{"operation":"document","citation":"CPF 520145010W","title":"PLAINS PIPELINE, L.P. — Warning Letter","source_type":"enforcement","agency":"Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration","status":"historical","official":true,"published_on":"2014-07-30","effective_on":null,"summary":"CLOSED warning letter citing 195.579(c).","machine_formats":{"json":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-520145010w.json","markdown":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-520145010w.md"},"app_url":"https://regulus.evalyn.ai/document/phmsa-enforcement-520145010w","source_url":"https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-data/case/520145010W","body":"Warning Letter involving PLAINS PIPELINE, L.P.. PHMSA's enforcement data identifies the cited regulation as 195.579(c). The case was opened on 2014-07-30 and is reported as closed as of 2014-07-30. Open the official case record for notices, responses, orders, and the latest status.\n\nOfficial case documents:\n\n520145010W_warning letter_07302014.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/520145010W/520145010W_warning%20letter_07302014.pdf\n\n520145010W_warning letter_07302014_text.pdf: https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/enforcement-documents/520145010W/520145010W_warning%20letter_07302014_text.pdf\n\n520145010W_warning letter_07302014_text.pdf\n\nWARNING LETTER\nCERTIFIED MAIL - RETURN RECEIPT REQUESTED\nJuly 30, 2014\nMr. Troy Valenzuela\nVice President, Environmental Health & Safety\nPlains Pipeline, L.P.\n333 Clay Street, Suite 1600\nP.O. Box 4648\nHouston, TX 77002\nCPF 5-2014-5010W\nDear Mr. Valenzuela:\nBetween July 2013 and September 2013, representatives of the Pipeline and Hazardous\nMaterials Safety Administration (PHMSA), pursuant to Chapter 601 of 49 United States\nCode, inspected your Operations and Maintenance (O&M) procedures and records at your\nheadquarters in Houston, Texas, and field facilities in Casper, Wyoming.\nAs a result of the inspection, it appears that you have committed a probable violation of the\nPipeline Safety Regulations, Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations. The item inspected and\nthe probable violation is:\n1. §195.579 What must I do to mitigate internal corrosion?\n(c) Removing pipe. Whenever you remove pipe from a pipeline, you must inspect\nthe internal surface of the pipe for evidence of corrosion. If you find internal\ncorrosion requiring corrective action under Sec. 195.585, you must investigate\ncircumferentially and longitudinally beyond the removed pipe (by visual\nexamination, indirect method, or both) to determine whether additional\ncorrosion requiring remedial action exists in the vicinity of the removed pipe.\nPer §195.579, the operator must inspect the internal surface of any pipe that is removed from\na pipeline to determine if there is evidence of internal corrosion. Also, per Plains Pipeline’s\n\n\n\nOperations and Maintenance Procedures Manual Appendix C, all regulated pipelines must be\ninspected for internal and external corrosion whenever exposed. During the records review\nportion of the inspection, it was determined that an internal inspection was not performed on\na cutout portion of pipe on the Kirby to Casper 12” line which began on 4/24/2012, and\ncompleted on 10/24/2012. Therefore, Plains Pipeline did not comply with the requirements of\nPart 195.579(c). Plains Pipeline must inspect the internal surface of any pipe that is removed\nto determine if there is evidence of corrosion.\nUnder 49 United States Code, § 60122, you are subject to a civil penalty not to exceed\n$200,000 per violation per day the violation persists up to a maximum of $2,000,000 for a\nrelated series of violations. For violations occurring prior to January 4, 2012, the maximum\npenalty may not exceed $100,000 per violation per day, with a maximum penalty not to\nexceed $1,000,000 for a related series of violations. We have reviewed the circumstances\nand supporting documents involved in this case, and have decided not to conduct additional\nenforcement action or penalty assessment proceedings at this time. We advise you to correct\nthe item(s) identified in this letter. Failure to do so will result in Plains Pipeline, L.P. being\nsubject to additional enforcement action.\nNo reply to this letter is required. If you choose to reply, in your correspondence please refer\nto CPF 5-2014-5010W and for each document you submit please provide a copy in\nelectronic format to PHP-WRADMIN@dot.gov whenever possible. Be advised that all\nmaterial you submit in response to this enforcement action is subject to being made publicly\navailable. 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\nconfidential treatment redacted and an explanation of why you believe the redacted\ninformation qualifies for confidential treatment under 5 U.S.C. 552(b).\nSincerely,\nChris Hoidal\nDirector, Western Region\nPipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration\ncc: PHP-60 Compliance Registry\nPHP-500 D. Hubbard (#142643)\n2","truncated":false,"body_characters":4455}