U.S. Department of Transportation
Office of Public Affairs
Washington, D.C.
www.dot.gov/affairs/briefing.htm
News
PHMSA 02-05
Thursday, August 25, 2006
Contact: James Wiggins/Damon A. Hill
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 submitted to PHMSA for
approval 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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