Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2014-07-21 — MI
Operator
Dte Gas Company
Cause
Equipment Failure
Commodity
—
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$69,970
Incident datetime
2014-07-21 23:40
Report number
Location
MI, OTTAWA
Narrative
Dte gas control received notification at approximately 09:30, july 21, 2014 from grand rapids field technicians that routine maintenance work was being performed at that facility during that day. No alarms or unusual activity were noticed by gas control. At approximately 16:55, an electronic flow computer at georgetown regulating station began sensing false high flow and a false high inlet and outlet pressures. During normal operations, odorant is automatically injected into the grand rapids distribution system based upon volume delivery signals from the flow computer. The false high flow signals from the malfunctioning computer resulted in over-injection of odorant (mercaptan) into the distribution system creating an over-odorized condition. Dte gas control immediately began receiving an alarm for high inlet and outlet pressures. The controller presumed the alarms were activated in the course of the routine work being conducted by grand rapids field technicians. At approximately 17:00, the grand rapids field technicians onsite completed their work, which was not related to any of the flow or pressure devices and left the site unaware that an alarm had been activated at gas control. At approximately 23:40, gas control became concerned they had not received any contact form the grand rapids field technicians since early that morning and contacted an operations supervisor. A second field crew was deployed to georgetown station to investigate, arriving at 00:41 july 22, 2014. At 00:49, the field crew determined the odorant injection system was operating at abnormally high rate and placed the system into standby mode. The field crew contacted the region controls technician who also responded to the georgetown station. The flow computer was reset by the controls technician, the abnormal pressure and flow signals were cleared, and the computer resumed normal operation. At 01:30, the field crew reported to gas control that the odor injection system had been operating at an abnormally high rate over the past several hours. At 05:45, georgetown gate station was isolated from the system in an effort to contain excess odorant from getting into the system. By 08:00, july 23 the event was over and leak complaint volume was back to normal. The abnormal high odorization rate resulted in 610 leak complaints that were responded to and investigated by grand rapids field personnel.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2014-07-21 23:40:00
Year
2014
Report Received Date
2014-08-20 00:00:00
Iyear
2014.0
Report Number
20140068.0
Supplemental Number
16179.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
12408
Name
Dte Gas Company
Operator Street Address
1 Energy Plaza
Operator City Name
Detroit
Operator State Abbreviation
MI
Operator Postal Code
48226
Local Datetime
2014-07-21 23:40:00
Location Street Address
1809 Edson
Location City Name
Hudsonville
Location County Name
Ottawa
Location State Abbreviation
MI
Location Postal Code
49426
Location Latitude
42.882085
Location Longitude
-85.829144
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2014-07-23 17:00:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1090032
Unintentional Release
0.0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2014-07-21 23:40:00
On Site Datetime
2014-07-22 00:41:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance (E.g. Value Or Regulator Station, Outdoor Meter Set)
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Privately Owned
System Part Involved
District Regulator/metering Station
Installation Year
1956.0
Material Involved
Other
Material Details
Flow Computer For Odorant
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Over Odorization At Georgetown Gate Station
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
0.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
69970.0
Est Cost Emergency
5760.0
Est Cost Other
11520.0
Est Cost Other Details
Flaring To Dispose Of Gas With Excessive Levels Of Mercaptan
Est Cost Unintentional Release
0.0
Prpty
87250.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
0.0
Accident Psig
140.0
Normal Psig
140.0
Mop Psig
145.0
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
Yes
Scada Conf Ind
Yes
Accident Identifier
Scada-Based Information (Such As Alarm(S), Alert(S), Event(S), And/or Volume Or Pack Calculations)
Investigation Status
Yes, specify investigation result(s): (select all that apply)
Invest Schedule Ind
Yes
Invest No Control Room Ind
Yes
Invest Incorrect Action Ind
Yes
Invest Maint Ind
Yes
Invest Other Ind
Yes
Invest Other Ind Details
Incorrect Setting Of Flow Rate Alarm;
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
Instrumentation Ind
Yes
Other Control Relief Ind
Yes
Other Control Relief Details
Flow Computer Sensed False High Pressure Reading, Sending An Incorrect Signal To The Odorization Equipment Causing That Device To Activate At An Increased Rate And Resulting In An Elevated Rate Of Mercaptan Injection.
Preparer Name
R***** F*********
Preparer Title
Manager
Preparer Email
F**********@d********.com
Preparer Telephone
313-389-7755
Preparer Fax
313-389-7757
Authorizer Name
R***** F*********
Authorizer Title
Manager
Authorizer Telephone
313-389-7755
Authorizer Email
F**********@d********.com
Narrative
Dte gas control received notification at approximately 09:30, july 21, 2014 from grand rapids field technicians that routine maintenance work was being performed at that facility during that day. No alarms or unusual activity were noticed by gas control. At approximately 16:55, an electronic flow computer at georgetown regulating station began sensing false high flow and a false high inlet and outlet pressures. During normal operations, odorant is automatically injected into the grand rapids distribution system based upon volume delivery signals from the flow computer. The false high flow signals from the malfunctioning computer resulted in over-injection of odorant (mercaptan) into the distribution system creating an over-odorized condition. Dte gas control immediately began receiving an alarm for high inlet and outlet pressures. The controller presumed the alarms were activated in the course of the routine work being conducted by grand rapids field technicians. At approximately 17:00, the grand rapids field technicians onsite completed their work, which was not related to any of the flow or pressure devices and left the site unaware that an alarm had been activated at gas control. At approximately 23:40, gas control became concerned they had not received any contact form the grand rapids field technicians since early that morning and contacted an operations supervisor. A second field crew was deployed to georgetown station to investigate, arriving at 00:41 july 22, 2014. At 00:49, the field crew determined the odorant injection system was operating at abnormally high rate and placed the system into standby mode. The field crew contacted the region controls technician who also responded to the georgetown station. The flow computer was reset by the controls technician, the abnormal pressure and flow signals were cleared, and the computer resumed normal operation. At 01:30, the field crew reported to gas control that the odor injection system had been operating at an abnormally high rate over the past several hours. At 05:45, georgetown gate station was isolated from the system in an effort to contain excess odorant from getting into the system. By 08:00, july 23 the event was over and leak complaint volume was back to normal. The abnormal high odorization rate resulted in 610 leak complaints that were responded to and investigated by grand rapids field personnel.
| Occurred At | 2014-07-21 23:40:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2014 |
| Report Received Date | 2014-08-20 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2014.0 |
| Report Number | 20140068.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 16179.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 12408 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Dte Gas Company |
| Operator Street Address | 1 Energy Plaza |
| Operator City Name | Detroit |
| Operator State Abbreviation | MI |
| Operator Postal Code | 48226 |
| Local Datetime | 2014-07-21 23:40:00 |
| Location Street Address | 1809 Edson |
| Location City Name | Hudsonville |
| Location County Name | Ottawa |
| Location State Abbreviation | MI |
| Location Postal Code | 49426 |
| Location Latitude | 42.882085 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -85.829144 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2014-07-23 17:00:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1090032 NRC Report How to search |
| Unintentional Release | 0.0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2014-07-21 23:40:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2014-07-22 00:41:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Operator-Controlled Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance (E.g. Value Or Regulator Station, Outdoor Meter Set) |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Privately Owned |
| System Part Involved | District Regulator/metering Station |
| Installation Year | 1956.0 |
| Material Involved | Other |
| Material Details | Flow Computer For Odorant |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Over Odorization At Georgetown Gate Station |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 69970.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 5760.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 11520.0 |
| Est Cost Other Details | Flaring To Dispose Of Gas With Excessive Levels Of Mercaptan |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 0.0 |
| Prpty | 87250.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 0.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 0.0 |
| Accident Psig | 140.0 |
| Normal Psig | 140.0 |
| Mop Psig | 145.0 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | Yes |
| Scada Functional Ind | Yes |
| Scada Detection Ind | Yes |
| Scada Conf Ind | Yes |
| Accident Identifier | Scada-Based Information (Such As Alarm(S), Alert(S), Event(S), And/or Volume Or Pack Calculations) |
| Investigation Status | Yes, specify investigation result(s): (select all that apply) |
| Invest Schedule Ind | Yes |
| Invest No Control Room Ind | Yes |
| Invest Incorrect Action Ind | Yes |
| Invest Maint Ind | Yes |
| Invest Other Ind | Yes |
| Invest Other Ind Details | Incorrect Setting Of Flow Rate Alarm; |
| 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 |
| Instrumentation Ind | Yes |
| Other Control Relief Ind | Yes |
| Other Control Relief Details | Flow Computer Sensed False High Pressure Reading, Sending An Incorrect Signal To The Odorization Equipment Causing That Device To Activate At An Increased Rate And Resulting In An Elevated Rate Of Mercaptan Injection. |
| Preparer Name | R***** F********* |
| Preparer Title | Manager |
| Preparer Email | F**********@d********.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 313-389-7755 |
| Preparer Fax | 313-389-7757 |
| Authorizer Name | R***** F********* |
| Authorizer Title | Manager |
| Authorizer Telephone | 313-389-7755 |
| Authorizer Email | F**********@d********.com |
| Narrative | Dte gas control received notification at approximately 09:30, july 21, 2014 from grand rapids field technicians that routine maintenance work was being performed at that facility during that day. No alarms or unusual activity were noticed by gas control. At approximately 16:55, an electronic flow computer at georgetown regulating station began sensing false high flow and a false high inlet and outlet pressures. During normal operations, odorant is automatically injected into the grand rapids distribution system based upon volume delivery signals from the flow computer. The false high flow signals from the malfunctioning computer resulted in over-injection of odorant (mercaptan) into the distribution system creating an over-odorized condition. Dte gas control immediately began receiving an alarm for high inlet and outlet pressures. The controller presumed the alarms were activated in the course of the routine work being conducted by grand rapids field technicians. At approximately 17:00, the grand rapids field technicians onsite completed their work, which was not related to any of the flow or pressure devices and left the site unaware that an alarm had been activated at gas control. At approximately 23:40, gas control became concerned they had not received any contact form the grand rapids field technicians since early that morning and contacted an operations supervisor. A second field crew was deployed to georgetown station to investigate, arriving at 00:41 july 22, 2014. At 00:49, the field crew determined the odorant injection system was operating at abnormally high rate and placed the system into standby mode. The field crew contacted the region controls technician who also responded to the georgetown station. The flow computer was reset by the controls technician, the abnormal pressure and flow signals were cleared, and the computer resumed normal operation. At 01:30, the field crew reported to gas control that the odor injection system had been operating at an abnormally high rate over the past several hours. At 05:45, georgetown gate station was isolated from the system in an effort to contain excess odorant from getting into the system. By 08:00, july 23 the event was over and leak complaint volume was back to normal. The abnormal high odorization rate resulted in 610 leak complaints that were responded to and investigated by grand rapids field personnel. |
External Resources
PHMSA pipeline safety insights.
Product
Features
Company
All rights reserved. Copyright © by ClearPHMSA