{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 42024049NOA","title":"TARGA RESOURCES OPERATING LLC — Notice of Amendment","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2024-10-22","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED notice of amendment citing 195.402(a), 195.402(c)(3), 195.420(a).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42024049noa.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42024049noa.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42024049noa","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/42024049NOA","body":"Notice of Amendment involving TARGA RESOURCES OPERATING LLC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulations as 195.402(a),  195.402(c)(3),  195.420(a). The case was opened on 2024-10-22 and is reported as closed as of 2024-11-26. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n42024049NOA_Closure Letter_11262024_(23-264726).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42024049NOA/42024049NOA_Closure%20Letter_11262024_(23-264726).pdf\n\n42024049NOA_Closure Letter_11262024_(23-264726)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42024049NOA/42024049NOA_Closure%20Letter_11262024_(23-264726)_text.pdf\n\n42024049NOA_Notice of Amendment_10222024_(23-264726).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42024049NOA/42024049NOA_Notice%20of%20Amendment_10222024_(23-264726).pdf\n\n42024049NOA_Notice of Amendment_10222024_(23-264726)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42024049NOA/42024049NOA_Notice%20of%20Amendment_10222024_(23-264726)_text.pdf\n\n42024049NOA_Operator Response to Notice_11182024_(23-264726).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42024049NOA/42024049NOA_Operator%20Response%20to%20Notice_11182024_(23-264726).pdf\n\n42024049NOA_Notice of Amendment_10222024_(23-264726)_text.pdf\n\nNOTICE OF AMENDMENT\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: cwhite@targaresources.com\nOctober 22, 2024\nClark White\nExecutive Vice President\nTarga Resources Operating, LLC\n811 Louisiana, Suite 2100\nHouston, Texas 77002\nCPF 4-2024-049-NOA\nDear Mr. Clark:\nFrom February 27 to August 23, 2023, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49\nUnited States Code (U.S.C.) inspected Targa Resources Operation, LLC’s (Targa) procedures for\nmaintenance and operations for its crude oil gathering system on the Fort Berthold Reservation in\nNorth Dakota.\nAs a result of the inspection, PHMSA has identified the apparent inadequacy found within Targa’s\nplans or procedures. The item inspected and the inadequacy are described below:\n1. § 195.402 Procedural manual for operations, maintenance, and emergencies.\n(a) General. Each operator shall prepare and follow for each\npipeline system a manual of written procedures for conducting normal\noperations and maintenance activities and handling abnormal\noperations and emergencies. This manual shall be reviewed at intervals\nnot exceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar year, and\nappropriate changes made as necessary to insure that the manual is\neffective. This manual shall be prepared before initial operations of a\npipeline system commence, and appropriate parts shall be kept at\nlocations where operations and maintenance activities are conducted.\n(b) . . . .\n(c) Maintenance and normal operations. The manual required by\nparagraph (a) of this section must include procedures for the following\nto provide safety during maintenance and normal operations:\n\n\n\n(1) . . . .\n(3) Operating, maintaining, and repairing the pipeline system in\naccordance with each of the requirements of this subpart and subpart\nH of this part.\n§ 195.420 Valve maintenance.\n(a) Each operator shall maintain each valve that is necessary for the\nsafe operation of its pipeline systems in good working order at all times.\nTarga’s written procedures for conducting operations and maintenance activities were inadequate\nto provide for safe operation of a pipeline facility in accordance with § 195.402(c)(3). Specifically,\nTarga’s written procedures failed to identify valves necessary for the safe operation of its pipeline\nsystem. Identification of these valves in an operator’s written procedures is necessary to operate,\nmaintain, and repair its pipeline system in accordance with § 195.420(a).\nTarga must amend its procedures to identify and designate the valves necessary for the safe\noperation of its pipeline facility.\nResponse to this Notice\nThis Notice is provided pursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 60108(a) and 49 C.F.R. § 190.206. Enclosed as\npart of this Notice is a document entitled Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Enforcement\nProceedings.\nPlease refer to this document and note the response options. Be advised that all material you\nsubmit in response to this enforcement action is subject to being made publicly available. If you\nbelieve that any portion of your responsive material qualifies for confidential treatment under 5\nU.S.C. § 552(b), along with the complete original document you must provide a second copy of\nthe document with the portions you believe qualify for confidential treatment redacted and an\nexplanation of why you believe the redacted information qualifies for confidential treatment under\n5 U.S.C. § 552(b).\nFollowing the receipt of this Notice, you have 30 days to submit written comments, revised\nprocedures, or a request for a hearing under § 190.211. If you do not respond within 30 days of\nreceipt of this Notice, this constitutes a waiver of your right to contest the allegations in this Notice\nand authorizes the Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety to find facts as alleged in this Notice\nwithout further notice to you and to issue an Order Directing Amendment. If your plans or\nprocedures are found inadequate as alleged in this Notice, you may be ordered to amend your plans\nor procedures to correct the inadequacies (49 C.F.R. § 190.206). If you are not contesting this\nNotice, we propose that you submit your amended procedures to my office within 30 days of\nreceipt of this Notice. This period may be extended by written request for good cause. Once the\ninadequacies identified herein have been addressed in your amended procedures, this enforcement\naction will be closed.\n\n\n\nIt is requested (not mandated) that Targa maintain documentation of the safety improvement costs\nassociated with fulfilling this Notice of Amendment (preparation/revision of plans, procedures)\nand submit the total to Bryan Lethcoe, Director, Southwest Region, Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration. In correspondence concerning this matter, please refer to CPF 4-\n2024-049-NOA and, for each document you submit, please provide a copy in electronic format\nwhenever possible.\nSincerely,\nBryan Lethcoe\nDirector, Southwest Region, Office of Pipeline Safety\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nEnclosure: Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Enforcement Proceedings\ncc: Gregg Johnson, Director of Pipeline Compliance, gjohnson@targaresources.com\nAlfred Garcia, Manager Pipeline Compliance, Alfred.garcia@targaresources.com\n\n42024049NOA_Closure Letter_11262024_(23-264726)_text.pdf\n\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: jlaeger@targaresources.com\nNovember 26, 2024\nJohn Laeger\nVP Senior G&P Operations\nTarga Resources Operating, LLC\n110 W. 7th St, Suite 2300\nTulsa, Oklahoma 74119\nRE: CPF 4-2024-049-NOA\nDear Mr. Laeger:\nFrom February 27 to August 23, 2023, of the on-site inspection, a representative of the Pipeline\nand Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS),\npursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States Code (U.S.C.) inspected Targa Resources\nOperating, LLC’s (Targa) procedures regarding its crude oil gathering system on the Fort\nBerthold Reservation in North Dakota. As a result of the inspection, Targa was issued a Notice\nof Amendment on October 22, 2024, which proposed amendment of Targa’s operations and\nmaintencance procedures.\nTarga submitted its amended procedures on November 18, 2024. My staff has reviewed the\namended procedures, and it appears that the inadequacies outlined in this Notice of Amendment\nhave been corrected.\nThis letter is to inform you no further action is necessary and this case is now closed. Thank you\nfor your cooperation.\nSincerely,\nBryan Lethcoe\nDirector, Southwest Region, Office of Pipeline Safety\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\ncc: Gregg Johnson, Director of Pipeline Compliance, gjohnson@targaresources.com\nAlfred Garcia, Manager Pipeline Compliance, alfred.garcia@targaresources.com\nJulie Pabon, Senior Counsel, jpabon@targaresources.com","truncated":false,"body_characters":8166}