Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GTG incident on 2012-10-30 — TX
Operator
Columbia Gas Transmission Corp
Cause
Equipment Failure
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GTG
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$0
Incident datetime
2012-10-30 13:30
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
Hurricane sandy significantly impacted the west virginia mountains on the evening of october 29, with lessening impacts following. Damage from this heavy, early season snowstorm in the west virginia mountains included loss of power and communications for much of the region. Among the facilities affected in the region was the flat top compressor station. At the time the storm hit, the compressor station was unattended. When the communication loss was recognized on the morning of october 30, an employee was dispatched to the location to investigate. The employee arrived at the station at approximately 9:30 a.M. Not long after arrival, he heard gas venting. This was not unusual, as the turbine unit is designed to blow down if it goes offline as had apparently happened. A short while later, as the employee continued to restore station operation, he recognized that gas was still venting. This was unusual, as the blowdown process should have been complete by then, even if it had begun just prior to the employee's arrival. After carefully assessing the situation, the employee manually closed the blowdown valve. Further investigation revealed that a partial esd had occurred during the communication loss / power loss event, and the blow down valve had remained in the open position. Corrective actions taken on 10-30-2012 1. The station compressed air system was recharged using the emergency gasoline powered air compressor. 2. The unit suction valve was manually closed to stop gas from venting. 3. The emergency backup generator was started and ac power restored. 4. The 24 volt esd shunt trip breaker was reset and 24 volt dc power restored. 5. The station was returned to normal operational status with ac power being supplied by the emergency backup generator. Columbia's engineering services completed an investigation with a recommendation to upgrade the suction valve actuator from electric to fail closed pneumatic.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2012-11-28 00:00:00
Iyear
2012
Report Number
20120118
Supplemental Number
17621
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
2616
Name
Columbia Gas Transmission Corp
Operator Street Address
700 Louisiana St. Suite 700
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77002
Local Datetime
2012-10-30 13:30:00
Location Latitude
37.58855
Location Longitude
-81.09165
Nrc Rpt Num
1028803
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2012-10-30 14:15:00
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
6850
Intentional Release
0
Accompanying Liquid
0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
No
Shutdown Explain
The Facility Was Already Down At The Time Of The Incident.
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Incident Identified Datetime
2012-10-30 13:30:00
On Site Datetime
2012-10-30 13:30:00
On Off Shore
Onshore
Onshore State Abbreviation
Wv
Onshore Postal Code
25841
Onshore City Name
Flat Top
Onshore County Name
Summers
Designated Location
Milepost
Designated Name
Blowdownvlv
Pipe Fac Name
Flat Top Compressor Station
Segment Name
Line Ka And Line Ka Loop
Federal
No
Location Type
Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Interstate
System Part Involved
Onshore Compressor Station Equipment And Piping
Item Involved
Compressor
Installation Year
1998
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Unintentional Gas Release Through Esd System.
Class Location Type
Class 1 Location
Could Be Hca
No
Pir Radius
45
Heat Damage Ind
No
Non Heat Damage Ind
No
Hca Fatalities Ind
No
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
20619
Est Cost Intentional Release
0
Est Cost Prop Damage
0
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
20619
Accident Psig
718
Mop Psig
1000
Mop Cfr Section
192.619(A)(2)
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Pressure Restriction Ind
No
Pipeline Function
Transmission System
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
No
Scada Functional Ind
No
Scada Detection Ind
No
Scada Conf Ind
No
Accident Identifier
Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type
Operator Employee
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
Communications were out between the control room and the facility. The control room could not see the incident.
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Equipment Failure
Cause Details
Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment
Eq Failure Type
Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment
Communications Ind
Yes
Block Valve Ind
Yes
Power Failure Ind
Yes
Additional Electricity Ind
Yes
Eq Additional Other Ind
Yes
Eq Additional Other Details
Loss Of Communications And Power Due To Major Storm In Area.
Preparer Name
M*** N*****
Preparer Title
Compliance Specialist
Preparer Email
M**********@t**********.com
Preparer Telephone
304-722-8475
Authorizer Name
L** R*****
Authorizer Title
Manager
Authorizer Telephone
832-320-5315
Authorizer Email
L*********@t**********.com
Narrative
Hurricane sandy significantly impacted the west virginia mountains on the evening of october 29, with lessening impacts following. Damage from this heavy, early season snowstorm in the west virginia mountains included loss of power and communications for much of the region. Among the facilities affected in the region was the flat top compressor station. At the time the storm hit, the compressor station was unattended. When the communication loss was recognized on the morning of october 30, an employee was dispatched to the location to investigate. The employee arrived at the station at approximately 9:30 a.M. Not long after arrival, he heard gas venting. This was not unusual, as the turbine unit is designed to blow down if it goes offline as had apparently happened. A short while later, as the employee continued to restore station operation, he recognized that gas was still venting. This was unusual, as the blowdown process should have been complete by then, even if it had begun just prior to the employee's arrival. After carefully assessing the situation, the employee manually closed the blowdown valve. Further investigation revealed that a partial esd had occurred during the communication loss / power loss event, and the blow down valve had remained in the open position. Corrective actions taken on 10-30-2012 1. The station compressed air system was recharged using the emergency gasoline powered air compressor. 2. The unit suction valve was manually closed to stop gas from venting. 3. The emergency backup generator was started and ac power restored. 4. The 24 volt esd shunt trip breaker was reset and 24 volt dc power restored. 5. The station was returned to normal operational status with ac power being supplied by the emergency backup generator. Columbia's engineering services completed an investigation with a recommendation to upgrade the suction valve actuator from electric to fail closed pneumatic.
| Report Received Date | 2012-11-28 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2012 |
| Report Number | 20120118 |
| Supplemental Number | 17621 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 2616 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Columbia Gas Transmission Corp |
| Operator Street Address | 700 Louisiana St. Suite 700 |
| Operator City Name | Houston |
| Operator State Abbreviation | TX |
| Operator Postal Code | 77002 |
| Local Datetime | 2012-10-30 13:30:00 |
| Location Latitude | 37.58855 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -81.09165 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1028803 NRC Report How to search |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2012-10-30 14:15:00 |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 6850 |
| Intentional Release | 0 |
| Accompanying Liquid | 0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | No |
| Shutdown Explain | The Facility Was Already Down At The Time Of The Incident. |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2012-10-30 13:30:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2012-10-30 13:30:00 |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Wv |
| Onshore Postal Code | 25841 |
| Onshore City Name | Flat Top |
| Onshore County Name | Summers |
| Designated Location | Milepost |
| Designated Name | Blowdownvlv |
| Pipe Fac Name | Flat Top Compressor Station |
| Segment Name | Line Ka And Line Ka Loop |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Operator-Controlled Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Interstate |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Compressor Station Equipment And Piping |
| Item Involved | Compressor |
| Installation Year | 1998 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Unintentional Gas Release Through Esd System. |
| Class Location Type | Class 1 Location |
| Could Be Hca | No |
| Pir Radius | 45 |
| Heat Damage Ind | No |
| Non Heat Damage Ind | No |
| Hca Fatalities Ind | No |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 20619 |
| Est Cost Intentional Release | 0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Prpty | 20619 |
| Accident Psig | 718 |
| Mop Psig | 1000 |
| Mop Cfr Section | 192.619(A)(2) View CFR 49 §192 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Pressure Restriction Ind | No |
| Pipeline Function | Transmission System |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | No |
| Scada Functional Ind | No |
| Scada Detection Ind | No |
| Scada Conf Ind | No |
| Accident Identifier | Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors |
| Operator Type | Operator Employee |
| 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 | Communications were out between the control room and the facility. The control room could not see the incident. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Equipment Failure |
| Cause Details | Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment |
| Eq Failure Type | Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment |
| Communications Ind | Yes |
| Block Valve Ind | Yes |
| Power Failure Ind | Yes |
| Additional Electricity Ind | Yes |
| Eq Additional Other Ind | Yes |
| Eq Additional Other Details | Loss Of Communications And Power Due To Major Storm In Area. |
| Preparer Name | M*** N***** |
| Preparer Title | Compliance Specialist |
| Preparer Email | M**********@t**********.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 304-722-8475 |
| Authorizer Name | L** R***** |
| Authorizer Title | Manager |
| Authorizer Telephone | 832-320-5315 |
| Authorizer Email | L*********@t**********.com |
| Narrative | Hurricane sandy significantly impacted the west virginia mountains on the evening of october 29, with lessening impacts following. Damage from this heavy, early season snowstorm in the west virginia mountains included loss of power and communications for much of the region. Among the facilities affected in the region was the flat top compressor station. At the time the storm hit, the compressor station was unattended. When the communication loss was recognized on the morning of october 30, an employee was dispatched to the location to investigate. The employee arrived at the station at approximately 9:30 a.M. Not long after arrival, he heard gas venting. This was not unusual, as the turbine unit is designed to blow down if it goes offline as had apparently happened. A short while later, as the employee continued to restore station operation, he recognized that gas was still venting. This was unusual, as the blowdown process should have been complete by then, even if it had begun just prior to the employee's arrival. After carefully assessing the situation, the employee manually closed the blowdown valve. Further investigation revealed that a partial esd had occurred during the communication loss / power loss event, and the blow down valve had remained in the open position. Corrective actions taken on 10-30-2012 1. The station compressed air system was recharged using the emergency gasoline powered air compressor. 2. The unit suction valve was manually closed to stop gas from venting. 3. The emergency backup generator was started and ac power restored. 4. The 24 volt esd shunt trip breaker was reset and 24 volt dc power restored. 5. The station was returned to normal operational status with ac power being supplied by the emergency backup generator. Columbia's engineering services completed an investigation with a recommendation to upgrade the suction valve actuator from electric to fail closed pneumatic. |
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