GD incident on 2015-03-13 — MN

Operator
Great Plains Natural Gas Co
Cause
Equipment Failure
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities 0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$1,500
Incident datetime
2015-03-13 03:23
Report number
Location
MN, OTTER TAIL
Narrative
This service line had been installed since 1971. No indications of a leak were found in the prior two leak surveys, conducted in 2008 & 2012 respectively. Day time high temperatures the week of the 13th of march, 2015 were abnormally warm (almost 20 degrees above normal). Thus, it is highly likely that the ground was beginning to thaw. The leak investigation indicated that there was a leak at the riser. After excavating the, 3/4" continental ,riser and completing further testing a leak was found at the nut follower/compression connection between the riser and the pvc service line. An inside leak on non-jurisdictional piping was also identified during the leak investigation. In the absence of any other identifiable source, the riser leak may be the source of fuel for the explosion that occurred, however a migration path for the gas to enter the premise was not identified.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2015-03-13 03:23:00
Year
2015
Report Received Date
2015-04-08 00:00:00
Iyear
2015.0
Report Number
20150037.0
Supplemental Number
16178.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
Name
Great Plains Natural Gas Co
Operator Street Address
400 North Fourth Street
Operator City Name
Bismarck
Operator State Abbreviation
ND
Operator Postal Code
58501
Local Datetime
2015-03-13 03:17:00
Location Street Address
1903 Pebble Lake Road
Location City Name
Fergus Falls
Location County Name
Otter Tail
Location State Abbreviation
MN
Location Postal Code
56537
Location Latitude
Location Longitude
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2015-03-13 07:25:00
Nrc Rpt Num
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
0.0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Ignite Ind
Yes
Explode Ind
Yes
Num Pub Evacuated
4.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2015-03-13 03:23:00
On Site Datetime
2015-03-13 03:36:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Private Property
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Under Soil
Depth Of Cover
20.0
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Investor Owned
System Part Involved
Service Riser
Installation Year
1971.0
Material Involved
Steel
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Connection Failure
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
75000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
1500.0
Est Cost Emergency
2500.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release
0.0
Prpty
79000.0
Commercial Affected
0.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
1.0
Accident Psig
15.0
Normal Psig
15.0
Mop Psig
33.0
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind
No
Accident Identifier
Notification From Emergency Responder
Investigation Status
No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the incident
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Equipment Failure
Cause Details
Threaded Connection Failure
Eq Failure Type
Threaded Connection Failure
Other Stripped Ind
Other
Other Stripped Details
A Nut Follower/compression Fitting At The Bottom Of The Riser Connecting To The Pvc Service Line Was Found To Be Leaking During The Leak Investigation Of The Incident. What Caused The Leak To Occur Is Unknown.
Preparer Name
M*** K***********
Preparer Title
Staff Engineer
Preparer Email
M****************@m**.com
Preparer Telephone
701.222.7973
Authorizer Name
D**** A*******
Authorizer Title
Director Of Distribution
Authorizer Telephone
701.222.7994
Authorizer Email
D*************@m**.com
Narrative
This service line had been installed since 1971. No indications of a leak were found in the prior two leak surveys, conducted in 2008 & 2012 respectively. Day time high temperatures the week of the 13th of march, 2015 were abnormally warm (almost 20 degrees above normal). Thus, it is highly likely that the ground was beginning to thaw. The leak investigation indicated that there was a leak at the riser. After excavating the, 3/4" continental ,riser and completing further testing a leak was found at the nut follower/compression connection between the riser and the pvc service line. An inside leak on non-jurisdictional piping was also identified during the leak investigation. In the absence of any other identifiable source, the riser leak may be the source of fuel for the explosion that occurred, however a migration path for the gas to enter the premise was not identified.
Occurred At 2015-03-13 03:23:00
Year 2015
Report Received Date 2015-04-08 00:00:00
Iyear 2015.0
Report Number 20150037.0
Supplemental Number 16178.0
Report Type Supplemental Final
Operator Id 6690 PHMSA Enforcement
Name Great Plains Natural Gas Co
Operator Street Address 400 North Fourth Street
Operator City Name Bismarck
Operator State Abbreviation ND
Operator Postal Code 58501
Local Datetime 2015-03-13 03:17:00
Location Street Address 1903 Pebble Lake Road
Location City Name Fergus Falls
Location County Name Otter Tail
Location State Abbreviation MN
Location Postal Code 56537
Location Latitude 46.26445 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Location Longitude -96.05534 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Nrc Rpt Datetime 2015-03-13 07:25:00
Nrc Rpt Num 1110499 NRC Report How to search
Commodity Released Type Natural Gas
Unintentional Release 0.0
Fatality Ind No
Fatal 0
Injury Ind No
Injure 0
Ignite Ind Yes
Explode Ind Yes
Num Pub Evacuated 4.0
Incident Identified Datetime 2015-03-13 03:23:00
On Site Datetime 2015-03-13 03:36:00
Federal No
Location Type Private Property
Incident Area Type Underground
Incident Area Subtype Under Soil
Depth Of Cover 20.0
Crossing No
Pipe Facility Type Investor Owned
System Part Involved Service Riser
Installation Year 1971.0
Material Involved Steel
Release Type Leak
Leak Type Connection Failure
Class Location Type Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid 75000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage 1500.0
Est Cost Emergency 2500.0
Est Cost Other 0.0
Est Cost Unintentional Release 0.0
Prpty 79000.0
Commercial Affected 0.0
Industrial Affected 0.0
Residences Affected 1.0
Accident Psig 15.0
Normal Psig 15.0
Mop Psig 33.0
Accident Pressure Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Scada In Place Ind No
Accident Identifier Notification From Emergency Responder
Investigation Status No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the incident
Employee Drug Test Ind No
Contractor Drug Test Ind No
Cause Equipment Failure
Cause Details Threaded Connection Failure
Eq Failure Type Threaded Connection Failure
Other Stripped Ind Other
Other Stripped Details A Nut Follower/compression Fitting At The Bottom Of The Riser Connecting To The Pvc Service Line Was Found To Be Leaking During The Leak Investigation Of The Incident. What Caused The Leak To Occur Is Unknown.
Preparer Name M*** K***********
Preparer Title Staff Engineer
Preparer Email M****************@m**.com
Preparer Telephone 701.222.7973
Authorizer Name D**** A*******
Authorizer Title Director Of Distribution
Authorizer Telephone 701.222.7994
Authorizer Email D*************@m**.com
Narrative This service line had been installed since 1971. No indications of a leak were found in the prior two leak surveys, conducted in 2008 & 2012 respectively. Day time high temperatures the week of the 13th of march, 2015 were abnormally warm (almost 20 degrees above normal). Thus, it is highly likely that the ground was beginning to thaw. The leak investigation indicated that there was a leak at the riser. After excavating the, 3/4" continental ,riser and completing further testing a leak was found at the nut follower/compression connection between the riser and the pvc service line. An inside leak on non-jurisdictional piping was also identified during the leak investigation. In the absence of any other identifiable source, the riser leak may be the source of fuel for the explosion that occurred, however a migration path for the gas to enter the premise was not identified.

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