Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2015-07-11 — CO
Operator
Tallgrass Pony Express Pipeline, Llc
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Commodity
Crude Oil
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$1,000
Incident datetime
2015-07-11 10:56
Report number
Location
CO
Narrative
Prior to the overfill event at cushing station the tallgrass operating control center (occ) had been making a delivery to separate stations during which a split flow operation was in place for ponca city customer to receive a certain rate and cushing station would receive the remaining balance of total flow coming from sterling. As flow was transferred from the ponca city station to cushing station, after delivery was made at ponca city, the imposed flow limit at cushing station was not immediately cleared by the operator causing pressure to rise unexpectedly. The unexpected pressure rise due to the increased flow actuated the thermal relief valves at the station and oil flowed to the sump tank as designed. The level transmitter of the cushing station sump tank had been disconnected due to nuisance alarms therefore the occ could not see the liquid level in the tank increasing resulting in it overfilling. The overfilled tank was promptly identified by on site personnel who noticed oil on the ground. Supplemental report submitted in order to clarify that the accident was due to a failure to follow procedure. This has been addressed in part g7.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2015-08-10 00:00:00
Iyear
2015
Report Number
20150279
Supplemental Number
21830
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
39043
Name
Tallgrass Pony Express Pipeline, Llc
Operator Street Address
370 Van Gordon St.
Operator City Name
Lakewood
Operator State Abbreviation
CO
Operator Postal Code
80228
Local Datetime
2015-07-11 10:56:00
Location Latitude
36.011954
Location Longitude
-96.74166
Commodity Released Type
Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls
0.5
Recovered Bbls
0.5
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type
Operator Employee
Incident Identified Datetime
2015-07-11 10:56:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Shutdown Datetime
2015-07-11 11:20:00
Restart Datetime
2015-07-11 18:30:00
On Site Datetime
2015-07-11 10:56:00
Nrc Rpt Num
Nrc Notification Not Required
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Cushing Measurement Station
Segment Name
Cushing Measurement Station
Onshore State Abbreviation
Ok
Onshore Postal Code
74023
Onshore City Name
Not Within A Municipality
Onshore County Name
Payne County
Designated Location
Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name
Cushing Sta
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
Appurtenance
Installation Year
2014
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Overfill Or Overflow
Wildlife Impact Ind
No
Soil Contamination
Yes
Long Term Assessment
Yes
Remediation Ind
Yes
Soil Remed Ind
Yes
Water Contam Ind
No
Could Be Hca
No
Commodity Reached Hca
No
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Gas Released
25
Est Cost Prop Damage
1000
Est Cost Emergency
1800
Est Cost Environmental
1000
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
3825
Accident Psig
304
Mop Psig
285
Accident Pressure
Pressure Exceeded Mop, But Did Not Exceed 110% Of Mop
Pressure Restriction Ind
No
Pipeline Function
> 20% Smys Regulated Transmission
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
No
Scada Conf Ind
No
Cpm In Place Ind
Yes
Cpm Operating Ind
Yes
Cpm Functional Ind
Yes
Cpm Detection Ind
No
Cpm Conf 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
Incident was a result of improper operation
Employee Drug Test Ind
Yes
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Num Employees Tested
1
Num Employees Failed
0
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Cause Details
Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow
Operation Type
Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow
Overflow Other Ind
Other
Overflow Other Details
The Level Transmitter Was Not Working Properly Causing Nuisance Alarms. Employee Disconnected The Transmitter And Left It Causing The Sump To Overflow Spilling Approximately 0.5 Barrels Of Crude Oil On The Ground.
Related Failure Follow Ind
Yes
Category Type
Other Maintenance
Operator Qualification Ind
No
Preparer Name
T** A*****
Preparer Title
Compliance Engineer
Preparer Email
T*********@t****************.com
Preparer Telephone
5305929688
Prepared Date
2016-11-14 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
T** A*****
Authorizer Telephone
5305929688
Authorizer Title
Compliance Engineer
Authorizer Email
T*********@t****************.com
Narrative
Prior to the overfill event at cushing station the tallgrass operating control center (occ) had been making a delivery to separate stations during which a split flow operation was in place for ponca city customer to receive a certain rate and cushing station would receive the remaining balance of total flow coming from sterling. As flow was transferred from the ponca city station to cushing station, after delivery was made at ponca city, the imposed flow limit at cushing station was not immediately cleared by the operator causing pressure to rise unexpectedly. The unexpected pressure rise due to the increased flow actuated the thermal relief valves at the station and oil flowed to the sump tank as designed. The level transmitter of the cushing station sump tank had been disconnected due to nuisance alarms therefore the occ could not see the liquid level in the tank increasing resulting in it overfilling. The overfilled tank was promptly identified by on site personnel who noticed oil on the ground. Supplemental report submitted in order to clarify that the accident was due to a failure to follow procedure. This has been addressed in part g7.
| Report Received Date | 2015-08-10 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2015 |
| Report Number | 20150279 |
| Supplemental Number | 21830 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 39043 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Tallgrass Pony Express Pipeline, Llc |
| Operator Street Address | 370 Van Gordon St. |
| Operator City Name | Lakewood |
| Operator State Abbreviation | CO |
| Operator Postal Code | 80228 |
| Local Datetime | 2015-07-11 10:56:00 |
| Location Latitude | 36.011954 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -96.74166 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Crude Oil |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 0.5 |
| Recovered Bbls | 0.5 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Accident Identifier | Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors |
| Operator Type | Operator Employee |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2015-07-11 10:56:00 |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | Yes |
| Shutdown Datetime | 2015-07-11 11:20:00 |
| Restart Datetime | 2015-07-11 18:30:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2015-07-11 10:56:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | Nrc Notification Not Required NRC Report How to search |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Pipe Fac Name | Cushing Measurement Station |
| Segment Name | Cushing Measurement Station |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Ok |
| Onshore Postal Code | 74023 |
| Onshore City Name | Not Within A Municipality |
| Onshore County Name | Payne County |
| Designated Location | Milepost/valve Station |
| Designated Name | Cushing Sta |
| 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 | Appurtenance |
| Installation Year | 2014 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Overfill Or Overflow |
| Wildlife Impact Ind | No |
| Soil Contamination | Yes |
| Long Term Assessment | Yes |
| Remediation Ind | Yes |
| Soil Remed Ind | Yes |
| Water Contam Ind | No |
| Could Be Hca | No |
| Commodity Reached Hca | No |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0 |
| Est Cost Gas Released | 25 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 1000 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 1800 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 1000 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Prpty | 3825 |
| Accident Psig | 304 |
| Mop Psig | 285 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Exceeded Mop, But Did Not Exceed 110% Of Mop |
| Pressure Restriction Ind | No |
| Pipeline Function | > 20% Smys Regulated Transmission |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | Yes |
| Scada Functional Ind | Yes |
| Scada Detection Ind | No |
| Scada Conf Ind | No |
| Cpm In Place Ind | Yes |
| Cpm Operating Ind | Yes |
| Cpm Functional Ind | Yes |
| Cpm Detection Ind | No |
| Cpm Conf 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 | Incident was a result of improper operation |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | Yes |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Num Employees Tested | 1 |
| Num Employees Failed | 0 |
| Cause | Incorrect Operation |
| Cause Details | Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow |
| Operation Type | Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow |
| Overflow Other Ind | Other |
| Overflow Other Details | The Level Transmitter Was Not Working Properly Causing Nuisance Alarms. Employee Disconnected The Transmitter And Left It Causing The Sump To Overflow Spilling Approximately 0.5 Barrels Of Crude Oil On The Ground. |
| Related Failure Follow Ind | Yes |
| Category Type | Other Maintenance |
| Operator Qualification Ind | No |
| Preparer Name | T** A***** |
| Preparer Title | Compliance Engineer |
| Preparer Email | T*********@t****************.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 5305929688 |
| Prepared Date | 2016-11-14 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | T** A***** |
| Authorizer Telephone | 5305929688 |
| Authorizer Title | Compliance Engineer |
| Authorizer Email | T*********@t****************.com |
| Narrative | Prior to the overfill event at cushing station the tallgrass operating control center (occ) had been making a delivery to separate stations during which a split flow operation was in place for ponca city customer to receive a certain rate and cushing station would receive the remaining balance of total flow coming from sterling. As flow was transferred from the ponca city station to cushing station, after delivery was made at ponca city, the imposed flow limit at cushing station was not immediately cleared by the operator causing pressure to rise unexpectedly. The unexpected pressure rise due to the increased flow actuated the thermal relief valves at the station and oil flowed to the sump tank as designed. The level transmitter of the cushing station sump tank had been disconnected due to nuisance alarms therefore the occ could not see the liquid level in the tank increasing resulting in it overfilling. The overfilled tank was promptly identified by on site personnel who noticed oil on the ground. Supplemental report submitted in order to clarify that the accident was due to a failure to follow procedure. This has been addressed in part g7. |
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