Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2019-11-12 — GA
Operator
Colonial Pipeline Co
Cause
Equipment Failure
Commodity
Refined And/or Petroleum Product (Non-Hvl) Which Is A Liquid At Ambient Conditions
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$462,500
Incident datetime
2019-11-12 14:12
Report number
Location
GA
Narrative
At approximately 14:05, the control center received a power failure alarm from vance station and at 14:06 received a power failure alarm from pelham station. In response to the pressure transients on the line, the controller began the process of shutting down. The relief system activated at vance station at 14:05 when the power failure occurred. At 14:07, the control center received a high tank alarm and at 14:11 the max tank alarm was received. At approximately 1412, technicians working at vance station observed product flowing from the roof vents on relief tank 5076. They immediately notified the control center. At 14:13, the line pressure was reduced enough to allow the relief isolation valve to be closed. The om, do and dem were then notified. At 15:15, adem was notified (rpt#17986) and at 15:40 the nrc was notified (rpt#1263763). Clean up efforts began immediately and is ongoing. It is estimated that 277 barrels of product was released and to date approximately 210 barrels have been recovered. The incident analysis has identified the release was caused by a line pressure surge that resulted in relief that exceeded the capacity of the relief tank. The electrical failure caused the "time over current" protective relay trip. The control valve at pelham did not open after suction pressure conditions were met. Evidence suggests the calculations used to determine the set points for the t35 protective relays, including this one at pelham, were not correct. Company standards, processes, and training have been reviewed and updated. Update: during the response and remedial effort 9,563 gallons of free product was recovered. Additionally 4 gallons were calculated to be contained in the 514 tons of excavated soil. Total recovery volume is 9567 gallons or 228 bbls. 10/23/2024 - updated by PHMSA per operator approval.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2019-12-10 00:00:00
Iyear
2019
Report Number
20190373
Supplemental Number
34227
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
2552
Name
Colonial Pipeline Co
Operator Street Address
1000 Lake St.
Operator City Name
Alpharetta
Operator State Abbreviation
GA
Operator Postal Code
30009
Local Datetime
2019-11-12 14:11:00
Location Latitude
33.126459
Location Longitude
-87.237692
Commodity Released Type
Refined And/or Petroleum Product (Non-Hvl) Which Is A Liquid At Ambient Conditions
Commodity Subtype
Diesel, Fuel Oil, Kerosene, Jet Fuel
Unintentional Release Bbls
277.79
Recovered Bbls
227.79
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Cpm Leak Detection System Or Scada-Based Information (Such As Alarm(S), Alert(S), Event(S), And/or Volume Calculations)
Incident Identified Datetime
2019-11-12 14:12:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Breakout Tank Or Storage Vessel, Including Attached Appurtenances
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Shutdown Datetime
2019-11-12 14:11:00
Restart Datetime
2019-11-12 21:37:00
On Site Datetime
2019-11-12 14:12:00
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2019-11-12 15:40:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1263763
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Vance Station
Segment Name
Vance Station Relief Tank
Onshore State Abbreviation
Al
Onshore Postal Code
35184
Onshore City Name
West Blocton
Onshore County Name
Bibb
Designated Location
Survey Station No.
Designated Name
424
Federal
No
Location Type
Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type
Tank, Including Attached Appurtenances
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Interstate
Item Involved
Tank/vessel
Tank Vessel Subtype
Vent
Tank Type
Atmospheric
Installation Year
2000
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Overfill Or 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
Yes
Commodity Reached Hca
Yes
Other Pop Ind
Yes
Other Pop Yes No
Yes
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Gas Released
925
Est Cost Prop Damage
462500
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Environmental
1037500
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
1500925
Accident Psig
0
Mop Psig
0
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
No
Investigation Status
Yes, specify investigation result(s): (select all that apply)
Invest No Control Room Ind
Yes
Invest No Controller Ind
Yes
Employee Drug Test Ind
Yes
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Num Employees Tested
3
Num Employees Failed
0
Cause
Equipment Failure
Cause Details
Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment
Eq Failure Type
Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment
Control Valve Ind
Yes
Additional Overpressure Ind
Yes
Additional Electricity Ind
Yes
Preparer Name
D***** L******
Preparer Title
Compliance Coordinator
Preparer Email
D*******@c******.com
Preparer Telephone
770.819.3574
Prepared Date
2020-09-03 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
D***** L******
Authorizer Telephone
770.819.3574
Authorizer Title
Compliance Coordinator
Authorizer Email
D*******@c******.com
Narrative
At approximately 14:05, the control center received a power failure alarm from vance station and at 14:06 received a power failure alarm from pelham station. In response to the pressure transients on the line, the controller began the process of shutting down. The relief system activated at vance station at 14:05 when the power failure occurred. At 14:07, the control center received a high tank alarm and at 14:11 the max tank alarm was received. At approximately 1412, technicians working at vance station observed product flowing from the roof vents on relief tank 5076. They immediately notified the control center. At 14:13, the line pressure was reduced enough to allow the relief isolation valve to be closed. The om, do and dem were then notified. At 15:15, adem was notified (rpt#17986) and at 15:40 the nrc was notified (rpt#1263763). Clean up efforts began immediately and is ongoing. It is estimated that 277 barrels of product was released and to date approximately 210 barrels have been recovered. The incident analysis has identified the release was caused by a line pressure surge that resulted in relief that exceeded the capacity of the relief tank. The electrical failure caused the "time over current" protective relay trip. The control valve at pelham did not open after suction pressure conditions were met. Evidence suggests the calculations used to determine the set points for the t35 protective relays, including this one at pelham, were not correct. Company standards, processes, and training have been reviewed and updated. Update: during the response and remedial effort 9,563 gallons of free product was recovered. Additionally 4 gallons were calculated to be contained in the 514 tons of excavated soil. Total recovery volume is 9567 gallons or 228 bbls. 10/23/2024 - updated by PHMSA per operator approval.
| Report Received Date | 2019-12-10 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2019 |
| Report Number | 20190373 |
| Supplemental Number | 34227 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 2552 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Colonial Pipeline Co |
| Operator Street Address | 1000 Lake St. |
| Operator City Name | Alpharetta |
| Operator State Abbreviation | GA |
| Operator Postal Code | 30009 |
| Local Datetime | 2019-11-12 14:11:00 |
| Location Latitude | 33.126459 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -87.237692 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Refined And/or Petroleum Product (Non-Hvl) Which Is A Liquid At Ambient Conditions |
| Commodity Subtype | Diesel, Fuel Oil, Kerosene, Jet Fuel |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 277.79 |
| Recovered Bbls | 227.79 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Accident Identifier | Cpm Leak Detection System Or Scada-Based Information (Such As Alarm(S), Alert(S), Event(S), And/or Volume Calculations) |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2019-11-12 14:12:00 |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Breakout Tank Or Storage Vessel, Including Attached Appurtenances |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | Yes |
| Shutdown Datetime | 2019-11-12 14:11:00 |
| Restart Datetime | 2019-11-12 21:37:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2019-11-12 14:12:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2019-11-12 15:40:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1263763 NRC Report How to search |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Pipe Fac Name | Vance Station |
| Segment Name | Vance Station Relief Tank |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Al |
| Onshore Postal Code | 35184 |
| Onshore City Name | West Blocton |
| Onshore County Name | Bibb |
| Designated Location | Survey Station No. |
| Designated Name | 424 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property |
| Incident Area Type | Tank, Including Attached Appurtenances |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Interstate |
| Item Involved | Tank/vessel |
| Tank Vessel Subtype | Vent |
| Tank Type | Atmospheric |
| Installation Year | 2000 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Overfill Or 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 | Yes |
| Commodity Reached Hca | Yes |
| Other Pop Ind | Yes |
| Other Pop Yes No | Yes |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0 |
| Est Cost Gas Released | 925 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 462500 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 1037500 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Prpty | 1500925 |
| Accident Psig | 0 |
| Mop Psig | 0 |
| 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 | No |
| Investigation Status | Yes, specify investigation result(s): (select all that apply) |
| Invest No Control Room Ind | Yes |
| Invest No Controller Ind | Yes |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | Yes |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Num Employees Tested | 3 |
| Num Employees Failed | 0 |
| Cause | Equipment Failure |
| Cause Details | Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment |
| Eq Failure Type | Malfunction Of Control/relief Equipment |
| Control Valve Ind | Yes |
| Additional Overpressure Ind | Yes |
| Additional Electricity Ind | Yes |
| Preparer Name | D***** L****** |
| Preparer Title | Compliance Coordinator |
| Preparer Email | D*******@c******.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 770.819.3574 |
| Prepared Date | 2020-09-03 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | D***** L****** |
| Authorizer Telephone | 770.819.3574 |
| Authorizer Title | Compliance Coordinator |
| Authorizer Email | D*******@c******.com |
| Narrative | At approximately 14:05, the control center received a power failure alarm from vance station and at 14:06 received a power failure alarm from pelham station. In response to the pressure transients on the line, the controller began the process of shutting down. The relief system activated at vance station at 14:05 when the power failure occurred. At 14:07, the control center received a high tank alarm and at 14:11 the max tank alarm was received. At approximately 1412, technicians working at vance station observed product flowing from the roof vents on relief tank 5076. They immediately notified the control center. At 14:13, the line pressure was reduced enough to allow the relief isolation valve to be closed. The om, do and dem were then notified. At 15:15, adem was notified (rpt#17986) and at 15:40 the nrc was notified (rpt#1263763). Clean up efforts began immediately and is ongoing. It is estimated that 277 barrels of product was released and to date approximately 210 barrels have been recovered. The incident analysis has identified the release was caused by a line pressure surge that resulted in relief that exceeded the capacity of the relief tank. The electrical failure caused the "time over current" protective relay trip. The control valve at pelham did not open after suction pressure conditions were met. Evidence suggests the calculations used to determine the set points for the t35 protective relays, including this one at pelham, were not correct. Company standards, processes, and training have been reviewed and updated. Update: during the response and remedial effort 9,563 gallons of free product was recovered. Additionally 4 gallons were calculated to be contained in the 514 tons of excavated soil. Total recovery volume is 9567 gallons or 228 bbls. 10/23/2024 - updated by PHMSA per operator approval. |
External Resources
PHMSA pipeline safety insights.
Product
Features
Company
All rights reserved. Copyright © by ClearPHMSA