Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2015-05-12 — TX
Operator
Sunoco Pipeline L.p.
Cause
Natural Force Damage
Commodity
Crude Oil
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$19,000
Incident datetime
2015-05-12 09:14
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
Following an extreme weather event of heavy thunderstorms over the night of 5/11/15 and the morning of 5/12/15 operating personnel performed a station check at wortham. The weather event had caused a power failure at the station. Tank dikes were opened to release accumulated rainwater and tanks were checked. After ascending tank 2013 to inspect the floating roof, personnel noticed that the varec gauge hatch had flames and smoke coming from it. Personnel descended the tank and immediately called 911 and operations management. The tank was isolated. Three fire departments, mexia fire department, wortham vfd and kervin vfd responded and the texas highway patrol closed fm 27 roadway until the fire was extinguished. The mexia fire department took the lead in the response with the assistance of the wortham vfd and the kervin vfd who ascended the tank and extinguished the fire. This event was discovered at approximately 09:14 on 5/12/15 and reported to the nrc (1116270) at 10:14 on 5/12/2015. Subsequent to the fire being extinguished the tank remained out of service until a seal gap inspection by a licensed 653 inspector was conducted on 5/13/15. The inspection indicated no damage to the seal. The float well seal was replaced, the gauge pole seal and roller replaced and a new grounding cable was installed and attached from the floating roof to the tank shell. All repairs were completed on 5/15/2015 and the tank was returned to service.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2015-06-11 00:00:00
Iyear
2015
Report Number
20150219
Supplemental Number
20886
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
18718
Name
Sunoco Pipeline L.p.
Operator Street Address
1300 Main Street
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77002
Local Datetime
2015-05-12 09:14:00
Location Latitude
31.77339
Location Longitude
-96.40109
Commodity Released Type
Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls
0.1
Recovered Bbls
0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type
Operator Employee
Incident Identified Datetime
2015-05-12 09:14:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Breakout Tank Or Storage Vessel, Including Attached Appurtenances
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
No
Shutdown Explain
Tank 2013 Was Isolated.
On Site Datetime
2015-05-12 09:35:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2015-05-12 10:14:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1116270
Ignite Ind
Yes
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Wortham Station
Segment Name
Worthm Station Tank 2013
Onshore State Abbreviation
Tx
Onshore Postal Code
76693
Onshore City Name
Wortham
Onshore County Name
Freeston
Designated Location
Survey Station No.
Designated Name
0+00
Federal
No
Location Type
Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type
Tank, Including Attached Appurtenances
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Interstate
Item Involved
Tank/vessel
Tank Vessel Subtype
Roof/roof Seal
Tank Type
Atmospheric
Installation Year
1958
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Vapor Ignition From Lightening Strike To Varec Tank Gauge Hatch
Wildlife Impact Ind
No
Soil Contamination
No
Long Term Assessment
No
Remediation Ind
No
Water Contam Ind
No
Could Be Hca
No
Commodity Reached Hca
No
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Gas Released
0
Est Cost Prop Damage
19000
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Environmental
0
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
19000
Accident Psig
20
Mop Psig
285
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop
Pressure Restriction Ind
No
Pipeline Function
> 20% Smys Regulated Transmission
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
No
Scada Functional Ind
No
Scada Detection Ind
No
Scada Conf Ind
No
Cpm In Place Ind
No
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
A review of the accident determined that there were no control room actions that contributed to the event. Scada was down due to power failures from storms in the area.
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Natural Force Damage
Cause Details
Lightning
Natural Force Type
Lightning
Lightning Subtype
Direct Hit
Nf Extreme Weather Ind
Yes
Nf Other Ind
Yes
Nf Extreme Weather Details
Thunderstorms Producing Lightening & Heavy Rains
Preparer Name
T*** G* N*******
Preparer Title
Dot Compliance Manager
Preparer Email
T*********@s**************.com
Preparer Telephone
281-637-6576
Preparer Fax
877-917-0448
Prepared Date
2015-11-09 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
T*** G* N*******
Authorizer Telephone
281-637-6576
Authorizer Title
Dot Compliance Manager
Authorizer Email
T*********@s**************.com
Narrative
Following an extreme weather event of heavy thunderstorms over the night of 5/11/15 and the morning of 5/12/15 operating personnel performed a station check at wortham. The weather event had caused a power failure at the station. Tank dikes were opened to release accumulated rainwater and tanks were checked. After ascending tank 2013 to inspect the floating roof, personnel noticed that the varec gauge hatch had flames and smoke coming from it. Personnel descended the tank and immediately called 911 and operations management. The tank was isolated. Three fire departments, mexia fire department, wortham vfd and kervin vfd responded and the texas highway patrol closed fm 27 roadway until the fire was extinguished. The mexia fire department took the lead in the response with the assistance of the wortham vfd and the kervin vfd who ascended the tank and extinguished the fire. This event was discovered at approximately 09:14 on 5/12/15 and reported to the nrc (1116270) at 10:14 on 5/12/2015. Subsequent to the fire being extinguished the tank remained out of service until a seal gap inspection by a licensed 653 inspector was conducted on 5/13/15. The inspection indicated no damage to the seal. The float well seal was replaced, the gauge pole seal and roller replaced and a new grounding cable was installed and attached from the floating roof to the tank shell. All repairs were completed on 5/15/2015 and the tank was returned to service.
| Report Received Date | 2015-06-11 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2015 |
| Report Number | 20150219 |
| Supplemental Number | 20886 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 18718 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Sunoco Pipeline L.p. |
| Operator Street Address | 1300 Main Street |
| Operator City Name | Houston |
| Operator State Abbreviation | TX |
| Operator Postal Code | 77002 |
| Local Datetime | 2015-05-12 09:14:00 |
| Location Latitude | 31.77339 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -96.40109 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Crude Oil |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 0.1 |
| Recovered Bbls | 0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Accident Identifier | Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors |
| Operator Type | Operator Employee |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2015-05-12 09:14:00 |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Breakout Tank Or Storage Vessel, Including Attached Appurtenances |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | No |
| Shutdown Explain | Tank 2013 Was Isolated. |
| On Site Datetime | 2015-05-12 09:35:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2015-05-12 10:14:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1116270 NRC Report How to search |
| Ignite Ind | Yes |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Pipe Fac Name | Wortham Station |
| Segment Name | Worthm Station Tank 2013 |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Tx |
| Onshore Postal Code | 76693 |
| Onshore City Name | Wortham |
| Onshore County Name | Freeston |
| Designated Location | Survey Station No. |
| Designated Name | 0+00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property |
| Incident Area Type | Tank, Including Attached Appurtenances |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Interstate |
| Item Involved | Tank/vessel |
| Tank Vessel Subtype | Roof/roof Seal |
| Tank Type | Atmospheric |
| Installation Year | 1958 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Vapor Ignition From Lightening Strike To Varec Tank Gauge Hatch |
| Wildlife Impact Ind | No |
| Soil Contamination | No |
| Long Term Assessment | No |
| Remediation Ind | No |
| Water Contam Ind | No |
| Could Be Hca | No |
| Commodity Reached Hca | No |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0 |
| Est Cost Gas Released | 0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 19000 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Prpty | 19000 |
| Accident Psig | 20 |
| Mop Psig | 285 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop |
| Pressure Restriction Ind | No |
| Pipeline Function | > 20% Smys Regulated Transmission |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | No |
| Scada Functional Ind | No |
| Scada Detection Ind | No |
| Scada Conf Ind | No |
| Cpm In Place Ind | No |
| 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 | A review of the accident determined that there were no control room actions that contributed to the event. Scada was down due to power failures from storms in the area. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Natural Force Damage |
| Cause Details | Lightning |
| Natural Force Type | Lightning |
| Lightning Subtype | Direct Hit |
| Nf Extreme Weather Ind | Yes |
| Nf Other Ind | Yes |
| Nf Extreme Weather Details | Thunderstorms Producing Lightening & Heavy Rains |
| Preparer Name | T*** G* N******* |
| Preparer Title | Dot Compliance Manager |
| Preparer Email | T*********@s**************.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 281-637-6576 |
| Preparer Fax | 877-917-0448 |
| Prepared Date | 2015-11-09 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | T*** G* N******* |
| Authorizer Telephone | 281-637-6576 |
| Authorizer Title | Dot Compliance Manager |
| Authorizer Email | T*********@s**************.com |
| Narrative | Following an extreme weather event of heavy thunderstorms over the night of 5/11/15 and the morning of 5/12/15 operating personnel performed a station check at wortham. The weather event had caused a power failure at the station. Tank dikes were opened to release accumulated rainwater and tanks were checked. After ascending tank 2013 to inspect the floating roof, personnel noticed that the varec gauge hatch had flames and smoke coming from it. Personnel descended the tank and immediately called 911 and operations management. The tank was isolated. Three fire departments, mexia fire department, wortham vfd and kervin vfd responded and the texas highway patrol closed fm 27 roadway until the fire was extinguished. The mexia fire department took the lead in the response with the assistance of the wortham vfd and the kervin vfd who ascended the tank and extinguished the fire. This event was discovered at approximately 09:14 on 5/12/15 and reported to the nrc (1116270) at 10:14 on 5/12/2015. Subsequent to the fire being extinguished the tank remained out of service until a seal gap inspection by a licensed 653 inspector was conducted on 5/13/15. The inspection indicated no damage to the seal. The float well seal was replaced, the gauge pole seal and roller replaced and a new grounding cable was installed and attached from the floating roof to the tank shell. All repairs were completed on 5/15/2015 and the tank was returned to service. |
External Resources
PHMSA pipeline safety insights.
Product
Features
Company
All rights reserved. Copyright © by ClearPHMSA