# TEXAS GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC — Warning Letter

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** CPF 220151003W
- **title:** TEXAS GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC — Warning Letter
- **source type:** enforcement
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** historical
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2015-06-11
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** CLOSED warning letter citing 192.479(b), 192.605(a).
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-220151003w.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-220151003w.md
- **app url:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-220151003w
- **source url:** https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/220151003W
**body:**

Warning Letter involving TEXAS GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 192.479(b),  192.605(a). The case was opened on 2015-06-11 and is reported as closed as of 2015-06-11. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.

Official case documents:

220151003W_warning letter_06112015.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/220151003W/220151003W_warning%20letter_06112015.pdf

220151003W_warning letter_06112015_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/220151003W/220151003W_warning%20letter_06112015_text.pdf

220151003W_warning letter_06112015_text.pdf

WARNING LETTER
CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
June 11, 2015
Mr. Richard Keyser
Sr. Vice President Operations
Texas Gas Transmission, LLC
9 Greenway Plaza, Suite 2800
Houston, TX 77046
CPF 2-2015-1003W
Dear Mr. Keyser:
From April 20 to May 14, 2015, representatives of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), Southern Region
inspected certain Texas Gas Transmission, LLC (TGT) pipelines in Kentucky and reviewed
records at its West Greenville, Midland, Bowling Green, and Hanson, Kentucky offices,
pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code.
As a result of the inspection, it appears that TGT has committed probable violations of the
Pipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. The items inspected and
the probable violations are as follows:
1. §192.479 Atmospheric corrosion control: General.
… (b) Coating material must be suitable for the prevention of atmospheric
corrosion.
TGT did not use coating material suitable for the prevention of atmospheric corrosion on
the piping at certain soil-to-air interface pipes at the Midland and West Greenville storage
fields.
OPS inspectors observed faulty coating, exposed metal, and rust stains on valve #167
(well #16809 side valve area, line MIGF 16809WT, 4-inch line to Well 16809), and at the
West Greenville well #16076 area (WGGF 16076WT, 4-inch Line to Well 16076).



2. §192.605 Procedural manual for operations, maintenance, and emergencies.
(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. For transmission lines, the manual must also include
procedures for handling abnormal operations. This manual must be reviewed and
updated by the operator at intervals not exceeding 15 months, but at least once each
calendar year. This manual must be prepared before operations of a pipeline system
commence. Appropriate parts of the manual must be kept at locations where
operations and maintenance activities are conducted.
TGT did not follow its manual of written procedures for conducting operations and
maintenance activities and for emergency response as follows.
1. TGT’s written procedure in its operations & maintenance (O&M) manual Section
8020 - External Corrosion Control conveyed that a report would be made to the
Corrosion System Leader and Area Manager upon determining that a casing was
electrically shorted to a pipe so arrangements could be made to clear the short, if
feasible.
2. 3. Notwithstanding the above, TGT did not provide records or any other documentation
to show that upon determining on September 1, 2010, that the casing on Line W-1 at
an abandoned railroad crossing was shorted to the pipeline, it determined the
feasibility or non-feasibility of clearing the short. Moreover, it did not clear the short.
Instead, TGT monitored the crossing in a class 1 location area with gas leak detector
equipment on a semi-annual frequency.
TGT’s written procedure in its O&M manual Section 8030 – Internal Corrosion
Control conveyed that a pipeline inspection form (i.e. a Facility Inspection and Repair
Report or its predecessor a Pipeline Inspection and Repair Report) would be
completed when certain maintenance activities were undertaken.
Notwithstanding the above, TGT did not provide records or any other documentation
to show that it completed either a Facility Inspection and Repair Report or its
predecessor a Pipeline Inspection and Repair Report when it removed pipe at the
Barkley-Lovell 8-inch facility and at the Lavell-Williams 4-inch line in 2011 or on
two occasions where internal surfaces were exposed when opening filters/separators.
TGT did not follow its maintenance procedures because it did not correctly document
the inspected pipeline when investigating for potential 3rd party damage. Inspection
report TXG-0092-7884-13-1 dated 05/14/2013 incorrectly indicated SLG-13-1 was
the pipeline inspected. TGT conveyed during the inspection that SLG-12-1 was the
actual line inspected. Subsequent to the inspection TGT corrected and filed the report.
Under 49 United States Code, § 60122, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed
$200,000 per violation per day the violation persists up to a maximum of $2,000,000 for a
related series of violations. For violations occurring prior to January 4, 2012, the maximum
penalty may not exceed $100,000 per violation per day, with a maximum penalty not to
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exceed $1,000,000 for a related series of violations. 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 Texas Gas Transmission, LLC
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 2-2015-1003W. 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,
Wayne T. Lemoi
Director, Office of Pipeline Safety
PHMSA Southern Region
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