HL incident on 2019-07-26 — TX

Operator
Plains Pipeline, L.p.
Cause
Equipment Failure
Commodity
Crude Oil
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities 0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$150
Incident datetime
2019-07-26 04:15
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
Loss of electrical power shut down the air compressor. The loss of air supply to the pneumatic actuator on the back pressure valve to meter the skid resulted in the valve moving to the closed position. The pressure relief valve opened causing vibration on the system resulting in the 1/2 inch nipple failure and 35 barrels of crude oil being release. The earliest date/time of the release (07/26/2019, 04:00) is based on when video footage at the facility captured the start of the release. The national response center (nrc) was later contacted on 08/07/2019, after it was estimated that cleanup costs would exceed $50,000. To prevent future releases, plains has replaced a 1/2 inch valve consequently affected by the incident, and the nipple which failed. Supplemental: updated part c, question 3.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2019-08-23 00:00:00
Iyear
2019
Report Number
20190264
Supplemental Number
33383
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
Name
Plains Pipeline, L.p.
Operator Street Address
333 Clay Street, Suite 1900
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77002
Local Datetime
2019-07-26 04:00:00
Location Latitude
Location Longitude
-103.6659723
Commodity Released Type
Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls
32
Recovered Bbls
15
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type
Operator Employee
Incident Identified Datetime
2019-07-26 04:15:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Shutdown Datetime
2019-07-26 04:20:00
Restart Datetime
2019-07-26 16:00:00
On Site Datetime
2019-07-26 04:15:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2019-08-07 12:26:00
Nrc Rpt Num
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Red Hills
Segment Name
Meter And Sampling System
Onshore State Abbreviation
Nm
Onshore Postal Code
88252
Onshore City Name
Jal
Onshore County Name
Lea
Designated Location
Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name
0+00
Federal
Yes
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
Interstate
Item Involved
Meter/prover
Installation Year
Unknown
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Connection Failure
Wildlife Impact Ind
No
Soil Contamination
Yes
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
955
Est Cost Prop Damage
150
Est Cost Emergency
25000
Est Cost Environmental
167000
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
193105
Accident Psig
250
Mop Psig
275
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
No
Scada Functional Ind
No
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
Control center lost communication with the station due to a power outage around the incident area. When they lost communication, they called operations personnel to investigate.
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Equipment Failure
Cause Details
Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment
Eq Failure Type
Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment
Control Valve Ind
Yes
Power Failure Ind
Yes
Additional Vibration Ind
Yes
Additional Electricity Ind
Yes
Preparer Name
N****** G*******
Preparer Title
Erc Compliance Specialist
Preparer Email
N*********@p****.com
Preparer Telephone
7136464376
Prepared Date
2020-02-28 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
N***** G*****
Authorizer Telephone
7136464336
Authorizer Title
Erc Mgr Director
Authorizer Email
N******@p****.com
Narrative
Loss of electrical power shut down the air compressor. The loss of air supply to the pneumatic actuator on the back pressure valve to meter the skid resulted in the valve moving to the closed position. The pressure relief valve opened causing vibration on the system resulting in the 1/2 inch nipple failure and 35 barrels of crude oil being release. The earliest date/time of the release (07/26/2019, 04:00) is based on when video footage at the facility captured the start of the release. The national response center (nrc) was later contacted on 08/07/2019, after it was estimated that cleanup costs would exceed $50,000. To prevent future releases, plains has replaced a 1/2 inch valve consequently affected by the incident, and the nipple which failed. Supplemental: updated part c, question 3.
Report Received Date 2019-08-23 00:00:00
Iyear 2019
Report Number 20190264
Supplemental Number 33383
Report Type Supplemental Final
Operator Id 300 PHMSA Enforcement
Name Plains Pipeline, L.p.
Operator Street Address 333 Clay Street, Suite 1900
Operator City Name Houston
Operator State Abbreviation TX
Operator Postal Code 77002
Local Datetime 2019-07-26 04:00:00
Location Latitude 32.06577502 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Location Longitude -103.6659723 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Commodity Released Type Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls 32
Recovered Bbls 15
Fatality Ind No
Fatal 0
Injury Ind No
Injure 0
Accident Identifier Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type Operator Employee
Incident Identified Datetime 2019-07-26 04:15:00
System Part Involved Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind Yes
Shutdown Datetime 2019-07-26 04:20:00
Restart Datetime 2019-07-26 16:00:00
On Site Datetime 2019-07-26 04:15:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime 2019-08-07 12:26:00
Nrc Rpt Num 1254474 NRC Report How to search
Ignite Ind No
Explode Ind No
Num Pub Evacuated 0
Pipe Fac Name Red Hills
Segment Name Meter And Sampling System
Onshore State Abbreviation Nm
Onshore Postal Code 88252
Onshore City Name Jal
Onshore County Name Lea
Designated Location Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name 0+00
Federal Yes
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 Interstate
Item Involved Meter/prover
Installation Year Unknown
Material Involved Carbon Steel
Release Type Leak
Leak Type Connection Failure
Wildlife Impact Ind No
Soil Contamination Yes
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 955
Est Cost Prop Damage 150
Est Cost Emergency 25000
Est Cost Environmental 167000
Est Cost Other 0
Prpty 193105
Accident Psig 250
Mop Psig 275
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 No
Scada Functional Ind No
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 Control center lost communication with the station due to a power outage around the incident area. When they lost communication, they called operations personnel to investigate.
Employee Drug Test Ind No
Contractor Drug Test Ind No
Cause Equipment Failure
Cause Details Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment
Eq Failure Type Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment
Control Valve Ind Yes
Power Failure Ind Yes
Additional Vibration Ind Yes
Additional Electricity Ind Yes
Preparer Name N****** G*******
Preparer Title Erc Compliance Specialist
Preparer Email N*********@p****.com
Preparer Telephone 7136464376
Prepared Date 2020-02-28 00:00:00
Authorizer Name N***** G*****
Authorizer Telephone 7136464336
Authorizer Title Erc Mgr Director
Authorizer Email N******@p****.com
Narrative Loss of electrical power shut down the air compressor. The loss of air supply to the pneumatic actuator on the back pressure valve to meter the skid resulted in the valve moving to the closed position. The pressure relief valve opened causing vibration on the system resulting in the 1/2 inch nipple failure and 35 barrels of crude oil being release. The earliest date/time of the release (07/26/2019, 04:00) is based on when video footage at the facility captured the start of the release. The national response center (nrc) was later contacted on 08/07/2019, after it was estimated that cleanup costs would exceed $50,000. To prevent future releases, plains has replaced a 1/2 inch valve consequently affected by the incident, and the nipple which failed. Supplemental: updated part c, question 3.

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