Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2012-07-13 — IN
Operator
Northern Indiana Public Service Co
Cause
Excavation Issue
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$10,000
Incident datetime
2012-07-13 11:03
Report number
Location
IN, WHITE
Narrative
Contractor was doing bridge construction work on sr 43 approximately 2.25 miles north of chalmers, indiana at big creek. The excavator operator was attempting to move a wooden platform in the bottom of a creek bed when the bucket slipped puncturing the gas pipeline. The pipeline puncture caused gas to blow over the railroad tracks approximately 50 east of the pipeline, running parallel to sr 43. The train and automobile traffic was halted until the gas leak was stopped. There was no interuption of service to any customers. A by-pass was constructed around the area with a temperary regulator station. The original gas loss calcuation was accurate. The line was already shut down at the time the calculation was completed. No call was made after it was determined that csx had already notified the nrc. This is a class 1 area, see attached document map, rural area. There were no additional costs available from csx. There was an amtrac train delayed for several hours, while the gas was shut down, but it was not re-routed to our knowledge.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2012-07-13 11:03:00
Year
2012
Report Received Date
2012-07-17 00:00:00
Iyear
2012.0
Report Number
20120055.0
Supplemental Number
15625.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
13730
Name
Northern Indiana Public Service Co
Operator Street Address
801 E 86th Avenue
Operator City Name
Merrillville
Operator State Abbreviation
IN
Operator Postal Code
46410
Local Datetime
2012-07-13 10:31:00
Location Street Address
3286 S. State Road 43
Location City Name
Chalmers
Location County Name
White
Location State Abbreviation
IN
Location Postal Code
47929
Location Latitude
40.7016
Location Longitude
-86.8714
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
2275.0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2012-07-13 11:03:00
On Site Datetime
2012-07-13 11:14:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Public Property
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Exposed Due To Excavation
Depth Of Cover
12.0
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Privately Owned
System Part Involved
Main
Installation Year
1963.0
Pipe Diameter
6.0
Pipe Specification
Api5lx42
Pipe Manufacturer
Unknown
Material Involved
Steel
Steel Seam Type
Other
Steel Seam Type Details
Long Seam Weld
Wt Steel
0.188
Release Type
Mechanical Puncture
Puncture Axial
4.0
Puncture Circum
1.0
Class Location Type
Class 1 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
500.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
10000.0
Est Cost Emergency
76000.0
Est Cost Other
1000.0
Est Cost Other Details
Road Closure Costs Are Shown Above. Csx Did Not Provide Any Cost Data.
Est Cost Unintentional Release
8700.0
Prpty
96200.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
0.0
Accident Psig
275.0
Normal Psig
275.0
Mop Psig
400.0
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
No
Scada Conf Ind
Yes
Accident Identifier
Notification From Third Party That Caused The Incident
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
This was damage due to excavation. The incident was called in immediately. There were no alarms recorded due to this incident. The pressure drop was seen in scada, but did not produce an alarm, and therefore no additional scada investigation was completed. The gas leak was not significant enough on the system involved to create a low pressure alarm. The data in scada was reviewed to determine all control room prodedures were followed.
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Excavation Damage
Cause Details
Excavation Damage By Third Party
Ex Party Type
Excavation Damage By Third Party
Prior Notification Ind
Yes
One Call System Ind
Yes
Notify Cga Dirt
Yes
Public Row Ind
Yes
Public Subtype
State Highway
Excavator Type
Contractor
Excavator Equipment
Backhoe/trackhoe
Work Performed
Road Work
One Call Notified Ind
Yes
One Call Ticket Num
1207131478
Locator Type
Contract Locator
Visible Marks
Yes
Service Interruption
No
Root Cause Category
Excavation Issue
Root Cause Type
Excavator Failed To Maintain Clearance After Verifying Marks
Preparer Name
L*** E* S******
Preparer Title
Manager Pipeline Safety And Compliance
Preparer Email
L********@n*******.com
Preparer Telephone
260-439-1290
Preparer Fax
260-422-9151
Authorizer Name
L*** E* S******
Authorizer Title
Manager Pipeline Safety And Compliance
Authorizer Telephone
260-439-1290
Authorizer Email
L********@n*******.com
Narrative
Contractor was doing bridge construction work on sr 43 approximately 2.25 miles north of chalmers, indiana at big creek. The excavator operator was attempting to move a wooden platform in the bottom of a creek bed when the bucket slipped puncturing the gas pipeline. The pipeline puncture caused gas to blow over the railroad tracks approximately 50 east of the pipeline, running parallel to sr 43. The train and automobile traffic was halted until the gas leak was stopped. There was no interuption of service to any customers. A by-pass was constructed around the area with a temperary regulator station. The original gas loss calcuation was accurate. The line was already shut down at the time the calculation was completed. No call was made after it was determined that csx had already notified the nrc. This is a class 1 area, see attached document map, rural area. There were no additional costs available from csx. There was an amtrac train delayed for several hours, while the gas was shut down, but it was not re-routed to our knowledge.
| Occurred At | 2012-07-13 11:03:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2012 |
| Report Received Date | 2012-07-17 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2012.0 |
| Report Number | 20120055.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 15625.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 13730 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Northern Indiana Public Service Co |
| Operator Street Address | 801 E 86th Avenue |
| Operator City Name | Merrillville |
| Operator State Abbreviation | IN |
| Operator Postal Code | 46410 |
| Local Datetime | 2012-07-13 10:31:00 |
| Location Street Address | 3286 S. State Road 43 |
| Location City Name | Chalmers |
| Location County Name | White |
| Location State Abbreviation | IN |
| Location Postal Code | 47929 |
| Location Latitude | 40.7016 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -86.8714 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 2275.0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2012-07-13 11:03:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2012-07-13 11:14:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Public Property |
| Incident Area Type | Underground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Exposed Due To Excavation |
| Depth Of Cover | 12.0 |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Privately Owned |
| System Part Involved | Main |
| Installation Year | 1963.0 |
| Pipe Diameter | 6.0 |
| Pipe Specification | Api5lx42 |
| Pipe Manufacturer | Unknown |
| Material Involved | Steel |
| Steel Seam Type | Other |
| Steel Seam Type Details | Long Seam Weld |
| Wt Steel | 0.188 |
| Release Type | Mechanical Puncture |
| Puncture Axial | 4.0 |
| Puncture Circum | 1.0 |
| Class Location Type | Class 1 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 500.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 10000.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 76000.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 1000.0 |
| Est Cost Other Details | Road Closure Costs Are Shown Above. Csx Did Not Provide Any Cost Data. |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 8700.0 |
| Prpty | 96200.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 0.0 |
| Accident Psig | 275.0 |
| Normal Psig | 275.0 |
| Mop Psig | 400.0 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | Yes |
| Scada Functional Ind | Yes |
| Scada Detection Ind | No |
| Scada Conf Ind | Yes |
| Accident Identifier | Notification From Third Party That Caused The Incident |
| 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 | This was damage due to excavation. The incident was called in immediately. There were no alarms recorded due to this incident. The pressure drop was seen in scada, but did not produce an alarm, and therefore no additional scada investigation was completed. The gas leak was not significant enough on the system involved to create a low pressure alarm. The data in scada was reviewed to determine all control room prodedures were followed. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Excavation Damage |
| Cause Details | Excavation Damage By Third Party |
| Ex Party Type | Excavation Damage By Third Party |
| Prior Notification Ind | Yes |
| One Call System Ind | Yes |
| Notify Cga Dirt | Yes |
| Public Row Ind | Yes |
| Public Subtype | State Highway |
| Excavator Type | Contractor |
| Excavator Equipment | Backhoe/trackhoe |
| Work Performed | Road Work |
| One Call Notified Ind | Yes |
| One Call Ticket Num | 1207131478 |
| Locator Type | Contract Locator |
| Visible Marks | Yes |
| Service Interruption | No |
| Root Cause Category | Excavation Issue |
| Root Cause Type | Excavator Failed To Maintain Clearance After Verifying Marks |
| Preparer Name | L*** E* S****** |
| Preparer Title | Manager Pipeline Safety And Compliance |
| Preparer Email | L********@n*******.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 260-439-1290 |
| Preparer Fax | 260-422-9151 |
| Authorizer Name | L*** E* S****** |
| Authorizer Title | Manager Pipeline Safety And Compliance |
| Authorizer Telephone | 260-439-1290 |
| Authorizer Email | L********@n*******.com |
| Narrative | Contractor was doing bridge construction work on sr 43 approximately 2.25 miles north of chalmers, indiana at big creek. The excavator operator was attempting to move a wooden platform in the bottom of a creek bed when the bucket slipped puncturing the gas pipeline. The pipeline puncture caused gas to blow over the railroad tracks approximately 50 east of the pipeline, running parallel to sr 43. The train and automobile traffic was halted until the gas leak was stopped. There was no interuption of service to any customers. A by-pass was constructed around the area with a temperary regulator station. The original gas loss calcuation was accurate. The line was already shut down at the time the calculation was completed. No call was made after it was determined that csx had already notified the nrc. This is a class 1 area, see attached document map, rural area. There were no additional costs available from csx. There was an amtrac train delayed for several hours, while the gas was shut down, but it was not re-routed to our knowledge. |
External Resources
PHMSA pipeline safety insights.
Product
Features
Company
All rights reserved. Copyright © by ClearPHMSA