{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 12021038NOA","title":"SOUTHERN STAR CENTRAL GAS PIPELINE, INC — Notice of Amendment","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2021-05-20","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED notice of amendment citing 192.12(c).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12021038noa.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12021038noa.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12021038noa","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/12021038NOA","body":"Notice of Amendment involving SOUTHERN STAR CENTRAL GAS PIPELINE, INC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 192.12(c). The case was opened on 2021-05-20 and is reported as closed as of 2021-07-09. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n12021038NOA_Closure Letter_07092021_(20-185140).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12021038NOA/12021038NOA_Closure%20Letter_07092021_(20-185140).pdf\n\n12021038NOA_Closure Letter_07092021_(20-185140)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12021038NOA/12021038NOA_Closure%20Letter_07092021_(20-185140)_text.pdf\n\n12021038NOA_Notice of Amendment_05202021_(20-185140).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12021038NOA/12021038NOA_Notice%20of%20Amendment_05202021_(20-185140).pdf\n\n12021038NOA_Notice of Amendment_05202021_(20-185140)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12021038NOA/12021038NOA_Notice%20of%20Amendment_05202021_(20-185140)_text.pdf\n\n12021038NOA_Operator Response to Notice_05262021_(20-185140).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12021038NOA/12021038NOA_Operator%20Response%20to%20Notice_05262021_(20-185140).pdf\n\n12021038NOA_Closure Letter_07092021_(20-185140)_text.pdf\n\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: shawn.patterson@southernstar.com\nJuly 9, 2021\nMr. Shawn Patterson\nVP & Chief Operations Officer\nSouthern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc.\n4700 State Route 56 P.O. Box 20010\nOwensboro, Kentucky 42304-0010\nCPF 1-2021-038-NOA\nDear Mr. Patterson:\nOn July 1, 2020, a representative from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\n(PHMSA), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code, conducted an on-site pipeline safety\ninspection of Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc’s procedures in Blackwell, Oklahoma. As a\nresult of the inspection, Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc. was issued a Notice of\nAmendment on May 20, 2021, which proposed amendment of your procedures.\nSouthern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc submitted its amended procedures on May 26, 2021. My\nstaff reviewed the amended procedures, and it appears that the inadequacies outlined in this Notice\nof Amendment have been corrected.\nThis letter is to inform you no further action is necessary and this case is now closed. Thank you\nfor your cooperation.\nSincerely,\nRobert Burrough\nDirector, Eastern Region\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\n\n12021038NOA_Notice of Amendment_05202021_(20-185140)_text.pdf\n\nNOTICE OF AMENDMENT\nOVERNIGHT EXPRESS DELIVERY\nMay 20, 2021\nMr. Jimmy Staton\nPresident and CEO\nSouthern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc\n4700 State Route 56\nBOX 20010\nOwensboro, KY 42301\nCPF 1-2021-038-NOA\nDear Mr. Staton:\nOn June 30, 2020, an Incident occurred at Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc’s (SSCGP)\nBlackwell Storage Field that resulted in the hospitalization of an employee due to an injury. The\nWell 30 Incident (Incident) occurred around 12:00 PM during workover operations to isolate a\nwell that had annular pressures that exceeded operator’s thresholds. SSCGP was in the process of\nrelieving the pressure in the wellbore when an employee supervising the operations was struck on\nthe back of the head by equipment that was part of the apparatus used to relieve pressure from the\nwellbore. The employee was administered first aid while an ambulance was dispatched and was\nlater admitted for head injuries.\nOn July 1, 2020, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\n(PHMSA) pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code investigated the Incident and\nreviewed procedures that were in use at the time of the Incident in Blackwell, Oklahoma.\nOn the basis of the investigation, PHMSA has identified the apparent inadequacy found within\nSSCGP’s plans or procedures, as described below:\n1. § 192.12 Underground natural gas storage facilities.\n(a) …\n(c) Procedural manuals. Each operator of a UNGSF must prepare\nand follow for each facility one or more manuals of written procedures\nfor conducting operations, maintenance, and emergency preparedness\nand response activities under paragraphs (a) and (b) of this section.\n\n\n\nCPF 1-2021-038-NOA\nEach operator must keep records necessary to administer such\nprocedures and review and update these manuals at intervals not\nexceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar year. Each\noperator must keep the appropriate parts of these manuals accessible\nat locations where UNGSF work is being performed. Each operator\nmust have written procedures in place before commencing operations\nor beginning an activity not yet implemented.\nSSCGP’s written procedures for conducting operations, maintenance, and emergency\npreparedness and response activities under § 192.12(b) were inadequate. Specifically, SSCGP’s\nprocedures did not describe the process used for workover operations in accordance with API RP\n1171, Section 11.2 Procedures (Section 11.2).\nSection 11.2 states in part:\nThe operator shall develop and follow procedures for the construction, operation, and\nmaintenance of natural gas storage wells and reservoirs to establish and maintain functional\nintegrity.\nAt the time of the investigation, SSCGP’s procedures did not state the precautions that should be\ntaken when using equipment that has not been approved for usage during workover operations.\nSpecifically, SSCGP’s procedures did not have provisions preventing the use of equipment that\ncan cause an uncontrolled release of gas.\nTherefore, SSCGP’s written procedures required by § 192.12(c) were inadequate. SSCGP must\nrevise its written procedures to address this deficiency.\nResponse to this Notice\nThis Notice is provided pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 60108(a) and 49 C.F.R. § 190.206. Enclosed as\npart of this Notice is a document entitled Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Enforcement\nProceedings.\nPlease refer to this document and note the response options. Be advised that all material you\nsubmit in response to this enforcement action is subject to being made publicly available. If you\nbelieve that any portion of your responsive material qualifies for confidential treatment under 5\nU.S.C. 552(b), along with the complete original document you must provide a second copy of the\ndocument with the portions you believe qualify for confidential treatment redacted and an\nexplanation of why you believe the redacted information qualifies for confidential treatment under\n5 U.S.C. 552(b).\nFollowing the receipt of this Notice, you have 30 days to submit written comments, revised\nprocedures, or a request for a hearing under §190.211. If you do not respond within 30 days of\nreceipt of this Notice, this constitutes a waiver of your right to contest the allegations in this Notice\nand authorizes the Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety to find facts as alleged in this Notice\nwithout further notice to you and to issue an Order Directing Amendment. If your plans or\nprocedures are found inadequate as alleged in this Notice, you may be ordered to amend your plans\n12021038NOA_Notice of Amendment_05202021_(20-185140)_text Page 2 of 3\n\n\n\nCPF 1-2021-038-NOA\nor procedures to correct the inadequacies (49 C.F.R. § 190.206). If you are not contesting this\nNotice, we propose that you submit your amended procedures to my office within 30 days of\nreceipt of this Notice. This period may be extended by written request for good cause. Once the\ninadequacies identified herein have been addressed in your amended procedures, this enforcement\naction will be closed.\nIt is requested (not mandated) that Southern Star Central Gas Pipeline, Inc maintain documentation\nof the safety improvement costs associated with fulfilling this Notice of Amendment\n(preparation/revision of plans, procedures) and submit the total to Robert Burrough, Director,\nEastern Region, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, 840 Bear Tavern Road,\nSuite 300, West Trenton, NJ 08628. In correspondence concerning this matter, please refer to CPF\n1-2021-038-NOA and, for each document you submit, please provide a copy in electronic format\nwhenever possible. Smaller files may be emailed to robert.burrough@dot.gov. Larger files should\nbe sent on USB flash drive accompanied by the original paper copy to the Eastern Region Office.\nSincerely,\nRobert Burrough\nDirector, Eastern Region\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nEnclosure: Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Enforcement Proceedings\n12021038NOA_Notice of Amendment_05202021_(20-185140)_text Page 3 of 3","truncated":false,"body_characters":8595}