Nationwide
About Pipelines
EL PASO NATURAL GAS CO
Case CPF 420011004
This report lists key information pertaining to a particular enforcement case(1). For cases initiated after January 1, 2007, electronic files of PHMSA's initial notice letter, the operator's initial response letter (if any), and PHMSA's Final Order (if an Order is issued) are provided. PHMSA only issues Final Orders in certain situations. For example, Final Orders are not issued for Warning Letters and most Notices of Amendment.
| Operator | EL PASO NATURAL GAS CO | |
|---|---|---|
| Case Number | 420011004 | |
| Case Type | Proposed Compliance Order |
|
| Subject(s) | Corrosion Control - Gas Pipelines |
|
| Region | Southwest | |
| Date Opened | 06/20/01 | |
| Status | CLOSED | |
| Compliance Order | Yes | |
| Consent Order Date | 08/17/01 | |
| Date Closed | 10/05/07 |
PHMSA issued this Notice of Probable Violation to El Paso Natural Gas Company for probable violations associated with an accident that occurred near Carlsbad, New Mexico, on August 19, 2000. The accident involved the rupture of the company's Line 1103 which led to twelve fatalities. When the administrative enforcement action could not be resolved, PHMSA referred the case to DOJ. In 2007, DOJ reached an agreement with El Paso for the company to pay a $15.5 million civil penalty. Moreover, under the terms of the settlement, El Paso agreed to fulfill the requirements of the pipeline safety laws, at an estimated cost of $86 million.
The Response Options for Pipeline Operators in Compliance Proceedings provides a more detailed description of an operator's options in responding to enforcement cases. This document accompanies all NOPV and NOA letters. The document linked here is the current version. The corresponding document at the time the case was opened may differ from the current version.
The set of documents provided here may be incomplete.
| Name | Size | Notes |
|---|---|---|
 420011004_Consent Order_08172001.pdf |
224 KB | scanned version |
| 420011004_Final Consent Decree_10052007.pdf |
1,547 KB | scanned version |
| 420011004_Notice Letter_06202001.pdf |
1,112 KB | scanned version |
NOTE: Most documents provided on these pages are in PDF format. To read them, you may need to download a free viewer.
Also see
- Enforcement Home Page
- Additional Information on the PHMSA Enforcement Program
- Enforcement Information on a Specific Pipeline Operator
- National Pipeline Mapping System
Sources
- PHMSA Safety Monitoring and Reporting Tool (SMART) for the Pipeline Safety Enforcement Tracking System as of October 3, 2016.
For comments and questions on the enforcement information presented on this site, please send us feedback.
Information provided on this website is intended to enhance public understanding of PHMSA's enforcement program. Aggregate and company-specific statistical information reflecting PHMSA's enforcement actions is provided beginning with 2002. Key documents associated with new administrative enforcement cases are provided beginning with 2007. Agency orders issued since 2002 are also provided. The search feature may not retrieve every document associated with each individual enforcement action. Enforcement data is updated monthly as additional cases are initiated and other cases are resolved. Historical totals will change over time to reflect changes in case status.