Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2020-11-04 — TX
Operator
Enbridge Storage (Cushing) L.l.c.
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Commodity
Crude Oil
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$42,122
Incident datetime
2020-11-04 12:32
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
On november 4, 2020 at approximately 12:32 pm ct during a routine annual tank inspection, oil was discovered on the internal roof of tank 3012 at the cushing terminal. Approximately 5 barrels of oil was discovered in the bulkheads on the internal floating roof. Given that the oil was contained between the floating roof and the fixed roof, an action plan was developed to take the tank out of service to remove the oil. On december 7, 2020 it was determined that a failure occurred due to incorrect operation after an investigation found that the tanks internal floating roof was set down on its legs multiple times since the last out of service inspection in february of 2014. Further investigation found that the leg height set within the scada system didn't match the leg height on the floating roof in the field which was left in the high (maintenance) position after the last internal inspection. Enbridge's procedures require that the legs be returned to operational (low leg) position. Drawing oil down at operational flow rates while the roof was on its legs caused air to be sucked around the roof seal to form a vapor space under the roof. When the tank was then filled at operational fill rates it caused air to vent through appurtenances as the roof vent is not designed for full flow rate. Over many fill and withdraw cycles this caused oil to spray onto the top side of the floating roof to raise concern and investigate. All crude has been cleaned up and the tank remains out of service for its annual API 653 tank inspection.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2020-12-23 00:00:00
Iyear
2020
Report Number
20200339
Supplemental Number
34777
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
39145
Name
Enbridge Storage (Cushing) L.l.c.
Operator Street Address
915 N Eldridge Parkway, Suite 1100
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77079
Local Datetime
2020-11-04 12:32:00
Location Latitude
35.936469
Location Longitude
-96.751432
Commodity Released Type
Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls
5
Recovered Bbls
5
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type
Operator Employee
Incident Identified Datetime
2020-11-04 12:32:00
System Part Involved
Onshore Breakout Tank Or Storage Vessel, Including Attached Appurtenances
On Off Shore
Onshore
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
No
Shutdown Explain
Tank Was Taken Out Of Service
On Site Datetime
2020-11-04 12:32:00
Nrc Rpt Num
Nrc Notification Not Required
Ignite Ind
No
Explode Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Cushing Terminal
Segment Name
Tank 3012
Onshore State Abbreviation
Ok
Onshore Postal Code
74023
Onshore City Name
Cushing
Onshore County Name
Lincoln
Designated Location
Milepost/valve Station
Designated Name
Cushing
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
Roof/roof Seal
Tank Type
Atmospheric
Installation Year
1976
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Other
Release Type Details
Floating Roof
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
0
Est Cost Prop Damage
42122
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Environmental
0
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
42122
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
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
Controller actions did not lead to this release and therefore no investigation was necessary
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Cause Details
Other Incorrect Operation
Operation Type
Other Incorrect Operation
Operation Details
Incorrect Tank Leg Height Position
Related Failure Follow Ind
Yes
Category Type
Routine Maintenance
Operator Qualification Ind
No
Preparer Name
S**** S****
Preparer Title
Sr Compliance Analyst
Preparer Email
S**********@e*******.com
Preparer Telephone
218-206-5872
Prepared Date
2021-01-28 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
S**** D*****
Authorizer Telephone
715-718-1236
Authorizer Title
Supervisor Us Pipeline Compliance
Authorizer Email
S************@e*******.com
Narrative
On november 4, 2020 at approximately 12:32 pm ct during a routine annual tank inspection, oil was discovered on the internal roof of tank 3012 at the cushing terminal. Approximately 5 barrels of oil was discovered in the bulkheads on the internal floating roof. Given that the oil was contained between the floating roof and the fixed roof, an action plan was developed to take the tank out of service to remove the oil. On december 7, 2020 it was determined that a failure occurred due to incorrect operation after an investigation found that the tanks internal floating roof was set down on its legs multiple times since the last out of service inspection in february of 2014. Further investigation found that the leg height set within the scada system didn't match the leg height on the floating roof in the field which was left in the high (maintenance) position after the last internal inspection. Enbridge's procedures require that the legs be returned to operational (low leg) position. Drawing oil down at operational flow rates while the roof was on its legs caused air to be sucked around the roof seal to form a vapor space under the roof. When the tank was then filled at operational fill rates it caused air to vent through appurtenances as the roof vent is not designed for full flow rate. Over many fill and withdraw cycles this caused oil to spray onto the top side of the floating roof to raise concern and investigate. All crude has been cleaned up and the tank remains out of service for its annual API 653 tank inspection.
| Report Received Date | 2020-12-23 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2020 |
| Report Number | 20200339 |
| Supplemental Number | 34777 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 39145 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Enbridge Storage (Cushing) L.l.c. |
| Operator Street Address | 915 N Eldridge Parkway, Suite 1100 |
| Operator City Name | Houston |
| Operator State Abbreviation | TX |
| Operator Postal Code | 77079 |
| Local Datetime | 2020-11-04 12:32:00 |
| Location Latitude | 35.936469 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -96.751432 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Crude Oil |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 5 |
| Recovered Bbls | 5 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Accident Identifier | Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors |
| Operator Type | Operator Employee |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2020-11-04 12:32:00 |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Breakout Tank Or Storage Vessel, Including Attached Appurtenances |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | No |
| Shutdown Explain | Tank Was Taken Out Of Service |
| On Site Datetime | 2020-11-04 12:32:00 |
| 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 | Cushing Terminal |
| Segment Name | Tank 3012 |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Ok |
| Onshore Postal Code | 74023 |
| Onshore City Name | Cushing |
| Onshore County Name | Lincoln |
| Designated Location | Milepost/valve Station |
| Designated Name | Cushing |
| 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 | Roof/roof Seal |
| Tank Type | Atmospheric |
| Installation Year | 1976 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Other |
| Release Type Details | Floating Roof |
| 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 | 0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 42122 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Prpty | 42122 |
| 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 | 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 | Controller actions did not lead to this release and therefore no investigation was necessary |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Incorrect Operation |
| Cause Details | Other Incorrect Operation |
| Operation Type | Other Incorrect Operation |
| Operation Details | Incorrect Tank Leg Height Position |
| Related Failure Follow Ind | Yes |
| Category Type | Routine Maintenance |
| Operator Qualification Ind | No |
| Preparer Name | S**** S**** |
| Preparer Title | Sr Compliance Analyst |
| Preparer Email | S**********@e*******.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 218-206-5872 |
| Prepared Date | 2021-01-28 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | S**** D***** |
| Authorizer Telephone | 715-718-1236 |
| Authorizer Title | Supervisor Us Pipeline Compliance |
| Authorizer Email | S************@e*******.com |
| Narrative | On november 4, 2020 at approximately 12:32 pm ct during a routine annual tank inspection, oil was discovered on the internal roof of tank 3012 at the cushing terminal. Approximately 5 barrels of oil was discovered in the bulkheads on the internal floating roof. Given that the oil was contained between the floating roof and the fixed roof, an action plan was developed to take the tank out of service to remove the oil. On december 7, 2020 it was determined that a failure occurred due to incorrect operation after an investigation found that the tanks internal floating roof was set down on its legs multiple times since the last out of service inspection in february of 2014. Further investigation found that the leg height set within the scada system didn't match the leg height on the floating roof in the field which was left in the high (maintenance) position after the last internal inspection. Enbridge's procedures require that the legs be returned to operational (low leg) position. Drawing oil down at operational flow rates while the roof was on its legs caused air to be sucked around the roof seal to form a vapor space under the roof. When the tank was then filled at operational fill rates it caused air to vent through appurtenances as the roof vent is not designed for full flow rate. Over many fill and withdraw cycles this caused oil to spray onto the top side of the floating roof to raise concern and investigate. All crude has been cleaned up and the tank remains out of service for its annual API 653 tank inspection. |
External Resources
PHMSA pipeline safety insights.
Product
Features
Company
All rights reserved. Copyright © by ClearPHMSA