Summary

On November 14, 2014, an information was filed in U.S. District Court, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, charging Randy Jones, Onshore Corrosion Coordinator for Shell Pipeline Company, L.P. (Shell), with failing to record rectifier readings connected to a Shell pipeline, and making false statements to the U.S. Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA).

PHMSA brought these allegations to our attention following a January 2012, release of 9,000 gallons of jet fuel from the Shell pipeline at the General Mitchell International Airport, Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

According to the information, Jones was responsible for the corrosion coordination of the Shell pipeline at the Airport, which included conducting an annual cathodic protection survey of the pipeline, taking bi-monthly cathodic protection readings from pipeline rectifiers, and recording all of the data into a computer system used to generate reports for PHMSA. 

From approximately January through December 2011, Jones knowingly and willfully failed to conduct an annual survey of the Shell pipeline and failed to take bi-monthly voltage readings from the rectifiers connected to the Shell pipeline.  Further, in December 2011, Jones knowingly and willfully made a false material statement when he entered fraudulent survey data and false bi-monthly voltage readings for rectifiers connected to the Shell pipeline at the Airport into a computer system used to generate reports for the PHMSA.

We are conducting this investigation with the U.S. Coast Guard Investigative Service and the Environmental Protection Agency – Criminal Investigation Division.

Note:  Indictments, informations, and criminal complaints are only accusations by the Government.  All defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.