# COLONIAL PIPELINE CO — Warning Letter

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** CPF 420155021W
- **title:** COLONIAL PIPELINE CO — Warning Letter
- **source type:** enforcement
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** historical
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2015-10-14
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** CLOSED warning letter citing 195.505(b).
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- **source url:** https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/420155021W
**body:**

Warning Letter involving COLONIAL PIPELINE CO. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 195.505(b). The case was opened on 2015-10-14 and is reported as closed as of 2015-10-14. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.

Official case documents:

420155021W_Warning_10142015.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/420155021W/420155021W_Warning_10142015.pdf

420155021W_Warning_10142015_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/420155021W/420155021W_Warning_10142015_text.pdf

420155021W_Warning_10142015_text.pdf

WARNING LETTER
CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED
October 14, 2015
Mr. Tim Felt
President & Chief Executive Officer
Colonial Pipeline Company
1185 Sanctuary Parkway, Suite 100
Alpharetta, GA 30009
CPF 4-2015-5021W
Dear Mr. Felt:
On January 30, 2015 Colonial Pipeline Company (Colonial) experienced an unintended release
of gasoline at the Baton Rouge Junction facility in Jackson, LA. While the event did not meet
the requirements for reporting to the National Response Center, it was required to be reported
under Title 49 CFR 195.54.
A representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA)
pursuant Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code investigated the incident. As a result of the
investigation, it appears that you have committed probable violations of the Pipeline Safety
Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. The item inspected and the probable
violation is noted below:



1. §195.505 Qualification Program.
Each operator shall have and follow a written qualification program. The program
shall include provisions to:
(b) Ensure through evaluation that individuals performing covered tasks are
qualified;
Colonial did not follow their written Operator Qualification program in ensuring all individuals
who perform work on their pipeline facilities be qualified through the program. During the
investigation that followed the accident, Colonial identified product flowed from a prover into
the sump due to a vent valve left in the open position. The individual performing the line fill
activities was found not to be qualified under the Colonial Operator Qualification Program to
manually operate valves. Qualification records submitted to PHMSA shows this individual was
later evaluated under task Colonial’s OQ Program to Task 043-0 Manually or remotely open or
close valves or other equipment.
Under 49 United States Code, § 60122, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $200,000
per violation per day the violation persists up to a maximum of $2,000,000 for a related series of
violations. For violations occurring prior to January 4, 2012, the maximum penalty may not
exceed $100,000 per violation per day, with a maximum penalty not to exceed $1,000,000 for a
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 identified in this letter.
Failure to do so will result in Colonial 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 4-2015-5021W. 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
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