{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 42026005CAO","title":"ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS OPERATING LLC — Corrective Action Order","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"current","official":true,"published_on":"2026-02-17","effective_on":null,"summary":"OPEN corrective action order.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42026005cao.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42026005cao.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42026005cao","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/42026005CAO","body":"Corrective Action Order involving ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS OPERATING LLC. The dataset does not identify a cited regulation for this case. The case was opened on 2026-02-17 and is reported as open. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n42026005CAO_Corrective Action Order_02172026_(26-364755).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42026005CAO/42026005CAO_Corrective%20Action%20Order_02172026_(26-364755).pdf\n\n42026005CAO_Corrective Action Order_02172026_(26-364755)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42026005CAO/42026005CAO_Corrective%20Action%20Order_02172026_(26-364755)_text.pdf\n\n42026005CAO_Corrective Action Order_02172026_(26-364755)_text.pdf\n\nU.S. Department\nof Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety\nAdministration\n1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE\nWashington, DC 20590\nFebruary 17, 2026\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: gbacon@eprod.com\nGraham Bacon\nExecutive Vice President, Chief Operating Officer\nEnterprise Products Operating, LLC\n1100 Louisiana Street\nHouston, TX 77002\nRe: CPF No. 4-2026-005-CAO\nDear Mr. Bacon,\nEnclosed please find a Corrective Action Order (Order) issued by the Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration, Office of Pipeline Safety. It requires Enterprise Products\nOperating, LLC, to take certain corrective actions with respect to a pipeline failure that occurred\non the East Leg Loop pipeline in Washington County, Iowa, on February 14, 2026.\nService by electronic mail is effective upon the date of transmission and acknowledgment of\nreceipt as provided under 49 CFR § 190.5. The terms and conditions of this Order are effective\nupon completion of service.\nSincerely,\nLinda Daugherty\nActing Associate Administrator\nfor Pipeline Safety\nEnclosure: Corrective Action Order\ncc: Mr. Bryan Lethcoe, Director, Southwest Region, Office of Pipeline Safety, PHMSA\nSuzie Davis, Senior Manager, Compliance, Enterprise Products Operating, LLC,\nsmdavis@eprod.com\nCONFIRMATION OF RECEIPT REQUESTED\n\n\n\nU.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION\nPIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION\nOFFICE OF PIPELINE SAFETY\nWASHINGTON, D.C. 20590\n____________________________________\n)\nIn the Matter of )\n)\nEnterprise Products Operating, LLC, ) CPF No. 4-2026-005-CAO\n)\nRespondent. )\n)\n____________________________________)\nCORRECTIVE ACTION ORDER\nPurpose and Background\nPursuant to the authority provided in 49 U.S.C. § 60112, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), is issuing this Corrective\nAction Order (CAO or Order) to Enterprise Products Operating, LLC (Enterprise or Respondent).\nThe Order requires Enterprise to take certain necessary corrective actions to protect the public,\nproperty, and the environment from potential hazards associated with a failure that occurred on the\nEast Leg Loop pipeline (East Leg Loop or Pipeline)1 near Brighton, Washington County, Iowa,\non February 14, 2026 (Failure). The East Leg Loop is a hazardous liquid pipeline facility subject\nto PHMSA’s jurisdiction pursuant to the Pipeline Safety Act, 49 U.S.C. § 60101 et seq., and\nPipeline Safety Regulations, 49 CFR Parts 190 to 199.\nThe East Leg Loop Pipeline is part of Enterprise’s 8,000-mile MAPCO pipeline system. The\nMAPCO system includes two parallel pipelines (the 8” East Leg Mainline and the 10” East Leg\nLoop) that transport liquified petroleum gas (LPG) from Conway, Kansas, to Janesville,\nWisconsin. The Failure occurred on a portion of the East Leg Loop that traverses a rural,\nagricultural area, and resulted in an explosion and sustained fire that required two road closures\nand responses from four local fire departments. Enterprise isolated the affected portion of the\nPipeline after the Failure and sent the failed section of pipe to a third-party expert for inspection\nand metallurgical analysis. Enterprise has not yet returned the East Loop Pipeline to service.\nPursuant to 49 U.S.C. § 60117, PHMSA has initiated an investigation of the Failure. The\npreliminary findings of that ongoing investigation are as follows:\n1 Enterprise Products Operating, LLC's East Leg Loop Pipeline is part of the MAPCO pipeline system present in 13\nstates. The MAPCO pipeline system is a Liquified Petroleum Gas (LPG) pipeline system consisting of four primary\nsegments, totaling approximately 8,074 miles in length. The 2,113-mile Conway North pipelines (East Red and Blue\nlines) link the NGL hub at Conway, Kansas, to refineries, petrochemical plans and propane markets in the upper-\nMidwest.\n\n\n\nPreliminary Findings\n• The East Leg Loop Pipeline is a 10-inch diameter pipeline that transports LPG from Conway,\nKansas, to Janesville, Wisconsin. This portion of the East Leg Loop Pipeline includes 5 pump\nstations and two navigable water crossings.\n• At approximately 10:50 AM on February 14, 2026, Enterprise observed a pressure drop on the\nEast Leg Loop. The pressure drop resulted from the Failure, which occurred at the top of a\nslope several hundred yards south of the Skunk River in a rural, agricultural area near Brighton,\nIowa.\n• After detecting the Failure, Enterprise shut in a portion of the East Leg Loop Pipeline, closing\nvalves at milepost (MP) 21.6 and MP 23.3. Enterprise also received a public report of a large\nfire near Brighton, Iowa\n• Enterprise notified the National Response Center (NRC) of the Failure at 1:04 PM Eastern\nTime on February 14, 2026. Enterprise provided a second NRC notification at 4:29 PM\nEastern Time on February 14, 2026. Enterprise provided a third NRC notification at 3:12 AM\nEastern Time on February 16, 2026. In its third NRC notification, Enterprise reported an\nestimated spill volume of 2000 barrels.\n• At the point of Failure, investigators observed a four-foot section of ejected pipe with visible\nexternal corrosion. The failed pipe appears to be a location previously excavated and\ninspected. The two sections of pipeline that remained in place in the crater showed visible\nsigns of misalignment.\n• Enterprise has cut out the failed section of the East Leg Pipeline and is transporting the pipe to\nAcuren in Magnolia, Texas, for inspection and metallurgical analysis.\n• The portion of the East Leg Loop that experienced the Failure was originally constructed in\n1972. The pipe at the location of the Failure is 0.188 inches thick, API 5L grade X-52,\nmanufactured by American Steel with high frequency electric resistance welding (HF-ERW)\nseams. The Pipeline has plastic tape coating and cathodic protection. The maximum operating\npressure (MOP) of the Pipeline is 1310 psig. The operating pressure of the time of the Failure\nwas between 1265 and 1172 psig.\n• The release of LPG poses a risk to public safety, property, and the environment. The Failure\nresulted in an explosion and sustained fire that required response from four local fire\ndepartments and two road closures.\n• Previously, on November 29, 2016, a failure occurred on a section of the East Leg Loop\nPipeline in Platte County, Missouri, resulting in the release of approximately 5,000 barrels of\nethane-propane mixture. The released product ignited and caused a fire. The cause of the\nfailure was determined to be external near-neutral stress corrosion cracking along and adjacent\nto an HF-ERW seam.\n\n\n\n• The failed segment of the East Leg Loop Pipeline is currently shut-in and not operating.\n• The investigation of the Failure is on-going, and information could change. These preliminary\nfindings may be amended based on further findings during the investigation.\nDetermination of Necessity for Corrective Action Order and Right to Hearing\nSection 60112 of title 49, United States Code, authorizes PHMSA to determine that a pipeline\nfacility is or would be hazardous to life, property, or the environment and if there is a likelihood\nof serious harm, to expeditiously order the operator of the facility to take necessary corrective\naction, including suspended or restricted use of the facility, physical inspection, testing, repair,\nreplacement, or other appropriate action. An order issued expeditiously must provide an\nopportunity for a hearing as soon as practicable after the order is issued.\nIn deciding whether to issue an order, PHMSA must consider the following, if relevant: (1) the\ncharacteristics of the pipe and other equipment used in the pipeline facility, including the age,\nmanufacture, physical properties, and method of manufacturing, constructing, or assembling the\nequipment; (2) the nature of the material the pipeline facility transports, the corrosive and\ndeteriorative qualities of the material, the sequence in which the material is transported, and the\npressure required for transporting the material; (3) the aspects of the area in which the pipeline\nfacility is located, including climatic and geologic conditions and soil characteristics; (4) the\nproximity of the area in which the hazardous liquid pipeline facility is located to environmentally\nsensitive areas; (5) the population density and population and growth patterns of the area in which\nthe pipeline facility is located; (6) any recommendation of the National Transportation Safety\nBoard made under another law; and (7) any other factors PHMSA may consider as appropriate.\nAfter evaluating the foregoing preliminary findings of fact, and having considered the\ncircumstances surrounding the Failure, the hazardous nature of the product being transported, the\npressure required for transporting the material, the method of manufacture, the prior failure on the\npipeline system, the uncertainties as to the cause of the Failure, the ongoing investigations to\ndetermine the cause of the Failure, and the possibility that the same condition(s) that may have\ncaused the Failure remain present in the pipeline and could lead to additional failures, it appears\nthat the continued operation of the pipeline without corrective measures would pose a pipeline\nintegrity risk to public safety, property, or the environment. Accordingly, corrective measures are\nnecessary to mitigate the pipeline integrity risk of the pipeline system to protect public safety,\nproperty, and the environment.\nAccordingly, this Order mandating immediate corrective action is issued expeditiously without\nprior notice and opportunity for a hearing. The terms and conditions of this Order are effective\nupon receipt.\nWithin 10 days of receipt of this Order, Respondent may request a hearing, to be held as soon as\npracticable, by notifying the Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety in writing, with a copy\nto the Director, PHMSA, OPS Southwest Region. If a hearing is requested, it will be held in\naccordance with 49 CFR § 190.211.\n\n\n\nAfter receiving and analyzing additional data in the course of this investigation, PHMSA may\nidentify other corrective measures that need to be taken. Respondent will be notified of any\nadditional measures required and, if appropriate, PHMSA will consider amending this Order. To\nthe extent consistent with safety, Respondent will be afforded notice and an opportunity for a\nhearing prior to the imposition of any additional corrective measures.\nRequired Corrective Actions\nDefinitions:\nAffected Segment – “Affected Segment” means the segment of Respondent's 10-inch East Leg\nLoop Pipeline running from Kearney, Missouri to Iowa City, Iowa.\nIsolated Segment – “Isolated Segment” means the segment of Respondent's 10-inch East Leg Loop\nPipeline running from MP 21.6 to MP 23.3.\nFailure Site – “Failure Site” means the pipeline section on the Affected Segment where the failure\noccurred on February 14, 2026.\nDirector – “Director” means the Director, PHMSA, Office of Pipeline Safety, Southwest Region.\nThe Director’s address is 8701 South Gessner Road, Suite 630, Houston, TX 77074.\nPursuant to 49 U.S.C. 60112, Enterprise is ordered to immediately take the following corrective\nactions:\n1. Shutdown of the Isolated Segment. The 10\" Enterprise East Leg Loop Pipeline from\nMP 21.6 and MP 23.3 is currently out of service. This Isolated Segment must remain\nshut down until the Director has provided written approval to Enterprise to resume\noperations. The Affected Segment is subject to the pressure restriction set forth in Item 2\nbelow.\n2. Operating Pressure Restriction. Enterprise must reduce and maintain a twenty percent\n(20%) pressure reduction in the operating pressure on the Affected Segment, such that\nthe operating pressure does not exceed eighty percent (80%) of the actual operating\npressure in effect immediately prior to the Failure on February 14, 2026.\na. This pressure restriction is to remain in effect until written approval to increase\nthe pressure or return the pipeline to its pre-Failure operating pressure is\nobtained from the Director.\nb. Prior to resuming operation, Enterprise must provide the Director the actual\noperating pressures of each pump station and each main line pressure regulating\nstation on the Affected Segment at the time of the Failure and the reduced pressure\nrestriction set-points at these same locations. As portions of the Affected Segment\nmay be capable of bi-directional operation, the reduced pressure pump station\nset-points should be specified for both directions of flow where applicable.\nc. This pressure restriction requires any relevant remote or local alarm limits,\nsoftware programming set-points or control points, and mechanical over-pressure\n\n\n\ndevices to be adjusted accordingly.\nd. When determining the pressure restriction set-points, Enterprise must take into\naccount any in-line inspection (ILI) features or anomalies present in the Affected\nSegment to provide for continued safe operation while further corrective actions\nare completed. A description of how any ILI features or anomalies were\naccounted for in the determination of pressure restriction set-points shall be\nprovided with the information.\ne. Enterprise must review the pressure restriction monthly by analyzing the\noperating pressure data, taking into account any ILI features or anomalies present\nin the Affected Segment. Enterprise must immediately reduce the operating\npressure to maintain the safe operations of the Affected Segment, if warranted by\nthe monthly review. Enterprise must submit the results of the monthly review to\nthe Director including, at a minimum, the current discharge set-points (including\nany additional pressure reductions), and any pressure exceedance at discharge set-\npoints.\n3. Restart Plan. Prior to resuming operation of the Isolated Segment, Enterprise must\ndevelop and submit a written Restart Plan to the Director for prior approval.\na. The Director may approve the Restart Plan incrementally without approving the\nentire plan, but the Isolated Segment cannot resume operation until the Restart Plan\nis approved in its entirety.\nb. Once approved by the Director, the Restart Plan will be incorporated by reference\ninto this Order.\nc. The Restart Plan must provide for adequate patrolling of the Isolated Segment\nduring the restart process and must include incremental pressure increases during\nstart up, with each increment to be held for at least two (2) hours.\nd. The Restart Plan must include sufficient surveillance of the pipeline during each\npressure increment to ensure that no leaks are present when operation of the line\nresumes.\ne. The Restart Plan must specify a daylight restart and include advance\ncommunications with local emergency response officials.\nf. The Restart Plan must also include documentation of the completion of all\nmandated actions, and a management of change plan to ensure that all procedural\nmodifications are incorporated into Enterprise’s operations and maintenance\n(O&M) procedures manual.\n4. Return to Service. After the Director approves the Restart Plan, Enterprise may return\nthe Isolated Segment to service, but the operating pressure must not exceed eighty percent\n(80%) of the actual operating pressure in effect immediately prior to the Failure on\nFebruary 14, 2026 in accordance with Item 2 above.\n5. Removal of Pressure Restriction. The Director may allow the removal or modification\nof the pressure restriction upon a written request from Enterprise demonstrating that\nrestoring the pipeline to its pre-Failure operating pressure is justified based on a reliable\nengineering analysis showing that the pressure increase is safe considering all known\ndefects, anomalies, and operating parameters of the pipeline.\n6. Mechanical and Metallurgical Testing. Within 45 days after this Order is issued,\n\n\n\nEnterprise must complete mechanical and metallurgical testing and failure analysis of the\nfailed pipe, including an analysis of soil samples and any foreign materials. Mechanical\nand metallurgical testing must be conducted by an independent third-party acceptable to\nthe Director and must document the decision-making process and all factors contributing\nto the failure. Respondent must complete the testing and analysis as follows:\na. Document the chain-of-custody when handling and transporting the failed pipe\nsection and other evidence from the Failure site.\nb. c. d. Within 10 days of receipt of this Order, develop and submit the testing protocol\nand the proposed testing laboratory to the Director for prior approval.\nPrior to beginning the mechanical and metallurgical testing, provide the Director\nwith the scheduled date, time, and location of the testing to allow for an OPS\nrepresentative to witness the testing.\nEnsure the testing laboratory distributes all reports whether draft or final in their\nentirety to the Director at the same time they are made available to Respondent.\n7. Remedial Work Plan (RWP).\na. Within 90 days after this Order is issued, Enterprise must submit a Remedial Work\nPlan (RWP) to the Director for prior approval.\nb. The Director may approve the RWP incrementally without approving the entire\nRWP.\nc. Upon approval by the Director, the RWP becomes incorporated by reference into\nthis Order.\nd. The RWP must specify the tests, inspections, assessments, evaluations, and\nremedial measures Respondent will use to verify the integrity of the Affected\nSegment. It must address all known or suspected factors and causes of the Failure.\nEnterprise must consider the risks and consequences of another failure to develop\na prioritized schedule for RWP- related work along the Affected Segment.\ne. The RWP must include a procedure or process to:\ni. Identify pipe in the Affected Segment with characteristics similar to\nthe contributing factors identified for the Failure.\nii. Gather all data necessary to review the failure history (in service\nand pressure test failures) of the Affected Segment and to prepare a\nwritten report containing all the available information such as the\nlocations, dates, and causes of leaks and failures.\niii. Integrate the results of the metallurgical testing, root cause failure\nanalysis, and other corrective actions required by this Order with all\nrelevant pre-existing operational and assessment data for the Affected\nSegment. Pre-existing operational data includes, but is not limited to,\ndesign, construction, operations, maintenance, testing, repairs, prior\nmetallurgical analyses, and any third-party consultation information.\nPre-existing assessment data includes, but is not limited to, ILI tool\nruns, hydrostatic pressure testing, direct assessments, close interval\nsurveys, and DCVG/ACVG surveys.\n\n\n\niv. Determine if conditions similar to those contributing to the Failure\nare likely to exist elsewhere on the Affected Segment.\nv. Conduct additional field tests, inspections, assessments, and\nevaluations to determine whether, and to what extent, the conditions\nassociated with the Failure and other failures from the failure history\n(see (e)(ii) above) or any other integrity threats are present elsewhere\non the Affected Segment. At a minimum, this process must consider\nall failure causes and specify the use of one or more of the following:\n1) ILI tools that are technically appropriate for assessing the\npipeline system based on the cause of Failure and that can\nreliably detect and identify anomalies,\n2) Hydrostatic pressure testing,\n3) Close-interval surveys,\n4) Cathodic protection surveys, to include interference surveys\nin coordination with other utilities (e.g., underground\nutilities, overhead power lines, etc.) in the area,\n5) Coating surveys,\n6) Stress corrosion cracking surveys,\n7) Selective seam corrosion surveys; and\n8) Other tests, inspections, assessments, and evaluations\nappropriate for the failure causes.\nNote: Enterprise may use the results of previous tests, inspections,\nassessments, and evaluations if approved by the Director, provided the results\nof the tests, inspections, assessments, and evaluations are analyzed with regard\nto the factors known or suspected to have caused the Failure.\nvi. Describe the inspection and repair criteria Enterprise will use to\nprioritize, excavate, evaluate, and repair anomalies, imperfections,\nand other identified integrity threats. Include a description of how any\ndefects will be graded and a schedule for repairs or replacement.\nvii. Based on the known history and condition of the Affected Segment,\ndescribe the methods Enterprise will use to repair, replace, or take\nother corrective measures to remediate the conditions associated with\nthe Failure, and to address other known integrity threats along the\nAffected Segment. The repair, replacement, or other corrective\nmeasures must meet the criteria specified in (e)(vi) above.\nviii. Implement continuing long-term periodic testing and integrity\nverification measures to ensure the ongoing safe operation of the\nAffected Segment considering the results of the analyses, inspections,\nevaluations, and corrective measures undertaken pursuant to the\nOrder.\nf. Enterprise must include a proposed schedule for completion of the RWP.\ng. Enterprise must revise the RWP as necessary to incorporate new information\nobtained during the failure investigation and remedial activities, to incorporate\n\n\n\nthe results of actions undertaken pursuant to this Order, and/or to incorporate\nmodifications required by the Director.\ni. Enterprise must submit any plan revisions to the Director for prior\napproval.\nii. The Director may approve plan revisions incrementally.\nh. Enterprise must implement the RWP as it is approved by the Director,\nincluding any revisions to the plan.\n8. Root Cause Failure Analysis. Within 90 days after this Order is issued, Enterprise must\ncomplete a root cause failure analysis (RCFA) and submit a final report of this RCFA to\nthe Director. The RCFA must be facilitated by an independent third-party approved by\nthe Director. Enterprise must ensure that all reports, whether draft or final, are made\navailable in their entirety to the Director at the same time they are made available to\nEnterprise. The final report must include findings and any lessons learned and whether\nthe findings and lessons learned are applicable to other locations within Enterprise’s\npipeline system.\nOther Requirements:\n9. Approvals. With respect to each submission under this Order that requires the approval\nof the Director, the Director may: (a) approve, in whole or part, the submission; (b)\napprove the submission on specified conditions; (c) modify the submission to cure any\ndeficiencies; (d) disapprove in whole or in part, the submission, directing that Respondent\nmodify the submission, or (e) any combination of the above. In the event of approval,\napproval upon conditions, or modification by the Director, Respondent shall proceed to\ntake all action required by the submission as approved or modified by the Director. If the\nDirector disapproves all or any portion of the submission, Respondent must correct all\ndeficiencies within the time specified by the Director and resubmit it for approval.\n10. Extensions of Time. The Director may grant an extension of time for compliance with\nany of the terms of this Order upon a written request timely submitted demonstrating good\ncause for an extension.\n11. Reporting. Submit quarterly reports to the Director that: (1) include all available data\nand results of the testing and evaluations required by this Order; and (2) describe the\nprogress of the repairs or other remedial actions being undertaken. The first quarterly\nreport is due on March 1, 2026. The Director may change the interval for the submission\nof these reports.\n12. Documentation of the Costs. It is requested that Respondent maintain documentation of\nthe costs associated with implementation of this Order. Include in each monthly report\nsubmitted, the to-date total costs associated with: (1) preparation and revision of\nprocedures, studies and analyses; (2) physical changes to pipeline infrastructure, including\nrepairs, replacements and other modifications; and (3) environmental remediation.\nBe advised that all material you submit in response to this enforcement action is subject to being\n\n\n\nmade publicly available. If you believe that any portion of your responsive material qualifies for\nconfidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. § 552(b), along with the complete original document you\nmust provide a second copy of the document with the portions you believe qualify for confidential\ntreatment redacted and an explanation of why you believe the redacted information qualifies for\nconfidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. § 552(b).\nIn your correspondence on this matter, please refer to “CPF No. 4-2026-005-CAO” and for each\ndocument you submit, please provide a copy in electronic format whenever possible. The actions\nrequired by this Order are in addition to and do not waive any requirements that apply to\nRespondent’s pipeline system under 49 CFR Parts 190 through 199, under any other order issued\nto Respondent under authority of 49 U.S.C. Chapter 601, or under any other provision of federal\nor state law.\nRespondent may appeal any decision of the Director to the Associate Administrator for Pipeline\nSafety. Decisions of the Associate Administrator shall be final.\nFailure to comply with this Order may result in the assessment of civil penalties and in referral\nto the Attorney General for appropriate relief in United States District Court pursuant to\n49 U.S.C. § 60120.\nThe terms and conditions of this Order are effective upon service in accordance with 49 CFR §\n190.5.\n_____________________________ __________________________\nLinda Daugherty Date Issued\nActing Associate Administrator\nfor Pipeline Safety","truncated":false,"body_characters":26453}