record of each analysis, check, demonstration,
examination, inspection, investigation, review, survey, and test required by this
subpart in sufficient detail to demonstrate the adequacy of corrosion control
measures or that corrosion requiring control measures does not exist. You must
4



retain these records for at least 5 years, except that records related to Sees. 195.569,
195.573(a) and (b), and 195.579(b)(3) and (c) must be retained for as long as the
pipeline remains in service.
PMPL's O&M in Section 6 requires only that "if abnormalities are discovered [during the annual
paint/coating inspection], an immediate report is made to maintenance Supervisor South
Portland." PMPL's procedures do not specify criteria to measure the adequacy of corrosion
COME peasedises do not designard herablon record retenin requiring control measures.
Response to this Notice
This Notice is provided pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 60108(a) and 49 C.F.R. § 190.237. Enclosed as
part of this Notice is a document entitled Response Options for Pipeline Operators in
Compliance Proceedings. Please refer to this document and note the response options. Be
advised that all material you submit in response to this enforcement action is subject to being
made publicly available. If you believe that any portion of your responsive material qualifies 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 believe qualify for
confidential treatment redacted and an explanation of why you believe the redacted information
qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b). If you do not respond within 30 days
of receipt of this Notice, this constitutes a waiver of your right to contest the allegations in this
Notice and authorizes the Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety to find facts as alleged in
this Notice without further notice to you and to issue a Final Order.
If, after opportunity for a hearing, your plans or procedures are found inadequate as alleged in
this Notice, you may be ordered to amend your plans or procedures to correct the inadequacies
(49 C.F.R. § 190.237). If you are not contesting this Notice, we propose that you submit your
amended procedures to my office within 30 days of receipt of this Notice. This period may be
extended by written request for good cause. Once the inadequacies identified herein have been
addressed in your amended procedures, this enforcement action will be closed.
In correspondence concerning this matter, please refer to CPF 1-2008-5004M and, for each
document you submit, please provide a copy in electronic format whenever possible.
Sincerely,
Byron Coy, PE
Director, Eastern Region
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
Enclosure: Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Compliance Proceedings
5

120085004M_Closure Letter_12142009_text.pdf

U.S. Department 820 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 306
Of Transportation West Trenton, NJ 08628
Pipeline and 609.989.2171
Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration
December 14, 2009
EXPRESS OVERNIGHT DELIVERY
Ms. Marjorie Dawson
President
Portland Pipeline Terminal
30 Hill Street
Portland, Maine 04106
CPF 1-2008-5004M
Dear Ms. Dawson:
During the week of November 7, 2007, a representative from the Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), pursuant to chapter 601 of 49 United States Code,
conducted an on-site pipeline safety inspection of Portland Pipeline Corporation’s (PMPL)
procedures in South Portland, Maine. As a result of the inspection, PMPL was issued a Notice of
Amendment on September 16, 2008, which proposed amendment of your procedures.
PMPL submitted its amended procedures on October 15, 2009. My staff reviewed the amended
procedures, and it appears that the inadequacies outlined in this Notice of Amendment have been
corrected.
This letter is to inform you no further action is necessary and this case is now closed. Thank you
for your cooperation.
Sincerely,
Byron Coy, PE
Director, Eastern Region
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
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