{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 42026035WL","title":"VENTURE GLOBAL CP EXPRESS, LLC — Warning Letter","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2026-04-01","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED warning letter citing 192.303.","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42026035wl.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42026035wl.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-42026035wl","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/42026035WL","body":"Warning Letter involving VENTURE GLOBAL CP EXPRESS, LLC. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 192.303. The case was opened on 2026-04-01 and is reported as closed as of 2026-04-01. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n42026035WL_Operator Response to Notice_04072026_(24-297440).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42026035WL/42026035WL_Operator%20Response%20to%20Notice_04072026_(24-297440).pdf\n\n42026035WL_Warning Letter_04012026_(24-297440).pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42026035WL/42026035WL_Warning%20Letter_04012026_(24-297440).pdf\n\n42026035WL_Warning Letter_04012026_(24-297440)_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/42026035WL/42026035WL_Warning%20Letter_04012026_(24-297440)_text.pdf\n\n42026035WL_Warning Letter_04012026_(24-297440)_text.pdf\n\nU.S. Department of Transportation\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials\nSafety Administration 8701 S. Gessner, Suite 630\nHouston TX 77074\nWARNING LETTER\nVIA ELECTRONIC MAIL TO: bcothran@venturegloballng.com\nApril 1, 2026\nBrian Cothran\nChief Operating Officer\nVenture Global CP Express, LLC\n1001 19th Street North, Ste 1500\nArlington, VA 22209\nCPF 4-2026-035-WL\nDear Mr. Cothran:\nFrom March 10, 2026 through 12, 2026 of the on-site inspection, a representative of the Pipeline\nand Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United\nStates Code (U.S.C.) inspected Venture Global CP Express LLC’s (Venture Global) CP Express\npipeline construction project in Jasper and Newton counties in Texas and Calcasieu and Cameron\nParishes in Louisiana.\nAs a result of the inspection, it is alleged that you have committed probable violations of the\nPipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR). The items inspected\nand the probable violations are:\n1. § 192.303 Compliance with specifications or standards.\nEach transmission line or main must be constructed in accordance\nwith comprehensive written specifications or standards that are\nconsistent with this part.\nVenture Global failed to construct its pipeline system in accordance with written comprehensive\nspecifications or standards consistent with Part 192 in accordance with § 192.303. Specifically,\nVenture Global failed to follow the requirements in its written procedure, EPCM Roles &\nResponsibilities Plan (CX-500600-CNS-PLN-GIE-00002) (Rev. 0, 05/06/2024) to ensure safety\nonsite during construction. Section 7.9.3 of the procedure states that each “Construction\nContractor is required to develop a Job Safety Analysis (JSA) each day and will be based on the\nscope of work for each crew. In addition, a separate JSA will be needed if conditions, scope of\nwork, or crew location changes. The JSA can be reviewed at tailgate meeting. The Inspector should\n\n\n\nbe present and ensure the JSA report is properly completed by the Construction Contractor and\nsigned by attendees.”\nOn March 10, 2026, PHMSA personnel at MP 41.700 (Spread 1) observed a gauge plate run being\nperformed after a horizontal directional drilling (HDD) installation. However, there was no JSA\nform available onsite at the time of PHMSA’s inspection. A completed JSA was required in order\nto satisfy the requirements of Section 7.9.3 of Venture Global’s EPCM Roles & Responsibilities\nPlan (CX-500600-CNS-PLN-GIE-00002) (Rev. 0, 05/06/2024) procedure.\nTherefore, Venture Global failed to construct its pipeline system in accordance with written\ncomprehensive specifications or standards consistent with Part 192 in accordance with § 192.303.\n2. § 192.303 Compliance with specifications or standards.\nEach transmission line or main must be constructed in accordance\nwith comprehensive written specifications or standards that are\nconsistent with this part.\nVenture Global failed to construct its pipeline system in accordance with written comprehensive\nspecifications or standards consistent with Part 192 in accordance with § 192.303. Specifically,\nVenture Global failed to follow its written procedures, Welding and Fabrication Specification\n(VG-000000-PPL-SPC-VGL-00009) (Rev. 10, 01/22/2025) and EPCM Roles & Responsibilities\nPlan (CX-500600-CNS-PLN-GIE-00002) (Rev. 0, 05/06/2024).\nVenture Global’s Welding and Fabrication Specification, Section 8.6 requires the welding\ninspector to monitor and document that all weld parameters are in compliance with the approved\nWPS. Section 8.6 requires that the welding inspector must monitor and document welding\nparameters for each welder a minimum of twice per day. Venture Global’s EPCM Roles &\nResponsibilities Plan, Section 8.19.2.2 requires that the welding inspector must ensure throughout\nthe project that only properly qualified welding procedures are being used. In addition, Section\n8.19.2.7 includes a specific list of equipment, tools and calibration certificates that must be\nprovided by the welding inspector.\nOn March 11, 2026, PHMSA personnel at the CP2 Meter Station (Spread 4) observed that the\nwelding inspector failed to document the weld parameters as required by Venture Global’s written\nprocedures. In addition, the inspector failed to maintain proper calibration records for the\nequipment used to verify the weld parameter during the production weld activities at the CP2 Meter\nStation.\nTherefore, Venture Global failed to construct its pipeline system in accordance with written\ncomprehensive specifications or standards consistent with Part 192 in accordance with § 192.303.\n2\n\n\n\n3. § 192.303 Compliance with specifications or standards.\nEach transmission line or main must be constructed in accordance\nwith comprehensive written specifications or standards that are\nconsistent with this part.\nVenture Global failed to construct its pipeline system in accordance with written comprehensive\nspecifications or standards consistent with Part 192 in accordance with § 192.303. Specifically,\nVenture Global failed to follow its written procedure, Horizontal Directional Drill Plan (CX-\n500600-CNS-PLN-SUN-00003) (Rev. 2, 03/04/2026).\nSection 9 of the Horizontal Directional Drill Plan states that its contractor “maintains fluid\nperformance through the daily sampling, testing and recording of fluid properties throughout\ndrilling operations.” The contractor’s field report requires documentation of fluid performance\ndata including density (lbs/gal), viscosity (secs/qty), solids/sand content (% by vol) and pH.\nOn March 10, 2026, PHMSA personnel at MP 50.46 Mud Lake HDD (Spread 2) observed a mud\ntechnician performing a viscosity test. When asked for a copy of the test documentation, the\ntechnician responded that he does not record those readings. In addition, no pH testing was\nobserved during PHMSA’s inspection onsite. When PHMSA requested that Venture Global\nprovide test documentation, Venture Global provided several Drilling Fluid Reports. However,\nthe Drilling Fluid Reports did not document who conducted the testing. In addition, there was no\nDrilling Fluid Field Testing Report for March 10, 2026.\nTherefore, Venture Global failed to construct its pipeline system in accordance with written\ncomprehensive specifications or standards consistent with Part 192 in accordance with § 192.303.\nUnder 49 U.S.C. § 60122 and 49 CFR § 190.223, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed\n$272,926 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,729,245 for a related\nseries of violations. For violation occurring on or after December 28, 2023 and before December\n30, 2024, the maximum penalty may not exceed $266,015 per violation per day the violation\npersists, up to a maximum of $2,660,135 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring\non or after January 6, 2023 and before December 28, 2023, the maximum penalty may not exceed\n$257,664 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,576,627 for a related\nseries of violations. For violation occurring on or after March 21, 2022 and before January 6,\n2023, the maximum penalty may not exceed $239,142 per violation per day the violation persists,\nup to a maximum of $2,391,142 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring on or\nafter May 3, 2021 and before March 21, 2022, the maximum penalty may not exceed $225,134\nper violation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,251,334 for a related series of\nviolations. For violation occurring on or after January 11, 2021 and before May 3, 2021, the\nmaximum penalty may not exceed $222,504 per violation per day the violation persists, up to a\nmaximum of $2,225,034 for a related series of violations. For violation occurring on or after July\n31, 2019 and before January 11, 2021, the maximum penalty may not exceed $218,647 per\nviolation per day the violation persists, up to a maximum of $2,186,465 for a related series of\nviolations.\n3\n\n\n\nWe have reviewed the circumstances and supporting documents involved in this case, and have\ndecided not to conduct additional enforcement action or penalty assessment proceedings at this\ntime. We advise you to correct the items identified in this letter. Failure to do so may result in\nVenture Global being subject to additional enforcement action.\nNo reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, in your correspondence please refer to\nCPF 4-2026-035-WL. Be advised that all material you submit in response to this enforcement\naction is subject to being made publicly available. If you believe that any portion of your\nresponsive material qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. § 552(b), along with the\ncomplete original document you must provide a second copy of the document with the portions\nyou believe qualify for confidential treatment redacted and an explanation of why you believe the\nredacted information qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. § 552(b).\nSincerely,\nBryan Lethcoe\nDirector, Southwest Region, Office of Pipeline Safety\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\nCc: Cole Sterling, Manager, Pipeline Regulatory Compliance,\ncsterling1@venturegloballng.com\nJames Palacios, Manager, Pipeline Regulatory Compliance,\njpalacios@venturegloballng.com\n4","truncated":false,"body_characters":10208}