# WOLVERINE PIPELINE CO — Warning Letter

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** CPF 12022058WL
- **title:** WOLVERINE PIPELINE CO — Warning Letter
- **source type:** enforcement
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** historical
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2022-08-18
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** CLOSED warning letter citing 195.446(a), 195.446(c)(3).
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12022058wl.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12022058wl.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-12022058wl
- **source url:** https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/12022058WL
**body:**

Warning Letter involving WOLVERINE PIPELINE CO. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 195.446(a),  195.446(c)(3). The case was opened on 2022-08-18 and is reported as closed as of 2022-08-18. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.

Official case documents:

12022058WL_Warning Letter_08182022_(20-194651).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12022058WL/12022058WL_Warning%20Letter_08182022_(20-194651).pdf

12022058WL_Warning Letter_08182022_(20-194651)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/12022058WL/12022058WL_Warning%20Letter_08182022_(20-194651)_text.pdf

12022058WL_Warning Letter_08182022_(20-194651)_text.pdf

WARNING LETTER
OVERNIGHT EXPRESS DELIVERY
August 18, 2022
Mr. Kurt Barclay
President and Chief Executive Officer
Wolverine Pipe Line Company
8075 Creekside Drive, Suite 210
Portage, Michigan 49024
CPF 1-2022-058-WL
Dear Mr. Barclay,
From November 16, 2020, to November 20, 2020, representatives of the Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code
(U.S.C.) inspected Wolverine Pipe Line Company’s (Wolverine) Control Room in Portage,
Michigan that controls and monitors Wolverine Pipe Line facilities in Michigan.
As a result of the inspection, it is alleged that you have committed probable violations of the
Pipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The items inspected
and the probable violations are:
1. § 195.446 Control room management.
(a) General. This section applies to each operator of a pipeline
facility with a controller working in a control room who monitors and
controls all or part of a pipeline facility through a SCADA system.
Each operator must have and follow written control room management
procedures that implement the requirements of this section…
Wolverine failed to follow its WPLCO OCC Control Room Management Plan, Section 8.27 Alarm
Management Review which required a review its alarm management plan at least once each



calendar year, at intervals not to exceed 15 months for the 2018 calendar year, in accordance with
§ 195.446(e)(4)1
.
During the inspection, PHMSA requested records of the annual reviews of Wolverine’s alarm
management plan for 2018, 2019 and 2020. Wolverine presented records demonstrating that its
plan was reviewed to determine its effectiveness in 2017, 2019 and 2020. The records of the 2018
review failed to demonstrate that an effectiveness review was conducted.
Therefore, Wolverine failed to follow its WPLCO OCC Control Room Management Plan, Section
8.27 Alarm Management Review which required that it perform an annual review of its alarm
management plan in 2018, as required by § 195.446(e)(4).
2. § 195.446 Control room management.
(a) …
(c) Provide adequate information. Each operator must provide its
controllers with the information, tools, processes and procedures
necessary for the controllers to carry out the roles and responsibilities
the operator has defined by performing each of the following:
(1) …
(3) Test and verify an internal communication plan to provide
adequate means for manual operation of the pipeline safely, at least
once each calendar year, but at intervals not to exceed 15 months.
Wolverine failed to test and verify an internal communication plan for providing adequate means
for manual operation of its pipeline safely, at least once each calendar year, but at intervals not to
exceed 15 months.
During the inspection, Wolverine was asked to submit records demonstrating that they had tested
and verified its internal communication plan for manual operation of the pipeline in 2018, 2019
and 2020. Records provided by the operator showed that it only created a plan in 2020, after an
actual loss of SCADA and Corporate network on 1/20/2020. The SCADA loss led to investigation
report # 252877 which recommended an annual testing plan.
Therefore, Wolverine failed to create, test, and verify an internal communication plan for manual
operation of its pipeline safely for 2018 and 2019.
Under 49 U.S.C. § 60122 and 49 CFR § 190.223, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed
$239,142 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,391,142 for a related
series of violations. For violation occurring on or after May 3, 2021 and before March 21, 2022,
the maximum penalty may not exceed $225,134 per violation per day the violation persists, up to
a maximum of $2,251,334 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring on or after
1 195.446 Control room management.
(e) Alarm management. Each operator using a SCADA system must have a written alarm management plan to
provide for effective controller response to alarms. An operator's plan must include provisions to:
(4) Review the alarm management plan required by this paragraph at least once each calendar year, but at intervals
not exceeding 15 months, to determine the effectiveness of the plan;



January 11, 2021 and before May 3, 2021, the maximum penalty may not exceed $222,504 per
violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,225,034 for a related series of
violations. For violation occurring on or after July 31, 2019 and before January 11, 2021, the
maximum penalty may not exceed $218,647 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a
maximum of $2,186,465 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring on or after
November 27, 2018 and before July 31, 2019, the maximum penalty may not exceed $213,268 per
violation per day, with a maximum penalty not to exceed $2,132,679. For violation occurring on
or after November 2, 2015, and before November 27, 2018, the maximum penalty may not exceed
$209,002 per violation per day, with a maximum penalty not to exceed $2,090,022.
We have reviewed the circumstances and supporting documents involved in this case, and have
decided not to conduct additional enforcement action or penalty assessment proceedings at this
time. We advise you to correct the items identified in this letter. Failure to do so will result in
Wolverine Pipe Line Company 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 1-2022-058-WL. 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).
Sincerely,
Robert Burrough
Director, Eastern Region, Office of Pipeline Safety
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
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