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PHMSA 02-05
Thursday, August 25, 2005
Contact: James Wiggins/Damon A. Hill
Tel.: (202) 366-4831
Transportation Department Orders Kinder Morgan to Address Rise in Pipeline
Incidents
The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety
Administration (PHMSA) today announced it ordered Kinder Morgan Energy Partners
(KMEP) to address a recent increase in incidents along its hazardous liquids
pipeline system. The agency issued a Corrective Action Order requiring KMEP to
comprehensively address integrity threats along the entire 3,900-mile Pacific
Operations unit.
The order requires a thorough analysis of recent incidents, a third-party
independent review of operations and procedural practices, and a restructuring
of KMEP’s internal inspection program. KMEP must have a revised integrity
management plan approved by PHMSA within 120 days. Failure to comply may result
in an assessment of civil penalties of as much as $100,000 per day.
Since January 1, 2003, KMEP has experienced at least 44 accidents with some 14
resulting in the release of more than five barrels of refined petroleum
products, some in or near environmentally sensitive areas or major
transportation corridors.
“Our investigations into these incidents identified inadequacies in Kinder
Morgan’s interpretation of in-line inspection information to evaluate and repair
their pipeline systems,” said PHMSA Acting Chief Safety Officer Stacey Gerard.
“It is imperative for operators to utilize the most comprehensive set of
technologies available to improve their ability to consistently characterize and
address every possible threat their systems pose to public safety.”
Recent PHMSA investigations of these accidents, and reviews of KMEP’s operations
and procedures, prompted the agency Order requiring KMEP to apply technologies
and procedures to help evaluate its pipelines, Gerard said.
PHMSA pipeline engineers and agency State Pipeline Safety Program partners will
continue to carefully monitor and scrutinize KMEP’s activities.
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Briefing
Room