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112 West 8th Ave, Suite 1000
Amarillo, TX 79101-2314
Phone: (806) 373-1515
Fax: (806) 379-7176
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September Natural Gas Pipeline News
September 01, 2010
Agency Faults Enterprise Products Operating, LLC
in Johnson County Explosion.
The Texas Railroad Commission issued an investigative report in which it concluded Enterprise Products Operating, LLC of Houston committed numerous violations of state regulations in the Natural Gas Pipeline Explosion. The commission said Enterprise Products didn't adequately mark the path of the buried 36 inch pipeline to ensure no excavator would damage it and risk triggering an explosion. The commission said that fines could be 10,000 per day per violation. The explosion seen for miles released 172 million cubic feet of natural gas worth in excess of 750,000 dollars. Other violations according to the commission were, neglecting to provide temporary marking to identify buried pipelines before the excavation activity, not placing or maintaining pipeline markers over each buried main or transmission line, failing to ensure pipeline personnel were qualified, provided personnel evaluation procedures to ensure employees had adequate knowledge of GPS equipment used in locating pipeline facilities, not conducting post accident testing of employees for prohibited drugs, not requiring employees to submit to accident alcohol test. The most serious violation being failure to properly communicate with the excavator.