HL incident on 2011-02-25 — TX

Operator
Enbridge Pipelines (North Dakota) Llc
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Commodity
Crude Oil
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities 0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$0
Incident datetime
2011-02-25 08:25
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
On the morning of february 25, 2011, the minot area maintenance technician noticed that the sump in the incoming manifold area had overflowed and there was crude oil on the ground. Sump maintenance was being performed on february 24, 2011 due to paraffin build up on the sump bottom, causing the mechanical sump pump switch to fail. The minot area utility/gauger was circulating the sump with chemical to dissolve the paraffin build up. The discharge valve from the sump pump was closed and the bypass was open while circulating the sump. The minot area utility/gauger was called to berthold for an emergency line locate. The minot area utility/gauger left the sump circulating and when he returned to minot at 5:30 p.M. He forgot he had left the sump pump running. Control center contacted the minot area supervisor at approximately 8:10 p.M., noticing that the sump pump was still running from the maintenance activities in the afternoon. The minot area supervisor arrived on site at approximately the same time as he was already in route to the facility due to meeting smart pig tracking crew on site. He confirmed that the sump pump was still running. He opened the discharge valve and closed the bypass valve to pump the sump out. When the tank level was down, he turned the sump pump off, left the hoa switch in the off position and the discharge valve in the open position. He then left the facility for the evening. Interviews determined that the area supervisor thought that the bottom switch would not activate and thought it was better to deactivate the sump (there are no pump seal drains connected to this sump) rather than have the sump not shutoff on low level. The employee called the control center to see if alarms had cleared but did not notify the control center that the sump pump hoa switch was in an off position and unable to start. It was later determined product had back-flowed into the sump through the discharge check valve on the sump pump, leading to sump overflow.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2011-03-16 00:00:00
Iyear
2011
Report Number
20110092
Supplemental Number
17633
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
Name
Enbridge Pipelines (North Dakota) Llc
Operator Street Address
915 N Eldridge Parkway, Suite 1100
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77079
Local Datetime
2011-02-25 08:25:00
Location Latitude
Location Longitude
Commodity Released Type
Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls
0.24
Intentional Release Bbls
0
Recovered Bbls
0.24
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Incident Identified Datetime
2011-02-25 08:25:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Terminal/tank Farm Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
No
Shutdown Explain
Not Shut Down - Sump Was Isolated With Valves.
On Site Datetime
2011-02-25 08:25:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2011-02-25 10:34:00
Nrc Rpt Num
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Minot Station
Onshore State Abbreviation
Nd
Onshore Postal Code
58703-5002
Onshore City Name
Minot
Onshore County Name
Ward
Designated Location
Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name
Minot Station
Federal
No
Location Type
Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Pipe Facility Type
Interstate
Item Involved
Sump
Release Type
Overfill Or Overflow
Water Contam Ind
No
Could Be Hca
Yes
Commodity Reached Hca
Yes
Other Pop Ind
Yes
Other Pop Yes No
Yes
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Gas Released
0
Est Cost Prop Damage
0
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Environmental
3000
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
3000
Pipeline Function
> 20% Smys Regulated Transmission
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Cause Details
Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow
Operation Type
Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow
Preparer Name
V****** L****
Preparer Title
Manual Administrator
Preparer Email
V************@e*******.com
Preparer Telephone
701-857-0852
Preparer Fax
701-857-0858
Prepared Date
2013-03-20 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
D**** K*******
Authorizer Telephone
701-857-0856
Authorizer Title
Supervisor Support Services
Authorizer Email
D*************@e*******.com
Narrative
On the morning of february 25, 2011, the minot area maintenance technician noticed that the sump in the incoming manifold area had overflowed and there was crude oil on the ground. Sump maintenance was being performed on february 24, 2011 due to paraffin build up on the sump bottom, causing the mechanical sump pump switch to fail. The minot area utility/gauger was circulating the sump with chemical to dissolve the paraffin build up. The discharge valve from the sump pump was closed and the bypass was open while circulating the sump. The minot area utility/gauger was called to berthold for an emergency line locate. The minot area utility/gauger left the sump circulating and when he returned to minot at 5:30 p.M. He forgot he had left the sump pump running. Control center contacted the minot area supervisor at approximately 8:10 p.M., noticing that the sump pump was still running from the maintenance activities in the afternoon. The minot area supervisor arrived on site at approximately the same time as he was already in route to the facility due to meeting smart pig tracking crew on site. He confirmed that the sump pump was still running. He opened the discharge valve and closed the bypass valve to pump the sump out. When the tank level was down, he turned the sump pump off, left the hoa switch in the off position and the discharge valve in the open position. He then left the facility for the evening. Interviews determined that the area supervisor thought that the bottom switch would not activate and thought it was better to deactivate the sump (there are no pump seal drains connected to this sump) rather than have the sump not shutoff on low level. The employee called the control center to see if alarms had cleared but did not notify the control center that the sump pump hoa switch was in an off position and unable to start. It was later determined product had back-flowed into the sump through the discharge check valve on the sump pump, leading to sump overflow.
Report Received Date 2011-03-16 00:00:00
Iyear 2011
Report Number 20110092
Supplemental Number 17633
Report Type Supplemental Final
Operator Id 15774 PHMSA Enforcement
Name Enbridge Pipelines (North Dakota) Llc
Operator Street Address 915 N Eldridge Parkway, Suite 1100
Operator City Name Houston
Operator State Abbreviation TX
Operator Postal Code 77079
Local Datetime 2011-02-25 08:25:00
Location Latitude 48.24063 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Location Longitude -101.257672 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Commodity Released Type Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls 0.24
Intentional Release Bbls 0
Recovered Bbls 0.24
Fatality Ind No
Fatal 0
Injury Ind No
Injure 0
Incident Identified Datetime 2011-02-25 08:25:00
System Part Involved Onshore Terminal/tank Farm Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind No
Shutdown Explain Not Shut Down - Sump Was Isolated With Valves.
On Site Datetime 2011-02-25 08:25:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime 2011-02-25 10:34:00
Nrc Rpt Num 968515 NRC Report How to search
Ignite Ind No
Explode Ind No
Num Pub Evacuated 0
Pipe Fac Name Minot Station
Onshore State Abbreviation Nd
Onshore Postal Code 58703-5002
Onshore City Name Minot
Onshore County Name Ward
Designated Location Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name Minot Station
Federal No
Location Type Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type Aboveground
Pipe Facility Type Interstate
Item Involved Sump
Release Type Overfill Or Overflow
Water Contam Ind No
Could Be Hca Yes
Commodity Reached Hca Yes
Other Pop Ind Yes
Other Pop Yes No Yes
Est Cost Oper Paid 0
Est Cost Gas Released 0
Est Cost Prop Damage 0
Est Cost Emergency 0
Est Cost Environmental 3000
Est Cost Other 0
Prpty 3000
Pipeline Function > 20% Smys Regulated Transmission
Employee Drug Test Ind No
Contractor Drug Test Ind No
Cause Incorrect Operation
Cause Details Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow
Operation Type Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow
Preparer Name V****** L****
Preparer Title Manual Administrator
Preparer Email V************@e*******.com
Preparer Telephone 701-857-0852
Preparer Fax 701-857-0858
Prepared Date 2013-03-20 00:00:00
Authorizer Name D**** K*******
Authorizer Telephone 701-857-0856
Authorizer Title Supervisor Support Services
Authorizer Email D*************@e*******.com
Narrative On the morning of february 25, 2011, the minot area maintenance technician noticed that the sump in the incoming manifold area had overflowed and there was crude oil on the ground. Sump maintenance was being performed on february 24, 2011 due to paraffin build up on the sump bottom, causing the mechanical sump pump switch to fail. The minot area utility/gauger was circulating the sump with chemical to dissolve the paraffin build up. The discharge valve from the sump pump was closed and the bypass was open while circulating the sump. The minot area utility/gauger was called to berthold for an emergency line locate. The minot area utility/gauger left the sump circulating and when he returned to minot at 5:30 p.M. He forgot he had left the sump pump running. Control center contacted the minot area supervisor at approximately 8:10 p.M., noticing that the sump pump was still running from the maintenance activities in the afternoon. The minot area supervisor arrived on site at approximately the same time as he was already in route to the facility due to meeting smart pig tracking crew on site. He confirmed that the sump pump was still running. He opened the discharge valve and closed the bypass valve to pump the sump out. When the tank level was down, he turned the sump pump off, left the hoa switch in the off position and the discharge valve in the open position. He then left the facility for the evening. Interviews determined that the area supervisor thought that the bottom switch would not activate and thought it was better to deactivate the sump (there are no pump seal drains connected to this sump) rather than have the sump not shutoff on low level. The employee called the control center to see if alarms had cleared but did not notify the control center that the sump pump hoa switch was in an off position and unable to start. It was later determined product had back-flowed into the sump through the discharge check valve on the sump pump, leading to sump overflow.

All rights reserved. Copyright © by ClearPHMSA