# FREEPORT-MCMORAN OIL & GAS — Warning Letter

- **operation:** document
- **citation:** CPF 520070014W
- **title:** FREEPORT-MCMORAN OIL & GAS — Warning Letter
- **source type:** enforcement
- **agency:** Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
- **status:** historical
- **official:** true
- **published on:** 2007-04-17
- **effective on:** Not available
- **summary:** CLOSED warning letter citing 192.614.
- **machine formats:** - **json:** https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-520070014w.json
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- **source url:** https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/520070014W
**body:**

Warning Letter involving FREEPORT-MCMORAN OIL & GAS. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 192.614. The case was opened on 2007-04-17 and is reported as closed as of 2007-04-17. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.

Official case documents:

520070014W_warning letter_04172007.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/520070014W/520070014W_warning%20letter_04172007.pdf

520070014w_warning letter_04172007_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/520070014W/520070014w_warning%20letter_04172007_text.pdf

520070014w_warning letter_04172007_text.pdf

U. S. Department
of Transportation
Pipeline and
Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration
12300 W Dakota Ave, Suite 110
Lakewood, CO 80228
WARNING LETTER
CERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT RE UESTED
April 17, 2007
Mr. Steven P. Rusch
Vice President
Plains Exploration & Production Company (PXP)
5640 South Fairfax Ave
Los Angeles, CA 90056
SENT TO COMPLIANCE REGISTRY
Hardcopy Electronic all
0 of Copies 3 I Date 4 ~/0'7
CPF 5-2007-0014W
Dear Mr. Rusch:
On March 2, 2007, a representative of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration (PHMSA) was notified by a representative of the state of California Division
of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Resources that a pipeline release occurred due to third party
damage on February 14, 2007 in Inglewood, CA. Pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States
Code our staff contacted your personnel at the Inglewood facility to determine the
circumstances surrounding the incident.
As a result of the inquiry, it appears that you have committed a probable violation of the
Pipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. The items inspected and
the probable violation is:
1. 192. 614 Damage Prevention Program.
(a) except as provided in paragraphs (d) and (e) of this section, each operator of a
buried pipeline must carry out, in accordance with this section, a written program
to prevent damage to that pipeline from excavation activities.
PXP personnel were working on a road within the PXP Inglewood facility when they
hit a 12" natural gas line owned by the Gas Company. Natural gas was released, and
fortunately there were no injuries, fatalities, explosion or fire. The Gas Company was



not notified of the intended excavation either by the One-Call system or directly by
PXP. PXP knew the existence of the gas line owned by the Gas Company, but
wrongly assumed the depth of the cover.
Under 49 United States Code, $ 60122, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed $100, 00
for each violation for each day the violation persists up to a maximum of $1, 000, 000 for any
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 PXP 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 5-2007-0014W. 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 quali6es 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,
C ' oidal
Director, Western Region
Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration
cc: PHP-60 Compliance Registry
PHP-500 P. Nguyen
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