Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2016-09-29 — TX
Operator
Vitol Midstream, Llc
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Commodity
Crude Oil
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$25,000
Incident datetime
2016-09-29 13:11
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
A scheduled outage to replace a 12 inch valve at the vitol midkiff terminal had been scheduled and communicated to nes via email on 9/27/16. The outage would require the nes lateral to be shut in. A shutout plan was developed by vitol for this outage. At approximately 08:38 hrs on 09/29/2016, vitol midstream llc terminal operator removed the permissive from the midkiff nes meter skid facility and informed navigator's control room that vitol was down and permissive had been removed in preparation for the scheduled outage. Lo/to was performed by vitol personnel who closed and locked the 4 inch meter skid discharge valve. At approximately 12:52 hrs the navigator pipeline pump that transports crude oil to midkiff station automatically started pumping oil to the station. At approximately 13:11 hrs, a vitol I&e tech, whom was inspecting the facility lighting, smelled crude oil and discovered crude spraying from the meter skid backpressure regulator and a flange. The tech immediately notified the field engineer, located at the terminal outage, of the spill. While driving to the spill site the field engineer received a phone call from the vitol control room operator informing him that scada indicated over 500 psi on the meter skid, and the 6 inch opp valve and 4 inch pcv indicated as open on vitol scada. When the engineer arrived on location and saw the leak, he checked the nes opp valve and saw that it was 100% open, in addition to the 4inch pcv being full open. He called the vitol terminal operator and asked him to close the opp valve. The vitol operator informed him that he did not have control of the nes opp valve. The vitol operator contacted the nes operator and asked him to close the valve. The nes operator informed vitol that with permissive removed he had no control over the valve and that it was showing closed on his system. Nes control center turned off their pipeline pump. The engineer instructed the personnel on location to evacuate due to the oil spray. During this time, the sump and the meter skid secondary containment started to overflow due to crude oil spraying from the backpressure valve and skid thermal relief valves that discharged to the sump. The vitol operator notified the engineer of ness inability to close the opp valve and the vitol tech and engineer manually closed the valve. The overpressure event and release then stopped. Corrective actions: vitol midstream llc performed refresher training on planning outages, pressure control, control room management (controller's responsibilities) and lo/to. Include consideration of overpressure situations/sources when preparing outage and lo/to plans. Investigated & updated existing scada programing for correct operation of nes meter facilities, including the opp and pcv valves. Navigator energy services investigated existing scada program at meter site and determined & corrected why the opp valve did not close upon removal of vitol's permissive and add programing to acknowledge permissive/permissive removed. Investigated the 4" pcv controls and determined & corrected why it did not control downstream pressure at 200 psig or less. Replaced 6" valve with a faster acting, fail close, valve. Created procedure for lo/to of delivery points when notified of planned outages. Retrained nes controller in operations of systems.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2016-10-21 00:00:00
Iyear
2016
Report Number
20160339
Supplemental Number
21813
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
39307
Name
Vitol Midstream, Llc
Operator Street Address
1300 Main Street
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77002
Local Datetime
2016-09-29 13:11:00
Location Latitude
31.651389
Location Longitude
-101.757222
Commodity Released Type
Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls
6.3
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
2016-09-29 13:11:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Shutdown Datetime
2016-09-29 13:30:00
Restart Datetime
2016-10-11 11:22:00
On Site Datetime
2016-09-29 13:11:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2016-09-29 14:13:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1160339
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Midkiff Station
Segment Name
Midkiff Station Navigator Meter Skid
Onshore State Abbreviation
Tx
Onshore Postal Code
79706-5002
Onshore City Name
Not Within A Municipality
Onshore County Name
Glasscock
Designated Location
Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name
Act Meter
Federal
No
Location Type
Originated On Operator-Controlled Property, But Then Flowed Or Migrated Off The Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Intrastate
Item Involved
Meter/prover
Installation Year
2016
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Other
Leak Type Other
Sump 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
1000
Est Cost Prop Damage
25000
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Environmental
8310
Est Cost Other
0
Est Cost Other Details
None
Prpty
34310
Accident Psig
525
Mop Psig
285
Accident Pressure
Pressure Exceeded 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
No
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
Incident is not related to vitol's controllers
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Cause Details
Pipeline Or Equipment Overpressured
Operation Type
Pipeline Or Equipment Overpressured
Related Inadequate Proc Ind
Yes
Category Type
Other Maintenance
Operator Qualification Ind
No
Preparer Name
K****** N* A*******
Preparer Title
Ehs Manager
Preparer Email
K**@v****.com
Preparer Telephone
432-221-8421
Prepared Date
2016-11-03 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
K****** N* A*******
Authorizer Telephone
432-221-8421
Authorizer Title
Ehs Manager
Authorizer Email
K*********@s**************.com
Narrative
A scheduled outage to replace a 12 inch valve at the vitol midkiff terminal had been scheduled and communicated to nes via email on 9/27/16. The outage would require the nes lateral to be shut in. A shutout plan was developed by vitol for this outage. At approximately 08:38 hrs on 09/29/2016, vitol midstream llc terminal operator removed the permissive from the midkiff nes meter skid facility and informed navigator's control room that vitol was down and permissive had been removed in preparation for the scheduled outage. Lo/to was performed by vitol personnel who closed and locked the 4 inch meter skid discharge valve. At approximately 12:52 hrs the navigator pipeline pump that transports crude oil to midkiff station automatically started pumping oil to the station. At approximately 13:11 hrs, a vitol I&e tech, whom was inspecting the facility lighting, smelled crude oil and discovered crude spraying from the meter skid backpressure regulator and a flange. The tech immediately notified the field engineer, located at the terminal outage, of the spill. While driving to the spill site the field engineer received a phone call from the vitol control room operator informing him that scada indicated over 500 psi on the meter skid, and the 6 inch opp valve and 4 inch pcv indicated as open on vitol scada. When the engineer arrived on location and saw the leak, he checked the nes opp valve and saw that it was 100% open, in addition to the 4inch pcv being full open. He called the vitol terminal operator and asked him to close the opp valve. The vitol operator informed him that he did not have control of the nes opp valve. The vitol operator contacted the nes operator and asked him to close the valve. The nes operator informed vitol that with permissive removed he had no control over the valve and that it was showing closed on his system. Nes control center turned off their pipeline pump. The engineer instructed the personnel on location to evacuate due to the oil spray. During this time, the sump and the meter skid secondary containment started to overflow due to crude oil spraying from the backpressure valve and skid thermal relief valves that discharged to the sump. The vitol operator notified the engineer of ness inability to close the opp valve and the vitol tech and engineer manually closed the valve. The overpressure event and release then stopped. Corrective actions: vitol midstream llc performed refresher training on planning outages, pressure control, control room management (controller's responsibilities) and lo/to. Include consideration of overpressure situations/sources when preparing outage and lo/to plans. Investigated & updated existing scada programing for correct operation of nes meter facilities, including the opp and pcv valves. Navigator energy services investigated existing scada program at meter site and determined & corrected why the opp valve did not close upon removal of vitol's permissive and add programing to acknowledge permissive/permissive removed. Investigated the 4" pcv controls and determined & corrected why it did not control downstream pressure at 200 psig or less. Replaced 6" valve with a faster acting, fail close, valve. Created procedure for lo/to of delivery points when notified of planned outages. Retrained nes controller in operations of systems.
| Report Received Date | 2016-10-21 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2016 |
| Report Number | 20160339 |
| Supplemental Number | 21813 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 39307 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Vitol Midstream, Llc |
| Operator Street Address | 1300 Main Street |
| Operator City Name | Houston |
| Operator State Abbreviation | TX |
| Operator Postal Code | 77002 |
| Local Datetime | 2016-09-29 13:11:00 |
| Location Latitude | 31.651389 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -101.757222 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Crude Oil |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 6.3 |
| 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 | 2016-09-29 13:11:00 |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | Yes |
| Shutdown Datetime | 2016-09-29 13:30:00 |
| Restart Datetime | 2016-10-11 11:22:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2016-09-29 13:11:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2016-09-29 14:13:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1160339 NRC Report How to search |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Pipe Fac Name | Midkiff Station |
| Segment Name | Midkiff Station Navigator Meter Skid |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Tx |
| Onshore Postal Code | 79706-5002 |
| Onshore City Name | Not Within A Municipality |
| Onshore County Name | Glasscock |
| Designated Location | Milepost/valve Station |
| Designated Name | Act Meter |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Originated On Operator-Controlled Property, But Then Flowed Or Migrated Off The Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Intrastate |
| Item Involved | Meter/prover |
| Installation Year | 2016 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Leak |
| Leak Type | Other |
| Leak Type Other | Sump 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 | 1000 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 25000 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 8310 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Est Cost Other Details | None |
| Prpty | 34310 |
| Accident Psig | 525 |
| Mop Psig | 285 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Exceeded 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 | No |
| 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 | Incident is not related to vitol's controllers |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Incorrect Operation |
| Cause Details | Pipeline Or Equipment Overpressured |
| Operation Type | Pipeline Or Equipment Overpressured |
| Related Inadequate Proc Ind | Yes |
| Category Type | Other Maintenance |
| Operator Qualification Ind | No |
| Preparer Name | K****** N* A******* |
| Preparer Title | Ehs Manager |
| Preparer Email | K**@v****.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 432-221-8421 |
| Prepared Date | 2016-11-03 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | K****** N* A******* |
| Authorizer Telephone | 432-221-8421 |
| Authorizer Title | Ehs Manager |
| Authorizer Email | K*********@s**************.com |
| Narrative | A scheduled outage to replace a 12 inch valve at the vitol midkiff terminal had been scheduled and communicated to nes via email on 9/27/16. The outage would require the nes lateral to be shut in. A shutout plan was developed by vitol for this outage. At approximately 08:38 hrs on 09/29/2016, vitol midstream llc terminal operator removed the permissive from the midkiff nes meter skid facility and informed navigator's control room that vitol was down and permissive had been removed in preparation for the scheduled outage. Lo/to was performed by vitol personnel who closed and locked the 4 inch meter skid discharge valve. At approximately 12:52 hrs the navigator pipeline pump that transports crude oil to midkiff station automatically started pumping oil to the station. At approximately 13:11 hrs, a vitol I&e tech, whom was inspecting the facility lighting, smelled crude oil and discovered crude spraying from the meter skid backpressure regulator and a flange. The tech immediately notified the field engineer, located at the terminal outage, of the spill. While driving to the spill site the field engineer received a phone call from the vitol control room operator informing him that scada indicated over 500 psi on the meter skid, and the 6 inch opp valve and 4 inch pcv indicated as open on vitol scada. When the engineer arrived on location and saw the leak, he checked the nes opp valve and saw that it was 100% open, in addition to the 4inch pcv being full open. He called the vitol terminal operator and asked him to close the opp valve. The vitol operator informed him that he did not have control of the nes opp valve. The vitol operator contacted the nes operator and asked him to close the valve. The nes operator informed vitol that with permissive removed he had no control over the valve and that it was showing closed on his system. Nes control center turned off their pipeline pump. The engineer instructed the personnel on location to evacuate due to the oil spray. During this time, the sump and the meter skid secondary containment started to overflow due to crude oil spraying from the backpressure valve and skid thermal relief valves that discharged to the sump. The vitol operator notified the engineer of ness inability to close the opp valve and the vitol tech and engineer manually closed the valve. The overpressure event and release then stopped. Corrective actions: vitol midstream llc performed refresher training on planning outages, pressure control, control room management (controller's responsibilities) and lo/to. Include consideration of overpressure situations/sources when preparing outage and lo/to plans. Investigated & updated existing scada programing for correct operation of nes meter facilities, including the opp and pcv valves. Navigator energy services investigated existing scada program at meter site and determined & corrected why the opp valve did not close upon removal of vitol's permissive and add programing to acknowledge permissive/permissive removed. Investigated the 4" pcv controls and determined & corrected why it did not control downstream pressure at 200 psig or less. Replaced 6" valve with a faster acting, fail close, valve. Created procedure for lo/to of delivery points when notified of planned outages. Retrained nes controller in operations of systems. |
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