Pipeline Safety Stakeholder Communications

For more information on each inspection type see the Inspection Activity Glossary.

Site-Specific Field Inspections - Include inspections and other compliance-related activities conducted at specific facilities or along specific lengths of pipelines ("Inspection Units"). Types of inspections/activities include on-site field verification of an operator's implementation of procedures and programs associated with corrosion control, integrity management, training and qualification, public awareness and damage prevention, control center operations, emergency preparedness and response, and other pipeline safety and compliance tasks.

System-Wide Program Inspections - Include inspections and other compliance-related activities that cover pipeline safety programs and processes that apply broadly across an operator's entire network of pipeline facilities. Types of inspections/activities include those which cover operating and maintenance procedures, integrity management and operator qualification programs, and integrated inspection of all operator safety and compliance programs.

Targeted Inspections/Investigations - Include inspections, investigations, and other activities related to specific pipeline safety areas which have been targeted for special review or emphasis. Types of activities include failure investigations, investigations into public concerns or complaints, drug and alcohol program inspections, new construction inspections, and other special-focus inspections or investigations.

For more information on each inspection type see the Inspection Activity Glossary.

For more information on each inspection type see the Inspection Activity Glossary.

For more information on each enforcement type see the Enforcement Type Glossary.

Cases Initiated: These are the yearly total of civil administrative enforcement actions that PHMSA has brought against pipeline owners and operators. It does not reflect those cases which the agency has referred to other Federal officials for criminal prosecution, nor does it include more egregious civil cases that are referred to the U.S. Department of Justice for judicial enforcement. The table shows the total number of Corrective Action Orders, Notices of Probable Violations, Notices of Amendment, Warning Letters, and Notices of Proposed Safety Orders issued in a given year.

Cases Resolved: These are the yearly total of PHMSA actions taken to resolve the various types of enforcement actions against operators. This includes the number of Corrective Action Orders, Final Orders, Notices of Amendment, and Consent Orders that have either been closed or issued in a given year. When an enforcement action is shown as "closed", PHMSA has verified that all of the corrective actions have been successfully completed and that any inadequate procedures that were identified successfully addressed. Enforcement actions shown as "issued" mean that corrective actions have been established that are acceptable to PHMSA, and that civil penalty assessments have been finalized.

For more information on each enforcement type see the Enforcement Type Glossary.