Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2020-10-07 — 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)
$15,000
Incident datetime
2020-10-07 07:15
Report number
Location
GA
Narrative
At approximately 0715 cdt on october 7, 2020, product (diesel) was discovered within a vault surrounding the line 2 unit 4 check valve by a technician at church point station. Diesel fuel from the check valve spring cover entered the tubing line that leads to a leak detection box. The leak detection box has a hinged lid which allows colonial personnel to visually identify equipment failures prior to experiencing a release to the environment. Under normal circumstances, any product that enters the leak detection box would travel through piping into the facility sump. However, during this event, the leak detection box overflowed from the lid and into an underground vault where it collected on top of standing storm water. Adjacent soils surrounding a portion of the underground vault were impacted by diesel. All free product captured within the underground vault was recovered and pumped into the facility sump. The adjacent diesel-impacted soils were excavated and placed into a lined, covered roll off box for later disposal at a regulated landfill. A small amount of diesel was also collected with absorbent material and sent off-site for recycling. All product was contained on-site and appropriate notifications were made. Note: on september 25, 2020 an operator discovered a small leak from the check valve seal entering into the leak detection box. The product was contained within the box and was draining to the sump with no standing product in the leak detection box. Regular monitoring occurred and downtime for repairs was scheduled for october 8, 2020. The leak detection box was checked on afternoon of october 6, 2020 with no change observed and the release was discovered on the morning of october 7, 2020. At the time of discovery the same volume leaking into the leak detection box was observed with no visible standing product was in the box. Incident analysis found that the release was due to normal wear and tear of the check valve clapper shaft packing. The components of the check valve were repaired. To mitigate a reoccurrence, the facility implemented periodic flushing of the drain lines.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2020-10-30 00:00:00
Iyear
2020
Report Number
20200292
Supplemental Number
35174
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
2020-10-07 07:23:00
Location Latitude
30.44457431
Location Longitude
-92.29073641
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
1.65
Recovered Bbls
1.65
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type
Operator Employee
Incident Identified Datetime
2020-10-07 07:15:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Shutdown Datetime
2020-10-07 07:23:00
Restart Datetime
2020-10-07 18:00:00
On Site Datetime
2020-10-07 07:15:00
Nrc Rpt Num
Nrc Notification Not Required
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Church Point
Segment Name
221
Onshore State Abbreviation
La
Onshore Postal Code
70525
Onshore City Name
Church Point
Onshore County Name
Acadia
Designated Location
Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name
221
Federal
No
Location Type
Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
In Underground Enclosed Space (E.g. Vault)
Depth Of Cover
Unknown
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Interstate
Item Involved
Auxiliary Piping (E.g. Drain Lines)
Installation Year
1981
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Leak
Leak Type
Seal Or Packing
Wildlife Impact Ind
No
Soil Contamination
Yes
Long Term Assessment
No
Remediation Ind
Yes
Soil Remed Ind
Yes
Water Contam Ind
No
Could Be Hca
Yes
Commodity Reached Hca
No
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Gas Released
100
Est Cost Prop Damage
15000
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Environmental
10000
Est Cost Other
5000
Prpty
30100
Accident Psig
320
Mop Psig
960
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
Mop was not exceeded prior to the leak.
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Equipment Failure
Cause Details
Other Equipment Failure
Eq Failure Type
Other Equipment Failure
Failure Details
Stem Packing Failure
Eq Additional Other Ind
Yes
Eq Additional Other Details
Stem Packing Failure
Preparer Name
R***** D*****
Preparer Title
Compliance Coordinator
Preparer Email
R******@c******.com
Preparer Telephone
409-790-4288
Prepared Date
2021-04-14 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
M*** P*****
Authorizer Telephone
678-7635911
Authorizer Title
Compliance Manager
Authorizer Email
M******@c******.com
Narrative
At approximately 0715 cdt on october 7, 2020, product (diesel) was discovered within a vault surrounding the line 2 unit 4 check valve by a technician at church point station. Diesel fuel from the check valve spring cover entered the tubing line that leads to a leak detection box. The leak detection box has a hinged lid which allows colonial personnel to visually identify equipment failures prior to experiencing a release to the environment. Under normal circumstances, any product that enters the leak detection box would travel through piping into the facility sump. However, during this event, the leak detection box overflowed from the lid and into an underground vault where it collected on top of standing storm water. Adjacent soils surrounding a portion of the underground vault were impacted by diesel. All free product captured within the underground vault was recovered and pumped into the facility sump. The adjacent diesel-impacted soils were excavated and placed into a lined, covered roll off box for later disposal at a regulated landfill. A small amount of diesel was also collected with absorbent material and sent off-site for recycling. All product was contained on-site and appropriate notifications were made. Note: on september 25, 2020 an operator discovered a small leak from the check valve seal entering into the leak detection box. The product was contained within the box and was draining to the sump with no standing product in the leak detection box. Regular monitoring occurred and downtime for repairs was scheduled for october 8, 2020. The leak detection box was checked on afternoon of october 6, 2020 with no change observed and the release was discovered on the morning of october 7, 2020. At the time of discovery the same volume leaking into the leak detection box was observed with no visible standing product was in the box. Incident analysis found that the release was due to normal wear and tear of the check valve clapper shaft packing. The components of the check valve were repaired. To mitigate a reoccurrence, the facility implemented periodic flushing of the drain lines.
| Report Received Date | 2020-10-30 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2020 |
| Report Number | 20200292 |
| Supplemental Number | 35174 |
| 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 | 2020-10-07 07:23:00 |
| Location Latitude | 30.44457431 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -92.29073641 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 | 1.65 |
| Recovered Bbls | 1.65 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Accident Identifier | Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors |
| Operator Type | Operator Employee |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2020-10-07 07:15:00 |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | Yes |
| Shutdown Datetime | 2020-10-07 07:23:00 |
| Restart Datetime | 2020-10-07 18:00:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2020-10-07 07:15:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | Nrc Notification Not Required NRC Report How to search |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Explode Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Pipe Fac Name | Church Point |
| Segment Name | 221 |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | La |
| Onshore Postal Code | 70525 |
| Onshore City Name | Church Point |
| Onshore County Name | Acadia |
| Designated Location | Milepost/valve Station |
| Designated Name | 221 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property |
| Incident Area Type | Underground |
| Incident Area Subtype | In Underground Enclosed Space (E.g. Vault) |
| Depth Of Cover | Unknown |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Interstate |
| Item Involved | Auxiliary Piping (E.g. Drain Lines) |
| Installation Year | 1981 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Leak |
| Leak Type | Seal Or Packing |
| Wildlife Impact Ind | No |
| Soil Contamination | Yes |
| Long Term Assessment | No |
| Remediation Ind | Yes |
| Soil Remed Ind | Yes |
| Water Contam Ind | No |
| Could Be Hca | Yes |
| Commodity Reached Hca | No |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0 |
| Est Cost Gas Released | 100 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 15000 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 10000 |
| Est Cost Other | 5000 |
| Prpty | 30100 |
| Accident Psig | 320 |
| Mop Psig | 960 |
| 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 | Mop was not exceeded prior to the leak. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Equipment Failure |
| Cause Details | Other Equipment Failure |
| Eq Failure Type | Other Equipment Failure |
| Failure Details | Stem Packing Failure |
| Eq Additional Other Ind | Yes |
| Eq Additional Other Details | Stem Packing Failure |
| Preparer Name | R***** D***** |
| Preparer Title | Compliance Coordinator |
| Preparer Email | R******@c******.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 409-790-4288 |
| Prepared Date | 2021-04-14 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | M*** P***** |
| Authorizer Telephone | 678-7635911 |
| Authorizer Title | Compliance Manager |
| Authorizer Email | M******@c******.com |
| Narrative | At approximately 0715 cdt on october 7, 2020, product (diesel) was discovered within a vault surrounding the line 2 unit 4 check valve by a technician at church point station. Diesel fuel from the check valve spring cover entered the tubing line that leads to a leak detection box. The leak detection box has a hinged lid which allows colonial personnel to visually identify equipment failures prior to experiencing a release to the environment. Under normal circumstances, any product that enters the leak detection box would travel through piping into the facility sump. However, during this event, the leak detection box overflowed from the lid and into an underground vault where it collected on top of standing storm water. Adjacent soils surrounding a portion of the underground vault were impacted by diesel. All free product captured within the underground vault was recovered and pumped into the facility sump. The adjacent diesel-impacted soils were excavated and placed into a lined, covered roll off box for later disposal at a regulated landfill. A small amount of diesel was also collected with absorbent material and sent off-site for recycling. All product was contained on-site and appropriate notifications were made. Note: on september 25, 2020 an operator discovered a small leak from the check valve seal entering into the leak detection box. The product was contained within the box and was draining to the sump with no standing product in the leak detection box. Regular monitoring occurred and downtime for repairs was scheduled for october 8, 2020. The leak detection box was checked on afternoon of october 6, 2020 with no change observed and the release was discovered on the morning of october 7, 2020. At the time of discovery the same volume leaking into the leak detection box was observed with no visible standing product was in the box. Incident analysis found that the release was due to normal wear and tear of the check valve clapper shaft packing. The components of the check valve were repaired. To mitigate a reoccurrence, the facility implemented periodic flushing of the drain lines. |
External Resources
PHMSA pipeline safety insights.
Product
Features
Company
All rights reserved. Copyright © by ClearPHMSA