GTG incident on 2011-07-27 — TX

Operator
El Paso Natural Gas Co
Cause
Material Failure Of Pipe Or Weld
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GTG
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities 0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$159,800
Incident datetime
2011-07-27 04:20
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
A security guard contacted el paso natural gas (epng) in the pre-dawn hours of july 27, 2011, to report what sounded like a release of natural gas. Epng personnel confirmed a pressure drop in its 30" 1201 pipeline and field technicians responded to the scene. There was no fire or explosion, only a release of natural gas from a circumferential crack in a girth weld. Visual examination and metallurgical analysis revealed that the failure was due to ductile overload possibly resulting from external stresses. The pipeline has been repaired and placed back into service.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2011-08-24 00:00:00
Iyear
2011
Report Number
20110308
Supplemental Number
16140
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
Name
El Paso Natural Gas Co
Operator Street Address
1001 Louisiana St, Ste 1000
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77002-5089
Local Datetime
2011-07-27 04:20:00
Location Latitude
Location Longitude
Nrc Rpt Num
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2011-07-27 09:05:00
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
81475
Intentional Release
18378
Accompanying Liquid
0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Shutdown Datetime
2011-07-27 07:34:00
Restart Datetime
2011-07-29 04:30:00
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Incident Identified Datetime
2011-07-27 04:20:00
On Site Datetime
2011-07-27 07:05:00
On Off Shore
Onshore
Onshore State Abbreviation
Az
Onshore Postal Code
86505
Onshore City Name
Ganado
Onshore County Name
Apache
Designated Location
Milepost
Designated Name
119+1752
Pipe Fac Name
Line 1201
Segment Name
San Juan To Franconia Junction
Federal
No
Location Type
Pipeline Right-Of-Way
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Under Soil
Depth Of Cover
35
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Interstate
System Part Involved
Onshore Pipeline, Including Valve Sites
Item Involved
Weld/fusion, Including Heat-Affected Zone
Pipe Diameter
30
Pipe Wall Thickness
0.339
Pipe Smys
52000
Pipe Specification
Api 5lx
Pipe Seam Type
Dsaw
Pipe Manufacturer
Kaiser
Pipe Coating Type
Field Applied Epoxy
Weld Subtype
Pipe Girth Weld
Installation Year
1953
Manufactured Year
1953
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Rupture
Rupture Orient
Circumferential
Rupture Length
46
Rupture Width
1.5
Class Location Type
Class 1 Location
Could Be Hca
No
Pir Radius
602
Heat Damage Ind
No
Non Heat Damage Ind
No
Hca Fatalities Ind
No
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
334000
Est Cost Intentional Release
75350
Est Cost Prop Damage
159800
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
569150
Accident Psig
740
Mop Psig
845
Mop Cfr Section
Not On Omb-Approved Form When Submitted
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Pressure Restriction Ind
No
Upstream Valve Type Ind
Manual
Downstream Valve Type Ind
Manual
Length Segment Isolated
98715
Internal Inspection Ind
Yes
Operation Complications Ind
No
Pipeline Function
Transmission System
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
Yes
Scada Conf Ind
Yes
Accident Identifier
Notification From Public
Investigation Status
No, the operator did not find that an investigation of the controller(s) actions or control room issues was necessary due to: (provide an explanation for why the operator did not investigate)
Investigation Status Details
Controllers received proper alarms and notified field personnel of pressure drop. Furthermore, maop was not exceeded.
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
Pwjf Failure Type
Design-, Construction-, Installation-, Or Fabrication-Related
Field Exam Ind
Yes
Metallurgical Ind
Yes
Other Factor
Yes
Other Factor Details
External Stresses Induced By Ductile Overload
Additional Lack Fusion Ind
Yes
Pwf Additional Misalign Ind
Yes
Collected Data Ind
Yes
Axial Magnetic Flx Lkg Ind
Yes
Geometry Deformation Ind
Yes
Other Tool Tech Ind
Yes
Axial Recent Year
2003
Geometry Recent Year
2003
Other Tool
Combination Tool
Other Recent Year
2010
Has Hydrtst Conduc Before Ind
No
Direct Asmnt Conducted
No
Non Destructive Exam Ind
No
Preparer Name
Z****** R*****
Preparer Title
Engineer - Pipeline
Preparer Email
Z*************@k***********.com
Preparer Telephone
7134206633
Authorizer Name
Z****** R*****
Authorizer Title
Engineer -Pipeline
Authorizer Telephone
7134206633
Authorizer Email
Z*************@k***********.com
Narrative
A security guard contacted el paso natural gas (epng) in the pre-dawn hours of july 27, 2011, to report what sounded like a release of natural gas. Epng personnel confirmed a pressure drop in its 30" 1201 pipeline and field technicians responded to the scene. There was no fire or explosion, only a release of natural gas from a circumferential crack in a girth weld. Visual examination and metallurgical analysis revealed that the failure was due to ductile overload possibly resulting from external stresses. The pipeline has been repaired and placed back into service.
Report Received Date 2011-08-24 00:00:00
Iyear 2011
Report Number 20110308
Supplemental Number 16140
Report Type Supplemental Final
Operator Id 4280 PHMSA Enforcement
Name El Paso Natural Gas Co
Operator Street Address 1001 Louisiana St, Ste 1000
Operator City Name Houston
Operator State Abbreviation TX
Operator Postal Code 77002-5089
Local Datetime 2011-07-27 04:20:00
Location Latitude 35.61679 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Location Longitude -109.46956 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Nrc Rpt Num 984020 NRC Report How to search
Nrc Rpt Datetime 2011-07-27 09:05:00
Commodity Released Type Natural Gas
Unintentional Release 81475
Intentional Release 18378
Accompanying Liquid 0
Fatality Ind No
Fatal 0
Injury Ind No
Injure 0
Shutdown Due Accident Ind Yes
Shutdown Datetime 2011-07-27 07:34:00
Restart Datetime 2011-07-29 04:30:00
Ignite Ind No
Explode Ind No
Num Pub Evacuated 0
Incident Identified Datetime 2011-07-27 04:20:00
On Site Datetime 2011-07-27 07:05:00
On Off Shore Onshore
Onshore State Abbreviation Az
Onshore Postal Code 86505
Onshore City Name Ganado
Onshore County Name Apache
Designated Location Milepost
Designated Name 119+1752
Pipe Fac Name Line 1201
Segment Name San Juan To Franconia Junction
Federal No
Location Type Pipeline Right-Of-Way
Incident Area Type Underground
Incident Area Subtype Under Soil
Depth Of Cover 35
Crossing No
Pipe Facility Type Interstate
System Part Involved Onshore Pipeline, Including Valve Sites
Item Involved Weld/fusion, Including Heat-Affected Zone
Pipe Diameter 30
Pipe Wall Thickness 0.339
Pipe Smys 52000
Pipe Specification Api 5lx
Pipe Seam Type Dsaw
Pipe Manufacturer Kaiser
Pipe Coating Type Field Applied Epoxy
Weld Subtype Pipe Girth Weld
Installation Year 1953
Manufactured Year 1953
Material Involved Carbon Steel
Release Type Rupture
Rupture Orient Circumferential
Rupture Length 46
Rupture Width 1.5
Class Location Type Class 1 Location
Could Be Hca No
Pir Radius 602
Heat Damage Ind No
Non Heat Damage Ind No
Hca Fatalities Ind No
Est Cost Oper Paid 0
Est Cost Unintentional Release 334000
Est Cost Intentional Release 75350
Est Cost Prop Damage 159800
Est Cost Emergency 0
Est Cost Other 0
Prpty 569150
Accident Psig 740
Mop Psig 845
Mop Cfr Section Not On Omb-Approved Form When Submitted View CFR 49 §192
Accident Pressure Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Pressure Restriction Ind No
Upstream Valve Type Ind Manual
Downstream Valve Type Ind Manual
Length Segment Isolated 98715
Internal Inspection Ind Yes
Operation Complications Ind No
Pipeline Function Transmission System
Scada In Place Ind Yes
Scada Operating Ind Yes
Scada Functional Ind Yes
Scada Detection Ind Yes
Scada Conf Ind Yes
Accident Identifier Notification From Public
Investigation Status No, the operator did not find that an investigation of the controller(s) actions or control room issues was necessary due to: (provide an explanation for why the operator did not investigate)
Investigation Status Details Controllers received proper alarms and notified field personnel of pressure drop. Furthermore, maop was not exceeded.
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
Pwjf Failure Type Design-, Construction-, Installation-, Or Fabrication-Related
Field Exam Ind Yes
Metallurgical Ind Yes
Other Factor Yes
Other Factor Details External Stresses Induced By Ductile Overload
Additional Lack Fusion Ind Yes
Pwf Additional Misalign Ind Yes
Collected Data Ind Yes
Axial Magnetic Flx Lkg Ind Yes
Geometry Deformation Ind Yes
Other Tool Tech Ind Yes
Axial Recent Year 2003
Geometry Recent Year 2003
Other Tool Combination Tool
Other Recent Year 2010
Has Hydrtst Conduc Before Ind No
Direct Asmnt Conducted No
Non Destructive Exam Ind No
Preparer Name Z****** R*****
Preparer Title Engineer - Pipeline
Preparer Email Z*************@k***********.com
Preparer Telephone 7134206633
Authorizer Name Z****** R*****
Authorizer Title Engineer -Pipeline
Authorizer Telephone 7134206633
Authorizer Email Z*************@k***********.com
Narrative A security guard contacted el paso natural gas (epng) in the pre-dawn hours of july 27, 2011, to report what sounded like a release of natural gas. Epng personnel confirmed a pressure drop in its 30" 1201 pipeline and field technicians responded to the scene. There was no fire or explosion, only a release of natural gas from a circumferential crack in a girth weld. Visual examination and metallurgical analysis revealed that the failure was due to ductile overload possibly resulting from external stresses. The pipeline has been repaired and placed back into service.

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