# TARGA RESOURCES OPERATING LLC — Warning Letter

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** CPF 42026026WL
- **title:** TARGA RESOURCES OPERATING LLC — Warning Letter
- **source type:** enforcement
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** historical
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2026-03-10
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** CLOSED warning letter citing 195.402(a).
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- **source url:** https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/42026026WL
**body:**

Warning Letter involving TARGA RESOURCES OPERATING LLC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 195.402(a). The case was opened on 2026-03-10 and is reported as closed as of 2026-03-10. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.

Official case documents:

42026026WL_Warning Letter_03102026_(25-329593).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42026026WL/42026026WL_Warning%20Letter_03102026_(25-329593).pdf

42026026WL_Warning Letter_03102026_(25-329593)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42026026WL/42026026WL_Warning%20Letter_03102026_(25-329593)_text.pdf

42026026WL_Warning Letter_03102026_(25-329593)_text.pdf

U.S. Department of Transportation
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration 8701 S. Gessner, Suite 630
Houston TX 77074
WARNING LETTER
VIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: mmeloy@targaresources.com
March 10, 2026
Matthew Meloy
Chief Executive Officer
Targa Resources Operating LLC
811 Louisiana St
Suite 2100
Houston, Texas, 77002
CPF 4-2026-026-WL
Dear Mr. Meloy:
From April 7 through September 25, 2025, representatives of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials
Safety Administration (PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), pursuant to Chapter 601 of
Title 49, United States Code (U.S.C.), inspected Targa Resources Operating LLC’s (Targa) natural
gas liquids pipeline system located in Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas.
As a result of the inspection, it is alleged that Targa has committed a probable violation of the
Pipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The item inspected and
the probable violation is:
1. § 195.402 Procedural manual for operations, maintenance, and emergencies.
(a) General. Each operator shall prepare and follow for each
pipeline system a manual of written procedures for conducting
normal operations and maintenance activities and handling abnormal
operations and emergencies. This manual shall be reviewed at
intervals not exceeding 15 months, but at least once each calendar
year, and appropriate changes made as necessary to insure that the
manual is effective. This manual shall be prepared before initial
operations of a pipeline system commence, and appropriate parts
shall be kept at locations where operations and maintenance activities
are conducted.



Targa failed to follow its procedure for conducting normal operations in accordance with §
195.402(a). Specifically, Targa failed to follow its procedure Environmental, Safety, and Health
(ES&H) Manual: Safe Work Permits (rev. 01/11/2022), which requires the completion and
approval of a hot work permit prior to performing any work that could generate sparks or fire,
including, but not limited to, welding, cutting, grinding, brazing, torch or plasma cutting, abrasive
blasting, fusing plastic pipe, or using hot plates or inductive heating elements.
Following receipt of Accident Report No. 20230139-38218, dated June 29, 2023, PHMSA
reviewed records for the pipe repair/replacement on Targa’s 20-inch GPX-F East Chico to
Weatherford pipeline segment. When PHMSA requested a copy of the approved hot work permit
for the activity described, Targa was unable to locate one.
Hot work permit processes are designed to ensure that all required safety measures, including
verification that all hazard mitigation measures are in place, assignment and documentation of a
designated fire watch, atmospheric monitoring for oxygen levels and flammable vapors both prior
to and during the work, and identification of the specific work location, equipment to be used, and
the authorized dates for hot-work activities, are implemented before work begins. Failing to follow
such a process increases the risk of fire or explosion, injury to personnel, and environmental
release.
Therefore, Targa failed to follow its procedure for conducting normal operations in accordance
with § 195.402(a).
Under 49 U.S.C. § 60122 and 49 CFR § 190.223, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed
$272,926 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,729,245 for a related
series of violations. For violation occurring on or after December 28, 2023, and before December
30, 2024, the maximum penalty may not exceed $266,015 per violation per day the violation
persists, up to a maximum of $2,660,135 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring
on or after January 6, 2023, and before December 28, 2023, the maximum penalty may not exceed
$257,664 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,576,627 for a related
series of violations. For violation occurring on or after March 21, 2022, and before January 6,
2023, the maximum penalty may not exceed $239,142 per violation per day the violation persists,
up to a maximum of $2,391,142 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring on or
after May 3, 2021, and before March 21, 2022, the maximum penalty may not exceed $225,134
per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,251,334 for a related series of
violations. For violation occurring on or after January 11, 2021, and before May 3, 2021, the
maximum penalty may not exceed $222,504 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a
maximum of $2,225,034 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring on or after July
31, 2019, and before January 11, 2021, the maximum penalty may not exceed $218,647 per
violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,186,465 for a related series of
violations.
2



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.
No reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, in your correspondence please refer to
CPF 4-2026-026-WL. 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,
Bryan Lethcoe
Director, Southwest Region, Office of Pipeline Safety
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
cc: Gregg Johnson, Director, Pipeline Compliance, Targa Resources Operating LLC
gjohnson@targaresources.com
Kyle Kubin, Sr. Vice President, Operations & Engineering, Targa Resources, LLC,
kkubin@targaresources.com
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