{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 420105001W","title":"EXPLORER PIPELINE CO — Warning Letter","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2010-01-12","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED warning letter citing 195.571, 195.573(c).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-420105001w.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-420105001w.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-420105001w","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/420105001W","body":"Warning Letter involving EXPLORER PIPELINE CO. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 195.571,  195.573(c). The case was opened on 2010-01-12 and is reported as closed as of 2010-01-12. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n420105001W_Response to Warning_03102010.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/420105001W/420105001W_Response%20to%20Warning_03102010.pdf\n\n420105001W_Warning Letter_01122010.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/420105001W/420105001W_Warning%20Letter_01122010.pdf\n\n420105001W_Warning Letter_01122010_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/420105001W/420105001W_Warning%20Letter_01122010_text.pdf\n\n420105001W_Warning Letter_01122010_text.pdf\n\nWARNING LETTER\nCERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED\nJanuary 12, 2010\nRod Sands\nExplorer Pipeline Company\nPresident and Chief Executive Officer\nPO Box 2650\nTulsa, OK 74101\nCPF 4-2010-5001W\nDear Mr. Sands:\nDuring the Months of April, May, and June, 2009, representatives of the Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration (PHMSA) pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code\nconducted pipeline safety inspections of Explorer Pipeline Company’s (Explorer) facilities and\nrecords in Illinois, Oklahoma, and Texas.\nAs a result of the inspections, it appears that you have committed probable violations of the\nPipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. The items inspected and the\nprobable violation(s) are:\n1. §195.571 What criteria must I use to determine the adequacy of cathodic\nprotection?\nCathodic protection required by this subpart must comply with one or more of the\napplicable criteria and other considerations for cathodic protection contained in\nparagraphs 6.2 and 6.3 of NACE Standard RP 0169 (incorporated by reference, see\n§195.3).\nExplorer did not meet the applicable cathodic protection (CP) criteria, as specified by NACE\nStandard RP0169-2002, for annual pipe-to-soils and tank bottom-to soil annual surveys (AS) at\nsome test locations for consecutive years, as follows:\n• Tank 4001 (Houston area) – Low for 2 consecutive AS – 0.838 (2/28/08) and 0.821\n(1/24/09)\n\n\n\n• 10” Hearne to Lake Creek (Houston area) – MP 150.52 – Low for 2 consecutive AS -\n0.691 (6/19/08) to 0.71 (4/7/09)\n• Tank 390 (Glenpool area) – Low for 2 consecutive AS – 0.564 (7/9/07) and 0.691\n(9/4/08)\n• Tank 250 (Greenville area) – Low for 3 consecutive AS – 0.805 (6/4/07), 0.82 (7/29/08),\nand 0.71 (4/9/09)\n• Tank 120 (Port Arthur area) – Low for 2 consecutive AS – 0.67 (11/14/07) and 0.608\n(11/4/08).\n2. §195.573 What must I do to monitor external corrosion control?\n(c) Rectifiers and other devices. You must electrically check for proper\nperformance each device in the first column at the frequency stated in the second\ncolumn.\nDevice Check Frequency\nRectifier\nReverse current switch\nDiode\nInterference bond whose failure would\njeopardize structural protection\nAt least six times each calendar\nyear, but with intervals not\nexceeding 2½ months\nOther interference bond At least once each calendar year,\nbut with intervals not\nexceeding 15 months\nExplorer utilizes the Pipeline Watchdog® remote web monitoring system (access data via the\ninternet) to electrically check for proper performance of each rectifier. The Watchdog® remote\nweb monitoring system allows real-time viewing of rectifier performance and provides for\nalarms to be set for abnormal operation; and once a month, the Proactive® corrosion protection\ndatabase program extracts data from the Watchdog® program and produces a report to show\ncompliance with 195.573(c). Based on a review of records, Explorer did not capture the\ninformation from Watchdog® into the Proactive® corrosion protection database to demonstrate\ncompliance for inspections within required frequencies by exceeding the 2½ months maximum\nallowed in Explorer’s procedures and federal regulations, as follows:\n• Rectifier CPL 1095: 03/11/08 to 06/17/08.\n• Rectifier CPL 1350: 03/11/08 to 06/17/08; 06/17/08 to 10/09/08.\n• Rectifier CPL 1352: 07/15/08 to 10/10/08.\n• Rectifier CPL 1578: 03/13/08 to 06/23/08.\n• Rectifier ES-236: 08/15/08 to 11/13/08.\n• Rectifier ES-241: 01/13/08 to 05/20/08.\n• Rectifier CPL 1587: 04/18/08 to 07/09/08; 07/09/08 to 09/29/08.\n• Rectifier CPL 1089: 04/30/08 to 09/21/08.\n• Rectifier CPL 1105 (Allendale): 02/28/08 to 10/16/08.\n• Rectifier CPL 0.06 (Allendale): 04/22/08 to 10/16/08.\n2\n\n\n\n• Rectifier CPL 0.74 (Allendale to N. Allendale): 02/28/08 to 10/16/08.\n• Rectifier CPL 0.06 (Allendale to W. Pasadena): 04/22/08 to 10/16/08.\n• Rectifier CPL 1647 (N. Houston): 12/11/07 to 05/15/08; 08/28//08 to 11/15/08.\n• Rectifier CPL 11 MP 27.67, N. Houston to Plantersville: 12/11/07 to 04/04/08.\n• Rectifier CPL 1539 74.48 Plantersville to Bryan: 02/16/07 to 11/15/08.\nUnder 49 United States Code, § 60122, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $100,000\nfor each violation for each day the violation persists up to a maximum of $1,000,000 for any\nrelated series of violations. We have reviewed the circumstances and supporting documents\ninvolved in this case, and have decided not to conduct additional enforcement action or penalty\nassessment proceedings at this time. We advise you to correct the item(s) identified in this letter.\nFailure to do so will result in Explorer being subject to additional enforcement action.\nNo reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, in your correspondence please refer to\n4-2010-5001W. Be advised that all material you submit in response to this enforcement action is\nsubject to being made publicly available. If you believe that any portion of your responsive\nmaterial qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b), along with the complete\noriginal document you must provide a second copy of the document with the portions you\nbelieve qualify for confidential treatment redacted and an explanation of why you believe the\nredacted information qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b).\nSincerely,\nR. M. Seeley\nDirector, Southwest\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\n3","truncated":false,"body_characters":6188}