TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE COMPANY — Notice of Probable Violation

case documentOfficial PDF420111001_NOPV PCP_01052011.pdf#

case documentOfficial PDF420111001_NOPV PCP_01052011_text.pdf#

party submissionOfficial PDF420111001_Operator Response to Notice_01312011.pdf#

420111001_Final Order_06242011_text.pdf, page 1Official PDFJUN 24 2011 Mr. Randall L. Barnard President, Gas Pipeline and Director Williams Gas Pipeline – Transco 2800 Post Oak Boulevard PO Box 1396, MD 11324 Level Twelve (12) Houston, Texas 77056 Re: CPF No. 4-2011-1001 Dear Mr. Barnard: Enclosed please find the Final Order issued in the above-referenced case. It makes findings of violation and assesses a civil penalty of $23,800. This is to acknowledge receipt of payment of the full penalty amount, by wire transfer, dated January 13, 2011. Therefore, this enforcement action is now closed. Service of the Final Order by certified mail is deemed effective upon the date of mailing, or as otherwise provided under 49 C.F.R. § 190.5. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. Sincerely, Jeffrey D. Wiese Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety Enclosure cc: Mr. Alan Mayberry, Deputy Associate Administrator for Field Operations, Pipeline Safety Mr. R.M. Seeley, Director, Southwest Region, PHMSA Mr. Hjalmarson, Vice President, Williams Gas Pipeline – Transco, 2800 Post Oak Boulevard, PO Box 1396, MD 11324,Level Twelve (12), Houston, Texas 77056 CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED [7005 1160 0001 0075 9411]#

420111001_Final Order_06242011_text.pdf, page 2U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION OFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY WASHINGTON, D.C. 20590 ____________________________________________ In the Matter of ) Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC, ) a subsidiary of Williams Partners L.P., ) also known as Williams Gas Pipeline- Transco, ) CPF No. 4-2011-1001 ) ) ) Respondent. ) ____________________________________________ ) FINAL ORDER On October 18-20 and October 25-28, 2010, pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 60117, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), conducted an on-site pipeline safety inspection of the facilities and records of Williams Gas Pipeline - Transco (WGP or Respondent) in the Cypress Division District that runs from Edna, Texas to Kinder, Louisiana. At the time of the inspection, WGP operated three major natural gas transmission pipelines that deliver approximately 14 percent of the natural gas operates an interstate natural gas transportation system that covers 10,000 miles and serves major markets in New York City, Atlanta, and the Mid-Atlantic region. consumed in the United States.1 Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line Company, LLC (Transco) As a result of the inspection, the Director, Southwest Region, OPS (Director), issued to Respondent, by letter dated January 5, 2011, a Notice of Probable Violation and Proposed Civil Penalty (Notice). In accordance with 49 C.F.R. § 190.207, the Notice proposed finding that WGP violated 49 C.F.R. § 192.739(a) and proposed assessing a civil penalty of $23,800 for the alleged violation. WGP responded to the Notice by letter dated January 31, 2011 (Response). The company did not contest the allegation of violation and paid the proposed civil penalty of $23,800, as provided in 49 C.F.R. § 190.227. Payment of the penalty serves to close the case with prejudice to the Respondent. FINDING OF VIOLATION In its Response, WGP did not contest the allegation in the Notice that it violated 49 C.F.R. Part 192, as follows: 1 See http://www.williams.com/gas_pipeline/. (last accessed on May 6, 2011)#

420111001_Final Order_06242011_text.pdf, page 32 Item 1: The Notice alleged that Respondent violated 49 C.F.R. § 192.739(a), which states: § 192.739 Pressure limiting and regulating stations: Inspection and testing. (a) Each pressure limiting station, relief device (except rupture discs), and pressure regulating station and its equipment must be subjected at intervals not exceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar year, to inspections and tests to determine that it is- (1) In good mechanical condition; (2) Adequate from the standpoint of capacity and reliability of operation for the service in which it is employed; (3) Except as provided in paragraph (b) of this section, set to control or relieve at the correct pressure consistent with the pressure limits of § 192.201(a); and (4) Properly installed and protected from dirt, liquids, or other conditions that might prevent proper operation. The Notice alleged that Respondent violated 49 C.F.R. § 192.739(a) by failing to inspect and test relief devices at intervals not to exceed 15 months and at least once each calendar year. Specifically, the Notice alleged that WGP failed to inspect and properly operate relief devices for eight compressor units at Station 45 in accordance with the regulatory timeframe. WGP regulator, relief valve and other overpressure protection device used in natural gas service once each calendar year, not to exceed 15 months. . . ” However, WGP’s Relief Valve Inspection Reports indicate that inspection and testing of the eight compressor units at Station 45 occurred on various dates in the months of December 2006 and January 2008. Respondent conducted no inspections of these compressor units in 2007 and therefore failed to meet the calendar year mandate for inspection and testing of relief devices. Operations & Maintenance Manual2 states that “It is the policy of WGP to inspect and test each Respondent did not contest this allegation of violation. Accordingly, based upon a review of all of the evidence, I find that Respondent violated 49 C.F.R. § 192.739(a) by failing to inspect and test relief valves at intervals not to exceed 15 months and at least once every calendar year. I assess Respondent a civil penalty of $23,800 for the violation, which has been paid. The terms and conditions of this Final Order are effective upon service in accordance with 49 C.F.R. § 190.5. ___________________________________ __________________________ Jeffrey D. Wiese Date Issued Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety 2 Measurement Policy 60.02.00.13: “Regulator and Overpressure Protection Systems,” Frequency 2.1.#