Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2015-06-19 — TX
Operator
West Texas Gulf Pipeline Co
Cause
Equipment Failure
Commodity
Crude Oil
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$40,000
Incident datetime
2015-06-19 23:54
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
At 22:56 on june 19 control center received lel alarm at wortham which caused a station lockout. Controller called area supervisor to have personnel dispatched to the station to investigate. At 23:01 controller began to shut down the system. Local operating personnel arrived to the station at 23:54 and found and confirmed the release at 00:08 on june 20. The immediate apparent cause of the release was a gasket failure on an ansi 600 series flanged, 2" branch drain connection to the 10" relief line off of the inbound 26" mainline. This short branch drain connection supported a cantilevered ball valve. All product released was contained on company property primarily in two (2) retention ponds inside the station. Contaminated equipment was cleaned, contaminated soil was removed and all free product skimmed from retention ponds. Failure analysis revealed that the most likely cause of the failure was vibrational self-loosening of the flange studs of the 2" branch drain connection and the studs holding the valve body together which resulted in gasket failures at each point. The associated 10" relief line piping that contained the 2" branch drain connection was removed and replaced in november 2015 with a spool piece that does not contain a similar branch connection to prevent any future recurrence.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2015-07-16 00:00:00
Iyear
2015
Report Number
20150259
Supplemental Number
21265
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
22442
Name
West Texas Gulf Pipeline Co
Operator Street Address
1300 Main Street
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77002
Local Datetime
2015-06-19 22:56:00
Location Latitude
31.77691
Location Longitude
-96.39599
Commodity Released Type
Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls
3300
Recovered Bbls
3100
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Cpm Leak Detection System Or Scada-Based Information (Such As Alarm(S), Alert(S), Event(S), And/or Volume Calculations)
Incident Identified Datetime
2015-06-19 23:54:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Shutdown Datetime
2015-06-19 23:01:00
Restart Datetime
2015-06-21 00:20:00
On Site Datetime
2015-06-20 00:08:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2015-06-20 02:03:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1120366
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Wtg-Wortham Station
Segment Name
Wtg-23010-26" Colorado City To Wortham
Onshore State Abbreviation
Tx
Onshore Postal Code
76693
Onshore City Name
Wortham
Onshore County Name
Freestone
Designated Location
Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name
Mp 273
Federal
No
Location Type
Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Interstate
Item Involved
Flange Assembly
Installation Year
2013
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Connection Failure
Wildlife Impact Ind
No
Soil Contamination
Yes
Long Term Assessment
No
Remediation Ind
Yes
Surface Water Remed Ind
Yes
Soil Remed Ind
Yes
Water Contam Ind
Yes
Surface Contam Ind
Yes
Amount Released
3000
Rel Water Name
Wortham Station Containment/retention Ponds
Could Be Hca
No
Commodity Reached Hca
No
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Gas Released
11200
Est Cost Prop Damage
40000
Est Cost Emergency
403551
Est Cost Environmental
210000
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
664751
Accident Psig
535
Mop Psig
588
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop
Pressure Restriction Ind
Yes
Exceed Restriction Ind
No
Phmsa Restriction Ind
Phmsa
Pipeline Function
> 20% Smys Regulated Transmission
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
Yes
Scada Conf Ind
Yes
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
Following release the controller on duty was drug & alcohol tested because their involvement in the cause could not initially be discounted. Additionally, an investigation into their actions was initiated. Upon discovery that the release was due to a mechanical failure and the review of the controller's reactions to the event were found to be appropriate the investigation was terminated.
Employee Drug Test Ind
Yes
Contractor Drug Test Ind
Yes
Num Employees Tested
1
Num Employees Failed
0
Num Contractors Tested
1
Num Contractors Failed
0
Cause
Equipment Failure
Cause Details
Non-Threaded Connection Failure
Eq Failure Type
Non-Threaded Connection Failure
Other Non Threaded Ind
Gasket
Additional Vibration Ind
Yes
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
2016-03-23 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
T*** G* N*******
Authorizer Telephone
281-637-6576
Authorizer Title
Dot Compliance Manager
Authorizer Email
T*********@s**************.com
Narrative
At 22:56 on june 19 control center received lel alarm at wortham which caused a station lockout. Controller called area supervisor to have personnel dispatched to the station to investigate. At 23:01 controller began to shut down the system. Local operating personnel arrived to the station at 23:54 and found and confirmed the release at 00:08 on june 20. The immediate apparent cause of the release was a gasket failure on an ansi 600 series flanged, 2" branch drain connection to the 10" relief line off of the inbound 26" mainline. This short branch drain connection supported a cantilevered ball valve. All product released was contained on company property primarily in two (2) retention ponds inside the station. Contaminated equipment was cleaned, contaminated soil was removed and all free product skimmed from retention ponds. Failure analysis revealed that the most likely cause of the failure was vibrational self-loosening of the flange studs of the 2" branch drain connection and the studs holding the valve body together which resulted in gasket failures at each point. The associated 10" relief line piping that contained the 2" branch drain connection was removed and replaced in november 2015 with a spool piece that does not contain a similar branch connection to prevent any future recurrence.
| Report Received Date | 2015-07-16 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2015 |
| Report Number | 20150259 |
| Supplemental Number | 21265 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 22442 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | West Texas Gulf Pipeline Co |
| Operator Street Address | 1300 Main Street |
| Operator City Name | Houston |
| Operator State Abbreviation | TX |
| Operator Postal Code | 77002 |
| Local Datetime | 2015-06-19 22:56:00 |
| Location Latitude | 31.77691 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -96.39599 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Crude Oil |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 3300 |
| Recovered Bbls | 3100 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Accident Identifier | Cpm Leak Detection System Or Scada-Based Information (Such As Alarm(S), Alert(S), Event(S), And/or Volume Calculations) |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2015-06-19 23:54:00 |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | Yes |
| Shutdown Datetime | 2015-06-19 23:01:00 |
| Restart Datetime | 2015-06-21 00:20:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2015-06-20 00:08:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2015-06-20 02:03:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1120366 NRC Report How to search |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Pipe Fac Name | Wtg-Wortham Station |
| Segment Name | Wtg-23010-26" Colorado City To Wortham |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Tx |
| Onshore Postal Code | 76693 |
| Onshore City Name | Wortham |
| Onshore County Name | Freestone |
| Designated Location | Milepost/valve Station |
| Designated Name | Mp 273 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Interstate |
| Item Involved | Flange Assembly |
| Installation Year | 2013 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Leak |
| Leak Type | Connection Failure |
| Wildlife Impact Ind | No |
| Soil Contamination | Yes |
| Long Term Assessment | No |
| Remediation Ind | Yes |
| Surface Water Remed Ind | Yes |
| Soil Remed Ind | Yes |
| Water Contam Ind | Yes |
| Surface Contam Ind | Yes |
| Amount Released | 3000 |
| Rel Water Name | Wortham Station Containment/retention Ponds |
| Could Be Hca | No |
| Commodity Reached Hca | No |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0 |
| Est Cost Gas Released | 11200 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 40000 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 403551 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 210000 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Prpty | 664751 |
| Accident Psig | 535 |
| Mop Psig | 588 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop |
| Pressure Restriction Ind | Yes |
| Exceed Restriction Ind | No |
| Phmsa Restriction Ind | Phmsa |
| Pipeline Function | > 20% Smys Regulated Transmission |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | Yes |
| Scada Functional Ind | Yes |
| Scada Detection Ind | Yes |
| Scada Conf Ind | Yes |
| 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 | Following release the controller on duty was drug & alcohol tested because their involvement in the cause could not initially be discounted. Additionally, an investigation into their actions was initiated. Upon discovery that the release was due to a mechanical failure and the review of the controller's reactions to the event were found to be appropriate the investigation was terminated. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | Yes |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | Yes |
| Num Employees Tested | 1 |
| Num Employees Failed | 0 |
| Num Contractors Tested | 1 |
| Num Contractors Failed | 0 |
| Cause | Equipment Failure |
| Cause Details | Non-Threaded Connection Failure |
| Eq Failure Type | Non-Threaded Connection Failure |
| Other Non Threaded Ind | Gasket |
| Additional Vibration Ind | Yes |
| 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 | 2016-03-23 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | T*** G* N******* |
| Authorizer Telephone | 281-637-6576 |
| Authorizer Title | Dot Compliance Manager |
| Authorizer Email | T*********@s**************.com |
| Narrative | At 22:56 on june 19 control center received lel alarm at wortham which caused a station lockout. Controller called area supervisor to have personnel dispatched to the station to investigate. At 23:01 controller began to shut down the system. Local operating personnel arrived to the station at 23:54 and found and confirmed the release at 00:08 on june 20. The immediate apparent cause of the release was a gasket failure on an ansi 600 series flanged, 2" branch drain connection to the 10" relief line off of the inbound 26" mainline. This short branch drain connection supported a cantilevered ball valve. All product released was contained on company property primarily in two (2) retention ponds inside the station. Contaminated equipment was cleaned, contaminated soil was removed and all free product skimmed from retention ponds. Failure analysis revealed that the most likely cause of the failure was vibrational self-loosening of the flange studs of the 2" branch drain connection and the studs holding the valve body together which resulted in gasket failures at each point. The associated 10" relief line piping that contained the 2" branch drain connection was removed and replaced in november 2015 with a spool piece that does not contain a similar branch connection to prevent any future recurrence. |
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