CHEVRON PIPELINE CO — Notice of Probable Violation

case documentOfficial PDF420025013.pdf#

420025013_Final Order_03152004.pdf, page 1Official PDFo U 5 Deporl,renf ol Tronspo oTioa Re5eorch ond Speciol Progroms Adminigtrolion l\,lAR 1 5 2004 Mr. iim R. Blackrvcll Prcsident Cho,Lon Pipe Line Conrpanl'' 2811Haycs Roaci P.O. Bor -1E79 Houston. Texas 77210-4879 Rc: CPI: No. 4-2002-501-l Dcar Mr. Blackr,"cll: Enolosed is the Iiinal Order issued by the Associate Admintstrator for Pipcline Saiet}' in tlte above-re ferencecl casc. It nakes a tindirg of violation and assesses a civil penalty ot'S l0,000 .fltc pclaity payrnent te rnts are set ibnh in the Final Ordcr. This enforcement action closes autonraiically ilpon pa),ment. Your reccipt of tl.re Iiinnl Ordcr constitules service ol'that document trnde r:19 C F ll' \ 190.5. Sir.rccrellr. '\ i,r ft- ,t* ("1"-'--- Jrmcs l{cl,lolds Pipcline ComPliarce Regrstrl" Otllcc ol PrPeline SafctY Enc los Lrlc CERTIFIE#

420025013_Final Order_03152004.pdf, page 2DEPARTMENT OF I]R{NSPORTATION R I]S EAR CH AND S PEC]AL PIi.OCRAMS ADMINIS TRA.TION OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY WASIIING'fON. DT-- 20590 ln the Nlattel of C-hevron Pipc Line fior.npan,v, Rcspondent CPf No. 4-2002-5011 ) FI\AL ORDTR On.Iunc 6, 2002. pr,lrsuant to 49 L;"S.C. -\ 60i i7, a representativc of tl.re Ofllce o1 Pipelirre Safctl (OPS) iniliated an investigation oiResponclent's report of a rclease involving its pipelinc s-\ ster.l1. As a result o f the investigation. the Direclor, Solrthrvest Rcgion, OPS, issuecl lo Re spondcnt, by le tte r datccj .lLLnc 26, 2002. a Notice of Probatrle Violation and Proposed Civil Penalt)' (t'r-otice) ln accordaltce rvitlr :1!) C.ij.R. $ 190.207, tlte Notice ploposed finding that Respondcnt had violatcrl 49 C.F R $ 195.52(a) rnd proposed assessing a civil pcnaltyof $10.000 for the allcgetl vroLalrorr. Rcsponclcr.rt responded lo the Noticc by letter datcd Ar:gr.rst 9,2002 (Response). Re spolldcrlt iiid not contest thc allcgation of'violation but ofiercd an erplanation and reclucsted tlrat the l)loprrsutl r r il penalty bc rcclucccl. Responder.rt did not re.luest a hcarir.rg, and therelbre has r,vaivcti its tigbi to onc. IIINDING OII VIOI-ATION In its Response, Respgndent did not contest lhe allegecl r,iolation in the Notice. Accordingiy. l trnd that Respondeirt violatcci the foliowirlg section of 49 C.F.R. Parl 195, as more fully descrihcd in the Notice: '+9 C.F R. tS 195.52(a) latling to give telcphontc t-totice at the earliest plactrcable lrolllcni tbllorvirtg dtsco'etv of a release of etiri'ienc that resulted in a veut stack tlre at a ]llclcrlng station in Jel'fcrsort Coiitliv. fcras. This iinding of violation wrll bc consideretl a prior olfcnse in arrir subsequent cnforcetrurrl aclloll taken ageinst ResPonclerll#

420025013_Final Order_03152004.pdf, page 3ASS ESSMENT OF P trNALl-Y Uncler 49 LI.S.Cl. \ 60122. Respondcnt is subject to a civil pe,nalty uot to exceeci $100,()00 pe-r violati6n for eacl.r tlay of the violation t4) to a maximum ol $1,000,000 for anl' r:e l.rtetl serics uf violations. 49 LI.S.C. g 60 122 ancl 49 C.F.R. $ 190.225 requirc that, in detemrining the aurount of the civil pcnlltl. I c.rrr. itie r the follorr iug criteria: nalLlt'e. crrcumstances, and gravirl ol'Lhc r i.r llttrrtt. tlc5rre c of Respolcient's culpability, historl of Responclcnt's prior offenr;cs, Respondent's abllitir to pa-v the per.ralty. gooil faitli by Respondcnt in attenrptiug to achieve compliance. the effect ,.rtt Respotttlctrt's ability to contrnue in busrness, aud such other matters rs justice rnay require . The Noticcploposeclacit'ilpenalt-vof S10,000forthcviolatiol1 of { 195.52(a). lnitsResponse, I{e spo|rle nt contcnclc<l tl.rat the proposecl crvil penalty should be reclucecl to $2,500 in light o f thc ci|cunrstanccs thal led to Respondcnl's lailurc to tirlcly leport the release . Rcspondent assc|tcd thlt its clecisiotr not to irnrnedrately report the incicient rvrs brtsc,.i ott .t IltLtr.tLt.'r of "lrnusual" circLurstanccs tbat lcr-l it to be[e'r'J the incrc]ent did ttot meet the repolling reLllllre nre rlls of $ 195 52(a). Irirst, the I]teter station haci been at pressurcs just below Maxittrtitrl t)Pcrrttitrr: pressurc prior to being shut in. The meter statiou remained shut in at the tirrrc of the re lease ltlcl Rcspondent did not consider a releasc through a thermal relief valve to be untisttal. r\lso. lhe llanrc observed \vas 1ot tholght io be abnomral, since it wirs located at the top of a vctrt stack tliat can be used ibr this puqtose. Re sponcicnt asserted thal a reduction in the civil penalty is warraltecl in light of these circumstance s. The rccord intliciites that irfter extingLrishing the fire. Respondent prornptly drscor t-tcti th'Lt tts product hacl relcased through a thcrmal expansiorl valve. under $ 195.52(a;, tltis dtscoVt-tr rtlt.rt.tc triggerccl lLcsponcler-rt's obligation l.o repo rt the inciclent at the carliest practicable lnolne nt, nort'tlall\ I -2 hours. l'hcr-c is no cviaence ir-r the rccord io suggest tl.rat the circumstances o 1. the incidcLrt prevented Respondcnt irol-n proviclitrg thc proper notice of the release at tlte t'rrl'lrcst pt'Lcticrrhlc inoment lbllorvi'g tlisco'ery. AlthoLrgh Rcs'ondeilL *'as cttgagecl in an cffott to clcter.t.uitrc thc carlse of the releasc. te lephonlc reportirrg nlust me nlacle at the earliest practicable lllolllcnt iblltrwrllq discoverv, evctr whell tlte catlse is ittlkttorvtl' Pipclinc operators wcre given cxplicit guidalce on telcphonic reporling rccluiteue ttts in Apr i1 I 99 I ' ivlen rhe Depitrt.tctlt oi1'r'anspoflation issued an Aiert Notice (ALN-91-01) emplasizrns that telephonio uotrces can and should be nrade ',vithin I -2 hours after discovery of tile relcase On February-1, lggg,RespondentrvasissueciawarningLetter(cPFNo 4-1999-500 lw)inrcltLeuce to irs reporring. On Septe'ber 27, 2000. RespondJnt was issucd a Fi'al Order (CPF No 'i-2000 ,5002) tbr iniltng to provide notice at the carliest practicable moment fcrllowing tliscovct'y of a crtrtlc oi1 release.#

420025013_Final Order_03152004.pdf, page 4_j When ar operator lails to prornptly rcpoit ii release to the National Responsc Ceuier. ii nray comprorlise pLrblic safety by preventing OPS and other regulatory agencies fi-om assessing the situatron to deterntine rvhether iurmediate response to the release is necessan'. Inluredialc rLctiorl mai, include investigations into thc cause of the incident, the regulatory con.rpliance isslres. and the need to provide assistancc to local public oflicials. Acc o rcii ngly. hav ing I cvrervecl the reoord and consid ere d the assessmeut criteril, I rts scss Ite sllo ttd e Ir l a total civil pcnalty of $10.000. A cletcrrrination has becn made that Respondent has the ability to pay this penait,v t ithout advcrscli,' affccting its abilitl, to continue Lt.i bitstness. Paytncnr of Lhe civiL penally must be macle rvithin 20 days of service. Paynellt InaY be nladc bi' se ndilg a certiiied chcck or monel'ordcr (containrng the CPF Number for this casc) payable to ''Ll. S. Depafintcnl oi' Transportation" to the Federal Aviation Administration, Mikc Nlonrotrcv Acrolautical Center, Financial Operations Division (AN{Z-120), P.O. Box 25082, C)klahonra CLty' oK 7,1 1 25. Federal r-egrilations (49 C.F.R. rS 89.21(b)(3)) also perrnit this palment to be matle b1 wile tt'attslct. throLigh thc lictleral Rese n,e Con.rmunications System (Fedwire), to the account of thc U.S' 1-re asur'1. Detailccl ilstlrctiotrs arc cont;rinet.i in the enclosure. Questious concenting lvire lransibrs shoiild bu directed to. Financial Operirtiorrs Division (AX4Z-120). Federal Aviation Adnl inistration. ir{ike' N,lonroney Aeronautical center.. P.o. Bor 25U82, Oklahomacity" oK 73125;(405) 95'1-471t Failurt to pay thlJ S 1 0,000 civtl penalty rvill result in accrual of intcrcst at thc curtetrt itnttttril t.rtc irr accordancervith3llJ.SC.$3717, 11C].F.R.$901.9anci49C.F.R.{89.21. Pursuiulttothoscsanle authoritics. a latc pcnalty cilalge of six perccnt ((r'z'o) per annum rvill be chargctl if prrvnrctrt is ttt't made wjthin I l0 clays of service. Funhen.nore, lailure to pay tlie civil penaltl ntrLl rcstrlt in rt'lurr;rl of the ntalter to thc ;\ttorney General for appropriate action in a United States Districl CoLrri' tjnder 49 C F.R. $ 190.215, Respo|dcnt has a right to submit a Petition for Re coilsider.ation ofthis Final Order. The pctition must be receiyed r'vithin 20 days of Respondent's reccipt of this Irinltl Ordcr and must cont:rit.t a bnef stiltemcnt of the issue(s)' The filing of the petitiou aulorlaticall;- stays tl.re palmcnt of any civil penalty assessed. Horvcver if Respol.rdent submits palTrcnt fbr thc civil penalry.. thc Final C)rder becor.ncs the final admiuistrative decision and the |igbt to pctition lbr reconsideratron rs rvarveci. Thc terms a|tl conditions of this Final orde| are elJectirc oLl leccipt MAR 15 20C4 Dale Iss ue c'l iate Admtntstrator lbr Pipcline Sai-ct,v#