Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2018-08-02 — TX
Operator
Seadrift Pipeline Corp
Cause
Incorrect Operation
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)
$47,000
Incident datetime
2018-08-02 16:10
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
On august 2, 2018 technicians were preparing to start up propane pump p-103 inside the seadrift plant in seadrift, texas. After the technician commanded the pump to start, it caught fire. The pump seal had just been replaced. The technician onsite watching the pump was communicating with the control room during start-up when he observed the fire. The remote emergency shutdown device and remote deluge systems which isolated propane to the pump and placed the station in by-pass was automatically initiated. This minimized the fire and release to about 8 gallons of propane; however, the ensuing fire was enough to damage the motor. The root cause investigation determined that the primary cause of the pump malfunction was inadequate pump seal installation procedures, which resulted in a misalignment of the coupling assembly. The misalignment prevented the seal from functioning properly and caused the pump fire. The procedure was revised to prevent recurrence.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2018-08-31 00:00:00
Iyear
2018
Report Number
20180262
Supplemental Number
31752
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
26086
Name
Seadrift Pipeline Corp
Operator Street Address
1000 County Road 340
Operator City Name
Angleton
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77515
Local Datetime
2018-08-02 16:10:00
Location Latitude
28.5108876
Location Longitude
-96.7655338
Commodity Released Type
Hvl Or Other Flammable Or Toxic Fluid Which Is A Gas At Ambient Conditions
Commodity Subtype
Lpg (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) / Ngl (Natural Gas Liquid)
Unintentional Release Bbls
0.2
Intentional Release Bbls
0
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
2018-08-02 16:10:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
No
Shutdown Explain
Release Was From A Pump, Which Had Been Isolated/out Of Service For Maintenance
On Site Datetime
2018-08-02 16:10:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2018-08-02 18:45:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1220355
Ignite Ind
Yes
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Gcpl_ella-Seadrift_8in
Segment Name
Ella Seadrift
Onshore State Abbreviation
Tx
Onshore Postal Code
77983
Onshore City Name
Seadrift
Onshore County Name
Calhoun
Designated Location
Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name
Seadrift Oper
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
Intrastate
Item Involved
Pump
Installation Year
2018
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Seal Or Packing
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
10
Est Cost Prop Damage
47000
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Environmental
0
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
47010
Accident Psig
1000
Mop Psig
1753
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
No
Scada Conf Ind
No
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
This event occurred while personnel were starting up a pump after maintenance, the controller was not involved until the event started, and responded appropriately.
Employee Drug Test Ind
Yes
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Num Employees Tested
1
Num Employees Failed
0
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Cause Details
Equipment Not Installed Properly
Operation Type
Equipment Not Installed Properly
Related Inadequate Proc Ind
Yes
Category Type
Routine Maintenance
Operator Qualification Ind
Yes
Qualified Individuals
Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S)
Preparer Name
J******* A*******
Preparer Title
Regulatory Compliance Specialist
Preparer Email
J*********@d**.com
Preparer Telephone
979-238-0361
Preparer Fax
979-238-5685
Prepared Date
2019-03-08 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
J******* A*******
Authorizer Telephone
979-238-0361
Authorizer Title
Regulatory Complaince Specialist
Authorizer Email
J*********@d**.com
Narrative
On august 2, 2018 technicians were preparing to start up propane pump p-103 inside the seadrift plant in seadrift, texas. After the technician commanded the pump to start, it caught fire. The pump seal had just been replaced. The technician onsite watching the pump was communicating with the control room during start-up when he observed the fire. The remote emergency shutdown device and remote deluge systems which isolated propane to the pump and placed the station in by-pass was automatically initiated. This minimized the fire and release to about 8 gallons of propane; however, the ensuing fire was enough to damage the motor. The root cause investigation determined that the primary cause of the pump malfunction was inadequate pump seal installation procedures, which resulted in a misalignment of the coupling assembly. The misalignment prevented the seal from functioning properly and caused the pump fire. The procedure was revised to prevent recurrence.
| Report Received Date | 2018-08-31 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2018 |
| Report Number | 20180262 |
| Supplemental Number | 31752 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 26086 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Seadrift Pipeline Corp |
| Operator Street Address | 1000 County Road 340 |
| Operator City Name | Angleton |
| Operator State Abbreviation | TX |
| Operator Postal Code | 77515 |
| Local Datetime | 2018-08-02 16:10:00 |
| Location Latitude | 28.5108876 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -96.7655338 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Hvl Or Other Flammable Or Toxic Fluid Which Is A Gas At Ambient Conditions |
| Commodity Subtype | Lpg (Liquefied Petroleum Gas) / Ngl (Natural Gas Liquid) |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 0.2 |
| Intentional Release Bbls | 0 |
| 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 | 2018-08-02 16:10:00 |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | No |
| Shutdown Explain | Release Was From A Pump, Which Had Been Isolated/out Of Service For Maintenance |
| On Site Datetime | 2018-08-02 16:10:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2018-08-02 18:45:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1220355 NRC Report How to search |
| Ignite Ind | Yes |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Pipe Fac Name | Gcpl_ella-Seadrift_8in |
| Segment Name | Ella Seadrift |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Tx |
| Onshore Postal Code | 77983 |
| Onshore City Name | Seadrift |
| Onshore County Name | Calhoun |
| Designated Location | Milepost/valve Station |
| Designated Name | Seadrift Oper |
| 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 | Intrastate |
| Item Involved | Pump |
| Installation Year | 2018 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Leak |
| Leak Type | Seal Or Packing |
| 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 | 10 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 47000 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Prpty | 47010 |
| Accident Psig | 1000 |
| Mop Psig | 1753 |
| 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 | No |
| Scada Conf Ind | No |
| 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 | This event occurred while personnel were starting up a pump after maintenance, the controller was not involved until the event started, and responded appropriately. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | Yes |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Num Employees Tested | 1 |
| Num Employees Failed | 0 |
| Cause | Incorrect Operation |
| Cause Details | Equipment Not Installed Properly |
| Operation Type | Equipment Not Installed Properly |
| Related Inadequate Proc Ind | Yes |
| Category Type | Routine Maintenance |
| Operator Qualification Ind | Yes |
| Qualified Individuals | Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S) |
| Preparer Name | J******* A******* |
| Preparer Title | Regulatory Compliance Specialist |
| Preparer Email | J*********@d**.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 979-238-0361 |
| Preparer Fax | 979-238-5685 |
| Prepared Date | 2019-03-08 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | J******* A******* |
| Authorizer Telephone | 979-238-0361 |
| Authorizer Title | Regulatory Complaince Specialist |
| Authorizer Email | J*********@d**.com |
| Narrative | On august 2, 2018 technicians were preparing to start up propane pump p-103 inside the seadrift plant in seadrift, texas. After the technician commanded the pump to start, it caught fire. The pump seal had just been replaced. The technician onsite watching the pump was communicating with the control room during start-up when he observed the fire. The remote emergency shutdown device and remote deluge systems which isolated propane to the pump and placed the station in by-pass was automatically initiated. This minimized the fire and release to about 8 gallons of propane; however, the ensuing fire was enough to damage the motor. The root cause investigation determined that the primary cause of the pump malfunction was inadequate pump seal installation procedures, which resulted in a misalignment of the coupling assembly. The misalignment prevented the seal from functioning properly and caused the pump fire. The procedure was revised to prevent recurrence. |
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