{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 120191007W","title":"TEXAS EASTERN TRANSMISSION, LP (SPECTRA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP) — Warning Letter","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2019-03-04","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED warning letter citing 192.465(a), 192.465(b), 192.465(d).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-120191007w.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-120191007w.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-120191007w","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/120191007W","body":"Warning Letter involving TEXAS EASTERN TRANSMISSION, LP (SPECTRA ENERGY PARTNERS, LP). PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 192.465(a),  192.465(b),  192.465(d). The case was opened on 2019-03-04 and is reported as closed as of 2019-03-04. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n120191007W_Warning Letter_03042019.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120191007W/120191007W_Warning%20Letter_03042019.pdf\n\n120191007W_Warning Letter_03042019_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/120191007W/120191007W_Warning%20Letter_03042019_text.pdf\n\n120191007W_Warning Letter_03042019_text.pdf\n\nWARNING LETTER\nOVERNIGHT EXPRESS DELIVERY\nMarch 4, 2019\nMr. William T. Yardley\nPresident of Gas Transmission & Midstream Operations\nEnbridge, Inc.\n5400 Westheimer Court\nHouston, TX 77056\nCPF 1-2019-1007W\nDear Mr. Yardley:\nFrom July 30, 2018 to August 2, 2018, an inspector from the Public Utilities Commission of Ohio\n(PUCO), acting as Agent for the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\n(PHMSA) pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code (U.S.C.) inspected Texas Eastern\nTransmission, LP (Texas Eastern); Spectra TX Eastern North system in Ohio.\nAs a result of the inspection, it is alleged that you have committed probable violations of the\nPipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The items inspected\nand the probable violation(s) are:\n1. § 192.465 External corrosion control: Monitoring.\n(a) Each pipeline that is under cathodic protection must be tested at least once each\ncalendar year, but with intervals not exceeding 15 months, to determine whether\nthe cathodic protection meets the requirements of §192.463. However, if tests at\nthose intervals are impractical for separately protected short sections of mains or\ntransmission, not in excess of 100 feet (30 meters), or separately protected service\nline, these pipelines may be surveyed on a sampling basis. At least 10 percent of\nthese protected structures, distributed over the entire system must be surveyed\neach calendar year, with a different 10 percent checked each subsequent year, so\nthat the entire system is tested in each 10-year period.\nTexas Eastern failed to test each pipeline under cathodic protection at least once each calendar\nyear, but with intervals not exceeding 15 months, to determine whether the cathodic protection\n\n\n\nCPF 1-2019-1007W\nmeets the requirements of § 192.463. Specifically, 87 test point locations were tested at intervals\nexceeding 15 month.\nDuring the inspection, the PUCO inspector reviewed Texas Eastern’s cathodic protection external\ncorrosion control monitoring records from 2014 to 2017 (Cathodic Protection Records). Table 1\nbelow, created by PHMSA based on the information Texas Eastern provided in Cathodic\nProtection Records, lists cathodic protection test points that exceeded the 15 month monitoring\ninterval.\nTable1: Test intervals exceeding 15 months\nLocation\nDescription\nInspection Date Inspection Date TP # or MP\nNE:UNI-\nBERN:BERNE\nSTA\n8/28/2015 12/21/2016 9 total:\n115\n107, 108, 109, 110, 11, 112, 113, 114,\nC:EOH:BERN-\nHOLB:MR\n73868\n8/11/2015 12/19/2016 17 total:\n1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,\n15, 16, 17\nC:EOH:BERN-\nHOLB:MR\n73870\n8/11/2015 12/19/2016 16 total:\n15, 16\n1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,\nC:EOH:BERN-\nHOLB:MR\n73874\n8/13/2015 12/21/2016 24 total:\n1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,\n15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24\nC:EOH:BERN-\nHOLB:MR\n73875\n8/13/2015 12/21/2016 21 total:\n1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14,\n15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21\nTherefore, Texas Eastern failed to test at least once each calendar year, but with intervals not\nexceeding 15 months, to determine whether the cathodic protection meets the requirements of\n§ 192.463 at 87 test point locations.\n2. § 192.465 External corrosion control: Monitoring.\n(b) Each reverse current switch, each diode, and each interference bond whose failure\nwould jeopardize structure protection must be electrically check for proper\nperformance six times each calendar year, but with intervals not exceeding 2 ½\nmonths. Each other interference bond must be checked at lease once each calendar\nyear, but with intervals not exceeding 15 months.\nTexas Eastern failed to electrically check for proper performance six times each calendar year, but\nwith intervals not exceeding 2 ½ months, each interference bond whose failure would jeopardize\nstructure protection. Specifically, one critical interference bond was checked at an interval\nexceeding 2 ½ months.\nDuring the inspection, the PUCO inspector reviewed Texas Eastern’s critical interference bond\n120191007W_Warning Letter_03042019_text Page 2 of 4\n\n\n\nCPF 1-2019-1007W\nelectrical check records from 2014 to 2018 (Critical Bond Record). The Critical Bond Record\nstated ROW Code: C”EOH”BERN-HOLB:15:VS-02 with inspection dates 12/16/2015 and\n4/4/2016. This exceeded the 2 ½ month interval to electrically check critical interference bonds.\nTherefore, Texas Eastern failed to electrically check for proper performance six times each\ncalendar year, but with intervals not exceeding 2 ½ months each interference bond whose failure\nwould jeopardize structure protection.\n3. § 192.465 External corrosion control: Monitoring.\n(d) Each operator shall take prompt remedial action to correct any deficiencies\nindicated by the monitoring.\nTexas Eastern failed to take prompt remedial action to correct any deficiencies indicated by its\nexternal corrosion control monitoring. Specifically, Texas Eastern failed to take prompt remedial\naction at four test point locations after indications of deficiencies were discovered during its\ncathodic protection surveys.\nDuring the inspection, the PUCO inspector reviewed Texas Eastern’s cathodic protection\nmonitoring records from 2014 to 2017 (Cathodic Protection Records). Table 1 below, created by\nPHMSA based on the information Texas Eastern provided in Cathodic Protection Records, lists\ncathodic protection test points with Structure P/S below -0.85 Volts.\nTable1: Test points below -0.85 Volts\nTP# or MP Location\nDescription\nInspection Date Structure P/S\n(Volts)\n20 Riser @ BV-8 8-13-2015 12-21-2016 -0.693\n-0.844\n22 Riser @ BV-5 8-13-2015 12-21-2016 -0.576\n-0.821\n23 Riser @ BV-7 8-13-2015 12-21-2016 -0.564\n-0.797\n24 8” Drain DR-3 8-13-2015 -0.622\n12-21-2016 -0.822\nTherefore, Texas Eastern failed to take prompt remedial action to correct any deficiencies\nindicated by the monitoring.\nUnder 49 U.S.C. § 60122 and 49 CFR § 190.223, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed\n$213,268 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,132,679 for a related\nseries of violations. For violation occurring on or after November 2, 2015 and before\nNovember 27, 2018, the maximum penalty may not exceed $209,002 per violation per day, with a\nmaximum penalty not to exceed $2,090,022. For violations occurring prior to November 2, 2015,\nthe maximum penalty may not exceed $200,000 per violation per day, with a maximum penalty\nnot to exceed $2,000,000 for a related series of violations. We have reviewed the circumstances\nand supporting documents involved in this case, and have decided not to conduct additional\n120191007W_Warning Letter_03042019_text Page 3 of 4\n\n\n\nCPF 1-2019-1007W\nenforcement action or penalty assessment proceedings at this time. We advise you to correct the\nitem(s) identified in this letter. Failure to do so will result in Texas Eastern Transmission, LP being\nsubject to additional enforcement action.\nNo reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, be advised that all material you submit in\nresponse to this enforcement action is subject to being made publicly available. If you believe that\nany portion of your responsive material qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b),\nalong with the complete original document you must provide a second copy of the document with\nthe portions you believe qualify for confidential treatment redacted and an explanation of why you\nbelieve the redacted information qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b).\nNo reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, please submit all correspondence in this\nmatter to Robert Burrough, Director, PHMSA Eastern Region, 840 Bear Tavern Road, Suite 300,\nWest Trenton, NJ 08628. Please refer to CPF 1-2019-1007W on each document you submit, and\nwhenever possible provide a signed PDF copy in electronic format. Smaller files may be emailed\nto robert.burrough@dot.gov. Larger files should be sent on a CD accompanied by the original\npaper copy to the Eastern Region Office.\nSincerely,\nRobert Burrough\nDirector, Eastern Region\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\n120191007W_Warning Letter_03042019_text Page 4 of 4","truncated":false,"body_characters":8900}