DOT Seeks Penalty Against El Paso Pipeline for Safety Violations

June 25, 2001
The Department of Transportation is proposing a $2.5 million civil penalty against El Paso Energy Pipeline Group for\r\nsafety violations related to the August 2000 pipeline failure in Carlsbad, N.M.

The Department of Transportation''s Research and Special Programs Administration (RSPA) said it will seek the largest civil penalty ever against a gas transmission pipeline operator in the history of the federal pipeline safety program.

The $2.5 million civil penalty, proposed by RSPA''s Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS), is against El Paso Energy Pipeline Group for safety violations related to the August 2000 pipeline failure in Carlsbad, N.M.

The penalty action includes fines against El Paso for safety violations identified during OPS''s investigation following the failure, which resulted in the deaths of 12 people.

RSPA cited the company for the following safety violations:

Failing to ensure that qualified personnel perform required internal corrosion control procedures.

Transporting corrosive gas on numerous occasions without taking proper preventive and mitigative steps.

Failing to follow procedures for continuing surveillance of its facilities which would have led to action to control the collection of liquid at low points, thereby mitigating conditions which led to the accident.

Failing to take action to minimize the possibility of a failure recurrence following a similar incident in 1996.

Not having an accurate elevation map for lines involved in the accident, which would have shown low points where liquid could accumulate and corrosion could occur.

After the pipeline failure in August 2000, OPS ordered the pipeline to be shut down.

Since then, El Paso has performed required hydrostatic testing, internal inspection, repairs to areas with critical metal loss, other forms of assessment, revised corrosion control procedures and training, and established a comprehensive integrity management program.

OPS has monitored these actions on an ongoing basis to assure that all actions needed to return the line to a safe condition are being taken.

The company has the option of paying the $2.5 million fine or requesting a hearing within 30 days.

by Virginia Sutcliffe

About the Author

EHS Today Staff

EHS Today's editorial staff includes:

Dave Blanchard, Editor-in-Chief: During his career Dave has led the editorial management of many of Endeavor Business Media's best-known brands, including IndustryWeekEHS Today, Material Handling & LogisticsLogistics Today, Supply Chain Technology News, and Business Finance. In addition, he serves as senior content director of the annual Safety Leadership Conference. With over 30 years of B2B media experience, Dave literally wrote the book on supply chain management, Supply Chain Management Best Practices (John Wiley & Sons, 2021), which has been translated into several languages and is currently in its third edition. He is a frequent speaker and moderator at major trade shows and conferences, and has won numerous awards for writing and editing. He is a voting member of the jury of the Logistics Hall of Fame, and is a graduate of Northern Illinois University.

Adrienne Selko, Senior Editor: In addition to her roles with EHS Today and the Safety Leadership Conference, Adrienne is also a senior editor at IndustryWeek and has written about many topics, with her current focus on workforce development strategies. She is also a senior editor at Material Handling & Logistics. Previously she was in corporate communications at a medical manufacturing company as well as a large regional bank. She is the author of Do I Have to Wear Garlic Around My Neck?, which made the Cleveland Plain Dealer's best sellers list.

Nicole Stempak, Managing Editor:  Nicole Stempak is managing editor of EHS Today and conference content manager of the Safety Leadership Conference.

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