Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GTG incident on 2014-09-02 — TX
Operator
Columbia Gas Transmission, Llc
Cause
Natural Force Damage
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GTG
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$0
Incident datetime
2014-09-02 22:10
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
On tuesday, september 2, 2014, millennium pipeline company, llc's hancock compressor station (cs) located in delaware county, ny was in the path of a line of severe thunderstorms traveling through the region. Hancock cs is covered under columbia gas transmission, llc operator id 2616. A lightning strike damaged an electric transformer that feeds hancock cs area, causing loss of commercial electrical power. During the power outage, the station's emergency generator started but power failed to fully transfer to the station's reserve power in an amount of time causing station's pneumatic compressors to fault (and not restart). The loss of pneumatic pressure caused the station emergency shutdown vent valves to open. However, due to the station's low pneumatic pressure switch failing to trigger a station emergency shutdown, the station isolation (block) valves remained in the open position causing the unintended release of natural gas into atmosphere. Working with the generator vendor, adjustments were made to the generator's response settings and the station's low pneumatic pressure switch to prevent a similar fault from future re-occurrence. The days following this incident, several tests were conducted to each system, then the entire facility to ensure the successful start of the back-up generator in the event of a commercial electric power loss as well as the correct operation of the low pneumatic pressure switch, as it was designed to operate. During the testing, the back-up generator started successfully whenever the commercial electric power was disconnected from the main bus power system and the low-pressure switch functioned with no failures being noted. There were no similar events or interruptions to the facility's back-up electric power generator of the facility when commercial electric power was interrupted.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2014-10-01 00:00:00
Iyear
2014
Report Number
20140101
Supplemental Number
35547
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
2616
Name
Columbia Gas Transmission, Llc
Operator Street Address
700 Louisiana St. Suite 700
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77002
Local Datetime
2014-09-02 22:10:00
Time Zone
Eastern
Daylight Savings Ind
Yes
Location Latitude
41.88366
Location Longitude
-75.14228
Nrc Rpt Num
1094204
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2014-09-03 02:02:00
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
9060
Intentional Release
0
Accompanying Liquid
0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Status When Identified
Normal Operation, Includes Pauses During Maintenance
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
No
Shutdown Explain
The Transmission Pipeline Continued The Flow In Bypass Mode
Communication State Fed Ind
No
Ignite Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Incident Identified Datetime
2014-09-02 22:10:00
On Site Datetime
2014-09-02 23:25:00
On Off Shore
Onshore
Onshore State Abbreviation
Ny
Onshore Postal Code
12760
Onshore City Name
Long Eddy
Onshore County Name
Delaware County
Designated Location
Not Applicable
Pipe Fac Name
Hancock Compressor Station
Segment Name
Hancock
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
Valve
Valve Type
Auxiliary Or Other Valve
Installation Year
2014
Manufactured Year
2014
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Esd Valve Failed To Close
Class Location Type
Class 1 Location
Could Be Hca
No
Pir Radius
215
Heat Damage Ind
No
Non Heat Damage Ind
No
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
35696
Est Cost Intentional Release
0
Est Cost Prop Damage
0
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Other
0
Gas Cost In Mcf
3.94
Prpty
35696
Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght
0
Num Injured Treated By Emt
0
Num Resident Building Affctd
0
Num Business Building Affctd
0
Wildlife Impact Ind
No
Accident Psig
905
Gas Flow In Pipe In Mcf
876.5
Mop Psig
1350
Mop Cfr Section
192.619(A)(2)
Maop Established Date
2014-03-14 00:00:00
Maop Reversal Flow Ind
No
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Pressure Restriction Ind
Yes
Exceed Restriction Ind
No
Phmsa Restriction Ind
Not Mandated
Gas Required Odorized Ind
Yes
Gas Odorized Ind
Yes
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
Scada-Based Information (Such As Alarm(S), Alert(S), Event(S), And/or Volume Or Pack Calculations)
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
No investigation of the controller or the control room since this incident was initiated by an external factor (loss of commercial electric power feed to the facility).
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Natural Force Damage
Cause Details
Other Natural Force Damage
Natural Force Type
Other Natural Force Damage
Nf Other Details
A Line Of Severe Thunderstorms Was Traversing The Area That Generated A Line Of Lightning Strikes Interrupting Commercial Power To The Facility.
Nf Extreme Weather Ind
Yes
Nf Other Ind
Yes
Nf Extreme Weather Details
Severe Thunderstorms Associated With Lightning Strikes.
Nf Lightning Ind
Yes
Preparer Name
W****** Y****
Preparer Title
Us Regulatory Compliance Specialist
Preparer Email
W************@t*******.com
Preparer Telephone
304-410-2818
Authorizer Name
P*** S******
Authorizer Title
Manager Us Regulatory Compliance East
Authorizer Telephone
304-550-4866
Authorizer Email
P***********@t*******.com
Narrative
On tuesday, september 2, 2014, millennium pipeline company, llc's hancock compressor station (cs) located in delaware county, ny was in the path of a line of severe thunderstorms traveling through the region. Hancock cs is covered under columbia gas transmission, llc operator id 2616. A lightning strike damaged an electric transformer that feeds hancock cs area, causing loss of commercial electrical power. During the power outage, the station's emergency generator started but power failed to fully transfer to the station's reserve power in an amount of time causing station's pneumatic compressors to fault (and not restart). The loss of pneumatic pressure caused the station emergency shutdown vent valves to open. However, due to the station's low pneumatic pressure switch failing to trigger a station emergency shutdown, the station isolation (block) valves remained in the open position causing the unintended release of natural gas into atmosphere. Working with the generator vendor, adjustments were made to the generator's response settings and the station's low pneumatic pressure switch to prevent a similar fault from future re-occurrence. The days following this incident, several tests were conducted to each system, then the entire facility to ensure the successful start of the back-up generator in the event of a commercial electric power loss as well as the correct operation of the low pneumatic pressure switch, as it was designed to operate. During the testing, the back-up generator started successfully whenever the commercial electric power was disconnected from the main bus power system and the low-pressure switch functioned with no failures being noted. There were no similar events or interruptions to the facility's back-up electric power generator of the facility when commercial electric power was interrupted.
| Report Received Date | 2014-10-01 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2014 |
| Report Number | 20140101 |
| Supplemental Number | 35547 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 2616 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Columbia Gas Transmission, Llc |
| Operator Street Address | 700 Louisiana St. Suite 700 |
| Operator City Name | Houston |
| Operator State Abbreviation | TX |
| Operator Postal Code | 77002 |
| Local Datetime | 2014-09-02 22:10:00 |
| Time Zone | Eastern |
| Daylight Savings Ind | Yes |
| Location Latitude | 41.88366 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -75.14228 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1094204 NRC Report How to search |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2014-09-03 02:02:00 |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 9060 |
| Intentional Release | 0 |
| Accompanying Liquid | 0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Status When Identified | Normal Operation, Includes Pauses During Maintenance |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | No |
| Shutdown Explain | The Transmission Pipeline Continued The Flow In Bypass Mode |
| Communication State Fed Ind | No |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2014-09-02 22:10:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2014-09-02 23:25:00 |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Ny |
| Onshore Postal Code | 12760 |
| Onshore City Name | Long Eddy |
| Onshore County Name | Delaware County |
| Designated Location | Not Applicable |
| Pipe Fac Name | Hancock Compressor Station |
| Segment Name | Hancock |
| 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 | Valve |
| Valve Type | Auxiliary Or Other Valve |
| Installation Year | 2014 |
| Manufactured Year | 2014 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Esd Valve Failed To Close |
| Class Location Type | Class 1 Location |
| Could Be Hca | No |
| Pir Radius | 215 |
| Heat Damage Ind | No |
| Non Heat Damage Ind | No |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 35696 |
| Est Cost Intentional Release | 0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Gas Cost In Mcf | 3.94 |
| Prpty | 35696 |
| Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght | 0 |
| Num Injured Treated By Emt | 0 |
| Num Resident Building Affctd | 0 |
| Num Business Building Affctd | 0 |
| Wildlife Impact Ind | No |
| Accident Psig | 905 |
| Gas Flow In Pipe In Mcf | 876.5 |
| Mop Psig | 1350 |
| Mop Cfr Section | 192.619(A)(2) View CFR 49 §192 |
| Maop Established Date | 2014-03-14 00:00:00 |
| Maop Reversal Flow Ind | No |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Pressure Restriction Ind | Yes |
| Exceed Restriction Ind | No |
| Phmsa Restriction Ind | Not Mandated |
| Gas Required Odorized Ind | Yes |
| Gas Odorized Ind | Yes |
| 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 | Scada-Based Information (Such As Alarm(S), Alert(S), Event(S), And/or Volume Or Pack Calculations) |
| 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 | No investigation of the controller or the control room since this incident was initiated by an external factor (loss of commercial electric power feed to the facility). |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Natural Force Damage |
| Cause Details | Other Natural Force Damage |
| Natural Force Type | Other Natural Force Damage |
| Nf Other Details | A Line Of Severe Thunderstorms Was Traversing The Area That Generated A Line Of Lightning Strikes Interrupting Commercial Power To The Facility. |
| Nf Extreme Weather Ind | Yes |
| Nf Other Ind | Yes |
| Nf Extreme Weather Details | Severe Thunderstorms Associated With Lightning Strikes. |
| Nf Lightning Ind | Yes |
| Preparer Name | W****** Y**** |
| Preparer Title | Us Regulatory Compliance Specialist |
| Preparer Email | W************@t*******.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 304-410-2818 |
| Authorizer Name | P*** S****** |
| Authorizer Title | Manager Us Regulatory Compliance East |
| Authorizer Telephone | 304-550-4866 |
| Authorizer Email | P***********@t*******.com |
| Narrative | On tuesday, september 2, 2014, millennium pipeline company, llc's hancock compressor station (cs) located in delaware county, ny was in the path of a line of severe thunderstorms traveling through the region. Hancock cs is covered under columbia gas transmission, llc operator id 2616. A lightning strike damaged an electric transformer that feeds hancock cs area, causing loss of commercial electrical power. During the power outage, the station's emergency generator started but power failed to fully transfer to the station's reserve power in an amount of time causing station's pneumatic compressors to fault (and not restart). The loss of pneumatic pressure caused the station emergency shutdown vent valves to open. However, due to the station's low pneumatic pressure switch failing to trigger a station emergency shutdown, the station isolation (block) valves remained in the open position causing the unintended release of natural gas into atmosphere. Working with the generator vendor, adjustments were made to the generator's response settings and the station's low pneumatic pressure switch to prevent a similar fault from future re-occurrence. The days following this incident, several tests were conducted to each system, then the entire facility to ensure the successful start of the back-up generator in the event of a commercial electric power loss as well as the correct operation of the low pneumatic pressure switch, as it was designed to operate. During the testing, the back-up generator started successfully whenever the commercial electric power was disconnected from the main bus power system and the low-pressure switch functioned with no failures being noted. There were no similar events or interruptions to the facility's back-up electric power generator of the facility when commercial electric power was interrupted. |
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