NORTHERN NATURAL GAS CO — Warning Letter

party submissionOfficial PDF420131007W_Operator_Response_to_Notice_03082013.pdf#

420131007W_Warning_02192013_text.pdf, page 1Official PDFWARNING LETTER CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED February 19, 2013 Mr. Royce Ramsey Vice President, Operations Northern Natural Gas Company 1111 South 103rd Street Omaha, NE 68124 CPF 4-2013-1007W Dear Mr. Ramsey: On multiple occasions between September 17, 2012 and February 7, 2013, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code, was onsite and inspected your Northern Natural Gas Company facilities in Amarillo, Texas. As a result of the review, it appears that you have committed a probable violation of the Pipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. The item inspected and the probable violation is: 1. §192.465 External Corrosion Control: Monitoring. (d) Each operator shall take prompt remedial action to correct any deficiencies indicated by the monitoring. At the time of the field and records inspection, the PHMSA inspector found a low pipe to soil cathodic protection reading at M.P 23.7 on Line “C.” Records indicated that the reading had been out of compliance for the years 2011 and 2012 monitoring cycles. Northern Natural corrosion and compliance personnel stated that they performed a short close interval survey and found the low area to be about 500 feet in length. They are in the process of#

420131007W_Warning_02192013_text.pdf, page 2ordering material to mitigate the situation and the installation is expected to be complete by June 2013. 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. No reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, in your correspondence please refer to CPF 4-2013-1007W. 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 Region Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration 2#