# ANR PIPELINE CO — Warning Letter

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** CPF 420102001W
- **title:** ANR PIPELINE CO — Warning Letter
- **source type:** enforcement
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** historical
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2010-08-30
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** CLOSED warning letter citing 191.5.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-420102001w.json
- **markdown:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-420102001w.md
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- **source url:** https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/420102001W
**body:**

Warning Letter involving ANR PIPELINE CO. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 191.5. The case was opened on 2010-08-30 and is reported as closed as of 2010-08-30. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.

Official case documents:

420102001W_Warning Letter_08302010.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/420102001W/420102001W_Warning%20Letter_08302010.pdf

420102001W_Warning Letter_08302010_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/420102001W/420102001W_Warning%20Letter_08302010_text.pdf

420102001W_Warning Letter_08302010_text.pdf

WARNING LETTER
CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
August 30, 2010
Mr. Vern Meier
VP, Field Operations
ANR Pipeline Company
717 Texas Ave.
Houston, TX 77002
CPF 4-2010-2001W
Dear Mr. Meier:
On August 25, 2010 an inspection conducted by ANR Pipeline Company personnel confirmed a
release of gas from a nominal 12-inch interstate natural gas pipeline operated by ANR Pipeline
Company. The release occurred offshore in the Gulf of Mexico on a 12-inch pipeline located on
a platform in Eugene Island Block 188. The incident was reported to the National Response
Center (NRC) as Incident Report #952131 because the estimated damage exceeded $50,000.
A representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code investigated the incident. As a result of the
inspection, it appears that you have committed a probable violation of the Pipeline Safety
Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations as noted below:
1. §191.5 Telephonic notice of certain incidents.
(a) At the earliest practicable moment following discovery, each operator shall
give notice in accordance with paragraph (b) of this section of each incident as
defined in §191.3.



§191.3 Definitions.
"Incident" means any of the following events:
(1) An event that involves a release of gas from a pipeline or of liquefied
natural gas or gas from an LNG Facility and
(ii) Estimated property damage, including cost of gas lost, of the
operator or others, or both, of $50,000 or more.
ANR failed to make the proper notification to the NRC for their release on August 25, 2010. As
noted in NRC report #952131, the incident was discovered on August 25, 2010 at 09:00 AM
CDT, and the incident was reported to the NRC on August 25, 2010 at 8:05 PM CDT. PHMSA
has defined the acceptable time to make a telephonic report as within two hours of discovery of
an incident. PHMSA reviewed the NRC report and discussed the discovery and report times
with ANR personnel. ANR confirmed that the report had not been submitted within the two hour
time span due to an internal communication issue.
Under 49 United States Code, § 60122, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed
$100,000 for each violation for each day the violation persists up to a maximum of $1,000,000
for any 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 item(s) identified
in this letter. Failure to do so will result in ANR 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 4-2010-2001W. 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,
R. M. Seeley
Director, Southwest
Pipeline and Hazardous
Materials Safety Administration
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