HL incident on 2010-11-27 — KS

Operator
Nustar Pipeline Operating Partnership L.p.
Cause
Material Failure Of Pipe Or Weld
Commodity
Hvl Or Other Flammable Or Toxic Fluid Which Is A Gas At Ambient Conditions
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities 0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$27,700
Incident datetime
2010-11-27 17:00
Report number
Location
KS
Narrative
On 11/27/10 at 15:00 a local landowner notified nustar control center regarding an ammonia odor near valve 6-16. The pipeline was shutdown at 15:15. On 11/27/10 at 17:00 a nustar technician arrived on-site and confirmed that an ammonia odor was present. On 11/28/10 at 14:30 nustar resources arrived on-site to begin excavation of the stopple tee. On 11/28/10 at 17:55 nustar uncovered the leak site and based on visual observation determined the leak would exceed the reportable quantity. At 18:31 on 11/28/10, nustar contacted the nrc to make notification of a reportable leak incident. Anhydrous ammonia was leaking from a horizontal weld on the side of the stopple tee. The stopple tee was replaced. The leaking stopple tee has been sent for metallurgical analysis to determine cause of the incident. The leak occurred in the longitudinal weld of the stopple fitting. The two halves of the fitting were poorly fitted together which probably hindered an adequate root pass. The lack of an adequate root pass allowed for a crack-like condition on the inside surface of the weld. The crack propagated through the weld due to pressure-cycle fatigue which was possibly accelerated by bending stresses caused by the poor fit-up.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2010-12-27 00:00:00
Iyear
2010
Report Number
20100312
Supplemental Number
15808
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
Name
Nustar Pipeline Operating Partnership L.p.
Operator Street Address
7340 W. 21st Street N, Suite 200
Operator City Name
Wichita
Operator State Abbreviation
KS
Operator Postal Code
67205
Local Datetime
2010-11-27 15:00:00
Location Latitude
Location Longitude
Commodity Released Type
Hvl Or Other Flammable Or Toxic Fluid Which Is A Gas At Ambient Conditions
Commodity Subtype
Anhydrous Ammonia
Unintentional Release Bbls
2.3
Intentional Release Bbls
0
Recovered Bbls
0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Incident Identified Datetime
2010-11-27 17:00:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Pipeline, Including Valve Sites
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Shutdown Datetime
2010-11-27 15:15:00
Restart Datetime
2010-12-02 08:00:00
On Site Datetime
2010-11-28 14:30:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2010-11-28 18:31:00
Nrc Rpt Num
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Nustar Pipeline Operating Partnership L.p.
Segment Name
Washington To El Dora 8 Inch
Onshore State Abbreviation
Ia
Onshore Postal Code
52308
Onshore City Name
Millersburg
Onshore County Name
Iowa
Designated Location
Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name
94.13
Federal
No
Location Type
Pipeline Right-Of-Way
Incident Area Type
Underground
Pipe Facility Type
Interstate
Item Involved
Weld, Including Heat-Affected Zone
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Other
Leak Type Other
Met. Analysis On Weld Tbd
Water Contam Ind
No
Could Be Hca
No
Commodity Reached Hca
No
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Gas Released
160
Est Cost Prop Damage
27700
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Environmental
3150
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
31010
Pipeline Function
> 20% Smys Regulated Transmission
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Material Failure Of Pipe Or Weld
Cause Details
Design-, Construction-, Installation-, Or Fabrication-Related
Failure Type
Design-, Construction-, Installation-, Or Fabrication-Related
Preparer Name
D***** J* T******
Preparer Title
Director - Hse
Preparer Email
D**********@n***********.com
Preparer Telephone
316-721-7056
Preparer Fax
316-773-9001
Prepared Date
2011-05-20 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
G***** K*********
Authorizer Telephone
316-721-7052
Authorizer Title
Vice President General Manager
Authorizer Email
G**************@n***********.com
Narrative
On 11/27/10 at 15:00 a local landowner notified nustar control center regarding an ammonia odor near valve 6-16. The pipeline was shutdown at 15:15. On 11/27/10 at 17:00 a nustar technician arrived on-site and confirmed that an ammonia odor was present. On 11/28/10 at 14:30 nustar resources arrived on-site to begin excavation of the stopple tee. On 11/28/10 at 17:55 nustar uncovered the leak site and based on visual observation determined the leak would exceed the reportable quantity. At 18:31 on 11/28/10, nustar contacted the nrc to make notification of a reportable leak incident. Anhydrous ammonia was leaking from a horizontal weld on the side of the stopple tee. The stopple tee was replaced. The leaking stopple tee has been sent for metallurgical analysis to determine cause of the incident. The leak occurred in the longitudinal weld of the stopple fitting. The two halves of the fitting were poorly fitted together which probably hindered an adequate root pass. The lack of an adequate root pass allowed for a crack-like condition on the inside surface of the weld. The crack propagated through the weld due to pressure-cycle fatigue which was possibly accelerated by bending stresses caused by the poor fit-up.
Report Received Date 2010-12-27 00:00:00
Iyear 2010
Report Number 20100312
Supplemental Number 15808
Report Type Supplemental Final
Operator Id 10012 PHMSA Enforcement
Name Nustar Pipeline Operating Partnership L.p.
Operator Street Address 7340 W. 21st Street N, Suite 200
Operator City Name Wichita
Operator State Abbreviation KS
Operator Postal Code 67205
Local Datetime 2010-11-27 15:00:00
Location Latitude 41.60865 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Location Longitude -92.13573 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Commodity Released Type Hvl Or Other Flammable Or Toxic Fluid Which Is A Gas At Ambient Conditions
Commodity Subtype Anhydrous Ammonia
Unintentional Release Bbls 2.3
Intentional Release Bbls 0
Recovered Bbls 0
Fatality Ind No
Fatal 0
Injury Ind No
Injure 0
Incident Identified Datetime 2010-11-27 17:00:00
System Part Involved Onshore Pipeline, Including Valve Sites
On Off Shore Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind Yes
Shutdown Datetime 2010-11-27 15:15:00
Restart Datetime 2010-12-02 08:00:00
On Site Datetime 2010-11-28 14:30:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime 2010-11-28 18:31:00
Nrc Rpt Num 960896 NRC Report How to search
Ignite Ind No
Explode Ind No
Num Pub Evacuated 0
Pipe Fac Name Nustar Pipeline Operating Partnership L.p.
Segment Name Washington To El Dora 8 Inch
Onshore State Abbreviation Ia
Onshore Postal Code 52308
Onshore City Name Millersburg
Onshore County Name Iowa
Designated Location Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name 94.13
Federal No
Location Type Pipeline Right-Of-Way
Incident Area Type Underground
Pipe Facility Type Interstate
Item Involved Weld, Including Heat-Affected Zone
Release Type Leak
Leak Type Other
Leak Type Other Met. Analysis On Weld Tbd
Water Contam Ind No
Could Be Hca No
Commodity Reached Hca No
Est Cost Oper Paid 0
Est Cost Gas Released 160
Est Cost Prop Damage 27700
Est Cost Emergency 0
Est Cost Environmental 3150
Est Cost Other 0
Prpty 31010
Pipeline Function > 20% Smys Regulated Transmission
Employee Drug Test Ind No
Contractor Drug Test Ind No
Cause Material Failure Of Pipe Or Weld
Cause Details Design-, Construction-, Installation-, Or Fabrication-Related
Failure Type Design-, Construction-, Installation-, Or Fabrication-Related
Preparer Name D***** J* T******
Preparer Title Director - Hse
Preparer Email D**********@n***********.com
Preparer Telephone 316-721-7056
Preparer Fax 316-773-9001
Prepared Date 2011-05-20 00:00:00
Authorizer Name G***** K*********
Authorizer Telephone 316-721-7052
Authorizer Title Vice President General Manager
Authorizer Email G**************@n***********.com
Narrative On 11/27/10 at 15:00 a local landowner notified nustar control center regarding an ammonia odor near valve 6-16. The pipeline was shutdown at 15:15. On 11/27/10 at 17:00 a nustar technician arrived on-site and confirmed that an ammonia odor was present. On 11/28/10 at 14:30 nustar resources arrived on-site to begin excavation of the stopple tee. On 11/28/10 at 17:55 nustar uncovered the leak site and based on visual observation determined the leak would exceed the reportable quantity. At 18:31 on 11/28/10, nustar contacted the nrc to make notification of a reportable leak incident. Anhydrous ammonia was leaking from a horizontal weld on the side of the stopple tee. The stopple tee was replaced. The leaking stopple tee has been sent for metallurgical analysis to determine cause of the incident. The leak occurred in the longitudinal weld of the stopple fitting. The two halves of the fitting were poorly fitted together which probably hindered an adequate root pass. The lack of an adequate root pass allowed for a crack-like condition on the inside surface of the weld. The crack propagated through the weld due to pressure-cycle fatigue which was possibly accelerated by bending stresses caused by the poor fit-up.

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