{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 320101008W","title":"PANHANDLE EASTERN PIPELINE CO — Warning Letter","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2010-12-29","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED warning letter citing 192.199(e), 192.203(b)(9), 192.735(a), 192.751(a).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-320101008w.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-320101008w.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-320101008w","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/320101008W","body":"Warning Letter involving PANHANDLE EASTERN PIPELINE CO. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 192.199(e),  192.203(b)(9),  192.735(a),  192.751(a). The case was opened on 2010-12-29 and is reported as closed as of 2010-12-29. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n320101008W_Warning Letter_12292010.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/320101008W/320101008W_Warning%20Letter_12292010.pdf\n\n320101008W_Warning Letter_12292010_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/320101008W/320101008W_Warning%20Letter_12292010_text.pdf\n\n320101008W_Warning Letter_12292010_text.pdf\n\nWARNING LETTER\nCERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED\nDecember 29, 2010\nMr. Eric Amundsen\nV.P. Technical Services\nPanhandle Eastern Pipeline Company\n5444 Westheimer Road\nHouston, Texas 77056\nCPF 3-2010-1008W\nDear Mr. Amundsen:\nOn several dates in 2010 from May through November, a representative of the Pipeline and\nHazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49\nUnited States Code inspected your Glenarm, Centralia, Edgerton, Pleasant Hill, Zionsville,\nHoustonia, Tuscola, and Montezuma units.\nAs a result of the inspection, it appears that you have committed probable violations of the\nPipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. The items inspected\nand the probable violation(s) are:\n1. §192.751 Prevention of accidental ignition.\nEach operator shall take steps to minimize the danger of accidental ignition of\ngas in any structure or area where the presence of gas constitutes a hazard of\nfire or explosion, including the following:\n(a) When a hazardous amount of gas is being vented into open air, each\npotential source of ignition must be removed from the area and a fire\nextinguisher must be provided.\n\n\n\nPanhandle Eastern Pipeline Co. (PEPL) did not take steps to minimize the danger\nof accidental ignition at their A. P. Green delivery point. During the field checks,\npart of the Centralia, Missouri, unit, incorrect wiring to a regulator heater was\nobserved inside the regulator shed at the A. P. Green Delivery point. PEPL\ntypically has explosion proof plugs connecting the heaters inside the regulator\nsheds, but this location did not. Without an explosion proof plug, this wiring is a\npotential ignition source.\n2. §192.203 Instrument, control, and sampling pipe and components.\n(b) Materials and design. All materials employed for pipe and components\nmust be designed to meet the particular conditions of service and the\nfollowing:\n(9) Each control line must be protected from anticipated causes of damage\nand must be designed and installed to prevent damage to any one control line\nfrom making both the regulator and the over-pressure protective device\ninoperative.\nPEPL did not design and construct their delivery point at the Peoria Lateral 3 Gate\nto ensure that damage to one control line would not make the other over pressure\ndevice inoperative. During the field checks at the Peoria Lateral 3 Gate in the\nGlenarm, Illinois, unit, two regulator sense lines were found to be connected to the\nsame downstream tap. 192.203(b) (9) requires that control lines be installed so that\ndamage to one line does not make the other over-pressure device inoperative.\n3. §192.735 Compressor stations: Storage of combustible materials.\n(a) Flammable or combustible materials in quantities beyond those required\nfor everyday use, or other than those normally used in compressor buildings,\nmust be stored a safe distance from the compressor building.\nPEPL was storing combustible materials beyond those required for everyday use in\ntwo compressor station buildings. Combustibles in the form of cardboard boxes\nand plywood were found in the compressor station engine rooms during the field\nchecks at the Glenarm, Illinois, and Centralia, Missouri, compressor stations.\n2\n\n\n\n4. §192.199 Requirements for design of pressure relief and limiting devices.\nExcept for rupture discs, each pressure relief or pressure limiting device must:\n(e) Have discharge stacks, vents, or outlet ports designed to prevent\naccumulation of water, ice, or snow, located where gas can be discharged into\nthe atmosphere without undue hazard;\nPEPL did not have a discharge vent designed to prevent accumulation of ice, water\nor snow at their Quincy High Pressure delivery point. At the Pleasant Hill, Illinois,\nunit, a relief valve rain cap at the Quincy High Pressure delivery was damaged and\nnot preventing accumulation of ice, water or snow.\nUnder 49 United States Code, § 60122, you are subject to a civil penalty not to\nexceed $100,000 for each violation for each day the violation persists up to a\nmaximum of $1,000,000 for any related series of violations. We have reviewed\nthe circumstances and supporting documents involved in this case, and have\ndecided not to conduct additional enforcement action or penalty assessment\nproceedings at this time. We advise you to correct the item(s) identified in this\nletter. Failure to do so will result in PEPL being subject to additional enforcement\naction.\nNo reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, in your correspondence please\nrefer to CPF 3-2010-1008W. Be advised that all material you submit in response to this\nenforcement action is subject to being made publicly available. If you believe that any\nportion of your responsive material qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C.\n552(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\ntreatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b).\nSincerely,\nDavid Barrett\nDirector, Central Region\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\n3","truncated":false,"body_characters":5899}