Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2015-11-01 — TX
Operator
Vitol Midstream, Llc
Cause
Equipment Failure
Commodity
Crude Oil
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$100
Incident datetime
2015-11-01 08:39
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
Spill/release of ~ 24 bbls of crude oil due to failure of a 1/2" npt x 4" schedule 160 pipe nipple. The oil migrated off the station pad and onto adjacent property and producer right-of-way (r.O.W.). The affected booster pump and pipeline is part of an onshore rural gathering line that to the best of our knowledge does not meet the definition of a regulated rural gathering line. Root cause: the suction pressure to the onshore rural gathering system booster pump is provided by the producer's lact pump skid. This booster pump delivers crude oil into a 4-1/2" steel onshore rural gathering system. Suction pressure to the gathering booster pump dropped below minimum suction requirements, and shutdown set points in the local plc were incorrect, so the pump did not shut down. The pump went into cavitation due to low suction, resulting in excessive vibration causing the pipe nipple on the discharge side of the pump to crack and fail. The failed nipple provided pressure indication to a discharge pressure transmitter and switch. Field operations has ensured that the local plc shutdown set points have been corrected, and the instrumentation piping redesigned to prevent a recurrence of this event. The site has been in-situ remediated, per rrc cleanup requirements, and restored to normal condition, as of november 20, 2015.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2015-12-01 00:00:00
Iyear
2015
Report Number
20150433
Supplemental Number
20945
Report Type
Original Final
Operator Id
39307
Name
Vitol Midstream, Llc
Operator Street Address
1100 Louisiana Suite 5500
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77002-5226
Local Datetime
2015-11-01 01:24:00
Location Latitude
31.9525
Location Longitude
-101.826667
Commodity Released Type
Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls
24
Recovered Bbls
5
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Other
Accident Details
Oil & Gas Lease Operator Phone Call
Incident Identified Datetime
2015-11-01 08:39:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Shutdown Datetime
2015-11-01 08:51:00
Restart Datetime
2015-11-01 11:00:00
On Site Datetime
2015-11-01 08:50:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2015-11-23 16:00:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1134158
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Et O'daniel 37-3h Pump Station
Segment Name
East Gathering System (Vm 3)
Onshore State Abbreviation
Tx
Onshore Postal Code
79706-5002
Onshore City Name
Not Within A Municipality
Onshore County Name
Midland
Designated Location
Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name
Pump Site
Federal
No
Location Type
Originated On Operator-Controlled Property, But Then Flowed Or Migrated Off The Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Other
Incident Area Details
Typical Gathering Pipeline Boost Pump
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Intrastate
Item Involved
Other
Item Involved Details
1/2" Npt Sch. 160 Pipe Nipple
Installation Year
2015
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Accidental Discharge Due To Failure Of 1/2" Npt Sch. 160 Pipe Nipple Because Of Excessive Vibration On Booster Pump.
Wildlife Impact Ind
No
Soil Contamination
Yes
Long Term Assessment
No
Remediation Ind
Yes
Soil Remed Ind
Yes
Water Contam Ind
No
Could Be Hca
No
Commodity Reached Hca
No
Est Cost Oper Paid
1000
Est Cost Gas Released
1200
Est Cost Prop Damage
100
Est Cost Emergency
4500
Est Cost Environmental
14000
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
20800
Accident Psig
250
Mop Psig
720
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop
Pressure Restriction Ind
No
Pipeline Function
> 20% Smys Regulated Gathering
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
No
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
The event was caused by a mechanical failure of a 1/2" sch 160 pipe nipple located on the booster pump discharge piping. The nipple cracked at the base of the threads due to low suction to the booster pump, which caused excessive vibration. The affected booster pump and pipeline is part of an onshore rural gathering line that is not regulated
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Equipment Failure
Cause Details
Threaded Connection/coupling Failure
Eq Failure Type
Threaded Connection/coupling Failure
Other Stripped Ind
Pipe Nipple
Additional Vibration Ind
Yes
Preparer Name
K****** N* A*******
Preparer Title
Ehs Manager
Preparer Email
K**@v****.com
Preparer Telephone
432-221-8421
Prepared Date
2015-12-01 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
K****** N* A*******
Authorizer Telephone
432-221-8421
Authorizer Title
Ehs Manager
Authorizer Email
K**@v****.com
Narrative
Spill/release of ~ 24 bbls of crude oil due to failure of a 1/2" npt x 4" schedule 160 pipe nipple. The oil migrated off the station pad and onto adjacent property and producer right-of-way (r.O.W.). The affected booster pump and pipeline is part of an onshore rural gathering line that to the best of our knowledge does not meet the definition of a regulated rural gathering line. Root cause: the suction pressure to the onshore rural gathering system booster pump is provided by the producer's lact pump skid. This booster pump delivers crude oil into a 4-1/2" steel onshore rural gathering system. Suction pressure to the gathering booster pump dropped below minimum suction requirements, and shutdown set points in the local plc were incorrect, so the pump did not shut down. The pump went into cavitation due to low suction, resulting in excessive vibration causing the pipe nipple on the discharge side of the pump to crack and fail. The failed nipple provided pressure indication to a discharge pressure transmitter and switch. Field operations has ensured that the local plc shutdown set points have been corrected, and the instrumentation piping redesigned to prevent a recurrence of this event. The site has been in-situ remediated, per rrc cleanup requirements, and restored to normal condition, as of november 20, 2015.
| Report Received Date | 2015-12-01 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2015 |
| Report Number | 20150433 |
| Supplemental Number | 20945 |
| Report Type | Original Final |
| Operator Id | 39307 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Vitol Midstream, Llc |
| Operator Street Address | 1100 Louisiana Suite 5500 |
| Operator City Name | Houston |
| Operator State Abbreviation | TX |
| Operator Postal Code | 77002-5226 |
| Local Datetime | 2015-11-01 01:24:00 |
| Location Latitude | 31.9525 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -101.826667 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Crude Oil |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 24 |
| Recovered Bbls | 5 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Accident Identifier | Other |
| Accident Details | Oil & Gas Lease Operator Phone Call |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2015-11-01 08:39:00 |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | Yes |
| Shutdown Datetime | 2015-11-01 08:51:00 |
| Restart Datetime | 2015-11-01 11:00:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2015-11-01 08:50:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2015-11-23 16:00:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1134158 NRC Report How to search |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Pipe Fac Name | Et O'daniel 37-3h Pump Station |
| Segment Name | East Gathering System (Vm 3) |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Tx |
| Onshore Postal Code | 79706-5002 |
| Onshore City Name | Not Within A Municipality |
| Onshore County Name | Midland |
| Designated Location | Milepost/valve Station |
| Designated Name | Pump Site |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Originated On Operator-Controlled Property, But Then Flowed Or Migrated Off The Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Other |
| Incident Area Details | Typical Gathering Pipeline Boost Pump |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Intrastate |
| Item Involved | Other |
| Item Involved Details | 1/2" Npt Sch. 160 Pipe Nipple |
| Installation Year | 2015 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Accidental Discharge Due To Failure Of 1/2" Npt Sch. 160 Pipe Nipple Because Of Excessive Vibration On Booster Pump. |
| Wildlife Impact Ind | No |
| Soil Contamination | Yes |
| Long Term Assessment | No |
| Remediation Ind | Yes |
| Soil Remed Ind | Yes |
| Water Contam Ind | No |
| Could Be Hca | No |
| Commodity Reached Hca | No |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 1000 |
| Est Cost Gas Released | 1200 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 100 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 4500 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 14000 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Prpty | 20800 |
| Accident Psig | 250 |
| Mop Psig | 720 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop |
| Pressure Restriction Ind | No |
| Pipeline Function | > 20% Smys Regulated Gathering |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | Yes |
| Scada Functional Ind | Yes |
| Scada Detection Ind | No |
| 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 | The event was caused by a mechanical failure of a 1/2" sch 160 pipe nipple located on the booster pump discharge piping. The nipple cracked at the base of the threads due to low suction to the booster pump, which caused excessive vibration. The affected booster pump and pipeline is part of an onshore rural gathering line that is not regulated |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Equipment Failure |
| Cause Details | Threaded Connection/coupling Failure |
| Eq Failure Type | Threaded Connection/coupling Failure |
| Other Stripped Ind | Pipe Nipple |
| Additional Vibration Ind | Yes |
| Preparer Name | K****** N* A******* |
| Preparer Title | Ehs Manager |
| Preparer Email | K**@v****.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 432-221-8421 |
| Prepared Date | 2015-12-01 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | K****** N* A******* |
| Authorizer Telephone | 432-221-8421 |
| Authorizer Title | Ehs Manager |
| Authorizer Email | K**@v****.com |
| Narrative | Spill/release of ~ 24 bbls of crude oil due to failure of a 1/2" npt x 4" schedule 160 pipe nipple. The oil migrated off the station pad and onto adjacent property and producer right-of-way (r.O.W.). The affected booster pump and pipeline is part of an onshore rural gathering line that to the best of our knowledge does not meet the definition of a regulated rural gathering line. Root cause: the suction pressure to the onshore rural gathering system booster pump is provided by the producer's lact pump skid. This booster pump delivers crude oil into a 4-1/2" steel onshore rural gathering system. Suction pressure to the gathering booster pump dropped below minimum suction requirements, and shutdown set points in the local plc were incorrect, so the pump did not shut down. The pump went into cavitation due to low suction, resulting in excessive vibration causing the pipe nipple on the discharge side of the pump to crack and fail. The failed nipple provided pressure indication to a discharge pressure transmitter and switch. Field operations has ensured that the local plc shutdown set points have been corrected, and the instrumentation piping redesigned to prevent a recurrence of this event. The site has been in-situ remediated, per rrc cleanup requirements, and restored to normal condition, as of november 20, 2015. |
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