Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2017-11-19 — TX
Operator
Equistar Chemicals, L.p.
Cause
Equipment Failure
Commodity
Hvl Or Other Flammable Or Toxic Fluid Which Is A Gas At Ambient Conditions
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$200
Incident datetime
2017-11-19 22:18
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
Equistar pipeline control center received lel alarm at the tivoli pump station on the cross country system 31 vidauri to ps2 (tivoli). The pump station emergency shut-down (esd) activated per design, the pump station valves aligned to by-pass the station and the pressure within the pump station was sent to the flare. On-call technicians were dispatched to investigate the alarm and esd. At 1:05am on 11/20/2017, the technicians discovered a 3/8in stainless steel tubing to a pressure transmitter had failed on the pump discharge. The tubing was replaced and subsequently the pump station was brought back online. The investigation revealed the tubing failure was due to high cycle, low stress mechanical fatigue suggesting high-frequency vibration as the likely cause. The tubing was connected to a pressure transmitter which was mounted in a manner that amplified vibrations transferred from the pump discharge piping. To prevent recurrence the pressure transmitter will be remounted to address high frequency vibration and the investigation findings and corrective action will be communicated to employees.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2017-12-14 00:00:00
Iyear
2017
Report Number
20170414
Supplemental Number
30691
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
25146
Name
Equistar Chemicals, L.p.
Operator Street Address
16055 Space Center Blvd., Ste. 350
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77062
Local Datetime
2017-11-19 22:18:00
Location Latitude
28.466611
Location Longitude
-96.932756
Commodity Released Type
Hvl Or Other Flammable Or Toxic Fluid Which Is A Gas At Ambient Conditions
Commodity Subtype
Other Hvl
Commodity Details
Ethylene
Unintentional Release Bbls
9.78
Intentional Release Bbls
38.41
Recovered Bbls
0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Controller
Operator Type
Operator Employee
Incident Identified Datetime
2017-11-19 22:18:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Shutdown Datetime
2017-11-19 22:18:00
Restart Datetime
2017-11-20 15:42:00
On Site Datetime
2017-11-20 01:05:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2017-11-20 02:55:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1197724
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
31_cross Country System
Segment Name
Cc19_vidauri To Tivoli Ps; Pes Id# 75190
Onshore State Abbreviation
Tx
Onshore Postal Code
77990
Onshore City Name
Tivoli
Onshore County Name
Refugio
Designated Location
Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name
64.1
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
Tubing
Installation Year
2015
Material Involved
Material Other Than Carbon Steel
Material Details
Stainless Steel
Release Type
Rupture
Rupture Orient
Circumferential
Rupture Width
0.4
Rupture Length
1.2
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
452
Est Cost Prop Damage
200
Est Cost Emergency
2400
Est Cost Environmental
0
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
3052
Accident Psig
1741
Mop Psig
2500
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
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
Yes
Scada Conf Ind
Yes
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
Station was operating within limits at the time of the automated station shutdown. All pump and station controls where in automatic at the time of the shutdown.
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Equipment Failure
Cause Details
Defective Or Loose Tubing Or Fitting
Eq Failure Type
Defective Or Loose Tubing Or Fitting
Additional Vibration Ind
Yes
Additional Installation Ind
Yes
Preparer Name
G****** L* L******
Preparer Title
Principle Environmental Engineer
Preparer Email
G**************@l**.com
Preparer Telephone
281-709-0703
Preparer Fax
281-709-0759
Prepared Date
2018-07-25 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
M****** S* C*****
Authorizer Telephone
281-709-0626
Authorizer Title
Technical Manager
Authorizer Email
M*************@l**.com
Narrative
Equistar pipeline control center received lel alarm at the tivoli pump station on the cross country system 31 vidauri to ps2 (tivoli). The pump station emergency shut-down (esd) activated per design, the pump station valves aligned to by-pass the station and the pressure within the pump station was sent to the flare. On-call technicians were dispatched to investigate the alarm and esd. At 1:05am on 11/20/2017, the technicians discovered a 3/8in stainless steel tubing to a pressure transmitter had failed on the pump discharge. The tubing was replaced and subsequently the pump station was brought back online. The investigation revealed the tubing failure was due to high cycle, low stress mechanical fatigue suggesting high-frequency vibration as the likely cause. The tubing was connected to a pressure transmitter which was mounted in a manner that amplified vibrations transferred from the pump discharge piping. To prevent recurrence the pressure transmitter will be remounted to address high frequency vibration and the investigation findings and corrective action will be communicated to employees.
| Report Received Date | 2017-12-14 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2017 |
| Report Number | 20170414 |
| Supplemental Number | 30691 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 25146 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Equistar Chemicals, L.p. |
| Operator Street Address | 16055 Space Center Blvd., Ste. 350 |
| Operator City Name | Houston |
| Operator State Abbreviation | TX |
| Operator Postal Code | 77062 |
| Local Datetime | 2017-11-19 22:18:00 |
| Location Latitude | 28.466611 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -96.932756 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Hvl Or Other Flammable Or Toxic Fluid Which Is A Gas At Ambient Conditions |
| Commodity Subtype | Other Hvl |
| Commodity Details | Ethylene |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 9.78 |
| Intentional Release Bbls | 38.41 |
| Recovered Bbls | 0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Accident Identifier | Controller |
| Operator Type | Operator Employee |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2017-11-19 22:18:00 |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | Yes |
| Shutdown Datetime | 2017-11-19 22:18:00 |
| Restart Datetime | 2017-11-20 15:42:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2017-11-20 01:05:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2017-11-20 02:55:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1197724 NRC Report How to search |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Pipe Fac Name | 31_cross Country System |
| Segment Name | Cc19_vidauri To Tivoli Ps; Pes Id# 75190 |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Tx |
| Onshore Postal Code | 77990 |
| Onshore City Name | Tivoli |
| Onshore County Name | Refugio |
| Designated Location | Milepost/valve Station |
| Designated Name | 64.1 |
| 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 | Tubing |
| Installation Year | 2015 |
| Material Involved | Material Other Than Carbon Steel |
| Material Details | Stainless Steel |
| Release Type | Rupture |
| Rupture Orient | Circumferential |
| Rupture Width | 0.4 |
| Rupture Length | 1.2 |
| 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 | 452 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 200 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 2400 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Prpty | 3052 |
| Accident Psig | 1741 |
| Mop Psig | 2500 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Scada Functional Ind | Yes |
| Scada Detection Ind | Yes |
| Scada Conf Ind | Yes |
| 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 | Station was operating within limits at the time of the automated station shutdown. All pump and station controls where in automatic at the time of the shutdown. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Equipment Failure |
| Cause Details | Defective Or Loose Tubing Or Fitting |
| Eq Failure Type | Defective Or Loose Tubing Or Fitting |
| Additional Vibration Ind | Yes |
| Additional Installation Ind | Yes |
| Preparer Name | G****** L* L****** |
| Preparer Title | Principle Environmental Engineer |
| Preparer Email | G**************@l**.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 281-709-0703 |
| Preparer Fax | 281-709-0759 |
| Prepared Date | 2018-07-25 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | M****** S* C***** |
| Authorizer Telephone | 281-709-0626 |
| Authorizer Title | Technical Manager |
| Authorizer Email | M*************@l**.com |
| Narrative | Equistar pipeline control center received lel alarm at the tivoli pump station on the cross country system 31 vidauri to ps2 (tivoli). The pump station emergency shut-down (esd) activated per design, the pump station valves aligned to by-pass the station and the pressure within the pump station was sent to the flare. On-call technicians were dispatched to investigate the alarm and esd. At 1:05am on 11/20/2017, the technicians discovered a 3/8in stainless steel tubing to a pressure transmitter had failed on the pump discharge. The tubing was replaced and subsequently the pump station was brought back online. The investigation revealed the tubing failure was due to high cycle, low stress mechanical fatigue suggesting high-frequency vibration as the likely cause. The tubing was connected to a pressure transmitter which was mounted in a manner that amplified vibrations transferred from the pump discharge piping. To prevent recurrence the pressure transmitter will be remounted to address high frequency vibration and the investigation findings and corrective action will be communicated to employees. |
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