{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 32026021NOA","title":"FLINT HILLS RESOURCES, LC — Notice of Amendment","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"current","official":true,"published_on":"2026-06-18","effective_on":null,"summary":"OPEN notice of amendment citing 195.402(c)(11).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-32026021noa.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-32026021noa.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-32026021noa","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/32026021NOA","body":"Notice of Amendment involving FLINT HILLS RESOURCES, LC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 195.402(c)(11). The case was opened on 2026-06-18 and is reported as open. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n32026021NOA_Notice of Amendment_06182026_(26-369310).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/32026021NOA/32026021NOA_Notice%20of%20Amendment_06182026_(26-369310).pdf\n\n32026021NOA_Notice of Amendment_06182026_(26-369310)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/32026021NOA/32026021NOA_Notice%20of%20Amendment_06182026_(26-369310)_text.pdf\n\n32026021NOA_Notice of Amendment_06182026_(26-369310)_text.pdf\n\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration\n1100 Main Street, Suite 800\nKansas City, MO 64105\n(816) 329-3800\nNOTICE OF AMENDMENT\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: francis.murphy@fhr.com\nJune 18, 2026\nFrancis Murphy\nPresident and CEO\nFlint Hills Resources, LC\n4111 East 37th Street North\nWichita, KS 67220\nCPF 3-2026-021-NOA\nDear Mr. Murphy:\nFrom April 25, 2024 to May 3, 2024, and from June 10 to 12, 2024, a representative of the Pipeline\nand Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS),\npursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code (U.S.C.), conducted an investigation of the\nClearbrook, Minnesota, Breakout Tank farm of Flint Hills Resources, LC (“FHR”).\nOn Thursday, April 25, 2024, at 8:24 a.m. Central Daylight Time (CDT), an explosion occurred\nat FHR’s Clearbrook, Minnesota, Breakout Tank terminal, approximately 150 feet upstream of\nTank 3, within an excavation in FHR’s Tank 8 diked area. The explosion occurred during\nmaintenance activity to replace a 26-inch diameter buried bolted flanged tee on Line 151. The\nexplosion was initiated as the result of a release of crude oil vapor from an inadequately sealed\npipe plug installed at the open end of Line 151. The crude oil vapor was then ignited by the heat\nof an acetylene torch used to trim the pipe and prepare for welding a replacement tee. The\nexplosion resulted in one injury that did not require overnight hospitalization.\nAs a result of the investigation, PHMSA has identified the apparent inadequacy found within\nFHR’s plans or procedures. The item investigated and the inadequacy is described below:\n1. § 195.402 Procedural manual for operations, maintenance, and emergencies.\n(a) . . .\n(c) Maintenance and normal operations. The manual required by paragraph\n(a) of this section must include procedures for the following to provide\nsafety during maintenance and normal operations:\n\n\n\n(1) . . .\n(11) Minimizing the likelihood of accidental ignition of vapors in areas\nnear facilities identified under paragraph (c)(4) of this section\nwhere the potential exists for the presence of flammable liquids or\ngases.\nFHR’s manual of written procedures for maintenance and normal operations was inadequate to\nprovide safety when performing pipeline maintenance where the potential existed for the presence\nof flammable liquids and gases, as required by § 195.402(c)(11). Specifically, FHR’s procedures\ndid not contain critical elements to minimize the likelihood of accidental ignition when preparing\nto perform hot work (for example, torch cutting and welding) in the presence of flammable crude\noil gases.\nFHR’s O&M Hazardous Liquids Manual M1410.100 required a written procedure (Execution\nPlan) for the repair to be followed. PHMSA’s investigation found that neither the O&M manual\nnor the Execution Plan included specific procedures necessary for minimizing the likelihood of\naccidental ignition of vapors. PHMSA investigation found that the O&M manual and Execution\nPlan lacked the following critical elements necessary for safety to prevent accidental ignition of\nflammable gases.\nFHR’s written O&M manual and Execution Plan failed to include written block and bleed\ninstructions to ensure that the valve VMOT 391A was sealed to isolate the work area from the\npotential for hazardous liquid to leak into Line 151 from Tank 3. A standard block and bleed test\nensures there is no leakage occurring by requiring a valve to be simultaneously tested under\npressure from both sides. It also requires the valve body to be fully drained (bled) using the bottom\ndrain valve to visually verify seat integrity. In the absence of block and bleed instructions in the\nO&M manual or Execution Plan, FHR personnel performed an ad-hoc test of the valve with only\nlow pressure from Tank 3 and failed to drain the valve body to ensure a complete seal on valve\nVMOT 391A. Consequently, the technician incorrectly interpreted a lack of oil flowing from a top\nport as confirmation of successful isolation from Tank 3.\nBy not including specific, written instructions for a standard block and bleed test in its manual of\nwritten procedures, the procedures were inadequate to minimize the likelihood of accidental\nignition of vapors in areas near facilities identified under § 195.402(c)(2) where the potential exists\nfor the presence of flammable liquids or gases.\nResponse to this Notice\nThis Notice is provided pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 60108(a) and 49 CFR § 190.206. Enclosed as part\nof 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 submit\nin response to this enforcement action is subject to being made publicly available. If you believe\nthat any portion of your responsive material qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C.\n§ 552(b), along with the complete original document you must provide a second copy of the\n2\n\n\n\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\nor procedures to correct the inadequacies (49 CFR § 190.206). If you are not contesting this Notice,\nwe propose that you submit your amended procedures to my office within thirty (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 Flint Hills Resources, LC maintain documentation of the safety\nimprovement costs associated with fulfilling this Notice of Amendment (preparation/revision of\nplans, procedures) and submit the total to the Director, Central Region, Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration, Office of Pipeline Safety. In correspondence concerning this\nmatter, please refer to CPF 3-2026-021-NOA and, for each document you submit, please provide\na copy in electronic format whenever possible.\nSincerely,\nAJ McKean\nDirector, Central Region, Office of Pipeline Safety\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nEnclosure: Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Enforcement Proceedings\ncc: Kelley Cabrera, Sr. Compliance Specialist, FHR, kelley.cabrera@fhr.com\nMatt McCauley, Compliance Director, FHR, matt.mccauley@fhr.com\n3","truncated":false,"body_characters":7816}