Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
GD incident on 2020-12-25 — PA
Operator
Ugi Utilities, Inc
Cause
Pipe, Weld, Or Joint Failure
Commodity
Natural Gas
Program
GD
Damage and Injuries
1 fatality
2 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$39,310
Incident datetime
2020-12-25 01:44
Report number
Location
PA, MONROE
Narrative
At approximately 1:44 am december 25, 2020, ugi employees responded to a call from monroe county 911 reporting an incident involving the release of natural gas. It was discovered that the 12-inch hdpe, 100 psig maop distribution pipeline had separated at the butt fusion interface from an unknown cause. There was one confirmed fatality and two injuries requiring hospitalization from an overturned vehicle. In response to the incident, the pipeline was repaired and placed back in operation. The pipeline operating pressure has been lowered from 94 psig to 60 psig as a precautionary measure. Ugi is filing this supplemental and final report after a third-party lab completed testing on the failed butt fusion joint and a root cause analysis. The root cause was determined to be a combination of the following factors: 1) inadequate interfacial pressure applied during the joining phase of the fusion process and/or excessive dwell time between heat soak and joining phases; and 2) the failure to follow appropriate installation and inspection procedures.
Detailed record list
Occurred At
2020-12-25 01:44:00
Year
2020
Report Received Date
2021-01-24 00:00:00
Iyear
2020.0
Report Number
20210013.0
Supplemental Number
36706.0
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
20010
Name
Ugi Utilities, Inc
Operator Street Address
1 Ugi Drive
Operator City Name
Denver
Operator State Abbreviation
PA
Operator Postal Code
17517
Local Datetime
2020-12-25 01:30:00
Time Zone
Eastern
Daylight Savings Ind
No
Location Street Address
117 Lower Swiftwater Road
Location City Name
Swiftwater
Location County Name
Monroe
Location State Abbreviation
PA
Location Postal Code
18370
Location Latitude
41.095368
Location Longitude
-75.326474
Flow Cont Key Crit Ind
Yes
Nrc Rpt Datetime
2020-12-25 04:58:00
Nrc Rpt Num
1294953
Additional Nrc Report Numbers
1295037
Commodity Released Type
Natural Gas
Unintentional Release
975.0
Intentional Release
0.0
Fatality Ind
Yes
Num Emp Fatalities
0
Num Contr Fatalities
0
Num Er Fatalities
0
Num Worker Fatalities
0
Num Gp Fatalities
1
Fatal
1
Injury Ind
Yes
Num Emp Injuries
0
Num Contr Injuries
0
Num Er Injuries
0
Num Worker Injuries
0
Num Gp Injuries
2
Injure
2
Ignite Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
2.0
Incident Identified Datetime
2020-12-25 01:44:00
On Site Datetime
2020-12-25 02:07:00
Federal
No
Location Type
Public Property
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Under Pavement
Depth Of Cover
36.0
Other Underground Facilities
No
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Investor Owned
System Part Involved
Main
Installation Year
2019.0
Manufactured Year
2017.0
Pipe Diameter
12.0
Pipe Specification
Astm D2513
Pipe Manufacturer
Charter Plastics, Inc.
Material Involved
Plastic
Plastic Type
Polyethylene (Pe)
Plastic Sdr
11
Material Pe Pipe Code
4710
Release Type
Rupture
Rupture Orient
Circumferential
Rupture Length
12
Rupture Width
1.5
Class Location Type
Class 3 Location
Est Cost Oper Paid
40000.0
Est Cost Prop Damage
39310.0
Est Cost Emergency
4615.0
Est Cost Other
0.0
Gas Cost In Mcf
2.2207
Est Cost Unintentional Release
2165.0
Est Cost Intentional Release
0.0
Prpty
86090.0
Commercial Affected
5.0
Industrial Affected
0.0
Residences Affected
0.0
Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght
0.0
Num Injured Treated By Emt
0.0
Num Resident Building Affctd
0.0
Num Business Building Affctd
5.0
Accident Psig
95.0
Normal Psig
94.0
Mop Psig
100.0
Mop Cfr Section
192.619(A)(2)
Maop Established Date
2019-09-17 00:00:00
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop
Gas Odorized System Type
Combination Of Odorization Types
Gas Odorized Level
5.2
Scada In Place Ind
Yes
Scada Operating Ind
Yes
Scada Functional Ind
Yes
Scada Detection Ind
No
Scada Conf Ind
No
Accident Identifier
Notification From Emergency Responder
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
The pressure and flow rates were within normal ranges leading up to the incident and at the time the incident occurred. Actions by the control room did not impact the incident.
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Pipe, Weld, Or Joint Failure
Cause Details
Fusion Joint
Pwjf Failure Type
Fusion Joint
Plastic Joint Subtype
Butt, Heat Fusion
Fpw Installed Year
2019
Fpw First Plastic Type
Polyethylene (Pe)
Fpw Second Plastic Type
Polyethylene (Pe)
Additional Other Ind
Yes
Additional Factor Details
Inadequate Interfacial Pressure Being Applied During The Joining Phase Of The Fusion Process And/or Excessive Dwell Time Between Heat Soak And Joining Phases.
Result Construction Ind
Yes
Result Construction Subtype
Poor Workmanship
Hydrotest Conducted Ind
No
Io Follow Procedure Ind
Yes
Preparer Name
R**** H***
Preparer Title
Senior Engineer Standards
Preparer Email
R****@u**.com
Preparer Telephone
484-332-8402
Authorizer Name
T** A*******
Authorizer Title
Vp Operations
Authorizer Telephone
484-256-0345
Authorizer Email
T********@u**.com
Narrative
At approximately 1:44 am december 25, 2020, ugi employees responded to a call from monroe county 911 reporting an incident involving the release of natural gas. It was discovered that the 12-inch hdpe, 100 psig maop distribution pipeline had separated at the butt fusion interface from an unknown cause. There was one confirmed fatality and two injuries requiring hospitalization from an overturned vehicle. In response to the incident, the pipeline was repaired and placed back in operation. The pipeline operating pressure has been lowered from 94 psig to 60 psig as a precautionary measure. Ugi is filing this supplemental and final report after a third-party lab completed testing on the failed butt fusion joint and a root cause analysis. The root cause was determined to be a combination of the following factors: 1) inadequate interfacial pressure applied during the joining phase of the fusion process and/or excessive dwell time between heat soak and joining phases; and 2) the failure to follow appropriate installation and inspection procedures.
| Occurred At | 2020-12-25 01:44:00 |
|---|---|
| Year | 2020 |
| Report Received Date | 2021-01-24 00:00:00 |
| Iyear | 2020.0 |
| Report Number | 20210013.0 |
| Supplemental Number | 36706.0 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 20010 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Ugi Utilities, Inc |
| Operator Street Address | 1 Ugi Drive |
| Operator City Name | Denver |
| Operator State Abbreviation | PA |
| Operator Postal Code | 17517 |
| Local Datetime | 2020-12-25 01:30:00 |
| Time Zone | Eastern |
| Daylight Savings Ind | No |
| Location Street Address | 117 Lower Swiftwater Road |
| Location City Name | Swiftwater |
| Location County Name | Monroe |
| Location State Abbreviation | PA |
| Location Postal Code | 18370 |
| Location Latitude | 41.095368 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -75.326474 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Flow Cont Key Crit Ind | Yes |
| Nrc Rpt Datetime | 2020-12-25 04:58:00 |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1294953 NRC Report How to search |
| Additional Nrc Report Numbers | 1295037 |
| Commodity Released Type | Natural Gas |
| Unintentional Release | 975.0 |
| Intentional Release | 0.0 |
| Fatality Ind | Yes |
| Num Emp Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Contr Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Er Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Worker Fatalities | 0 |
| Num Gp Fatalities | 1 |
| Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Ind | Yes |
| Num Emp Injuries | 0 |
| Num Contr Injuries | 0 |
| Num Er Injuries | 0 |
| Num Worker Injuries | 0 |
| Num Gp Injuries | 2 |
| Injure | 2 |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 2.0 |
| Incident Identified Datetime | 2020-12-25 01:44:00 |
| On Site Datetime | 2020-12-25 02:07:00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Public Property |
| Incident Area Type | Underground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Under Pavement |
| Depth Of Cover | 36.0 |
| Other Underground Facilities | No |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Investor Owned |
| System Part Involved | Main |
| Installation Year | 2019.0 |
| Manufactured Year | 2017.0 |
| Pipe Diameter | 12.0 |
| Pipe Specification | Astm D2513 |
| Pipe Manufacturer | Charter Plastics, Inc. |
| Material Involved | Plastic |
| Plastic Type | Polyethylene (Pe) |
| Plastic Sdr | 11 |
| Material Pe Pipe Code | 4710 |
| Release Type | Rupture |
| Rupture Orient | Circumferential |
| Rupture Length | 12 |
| Rupture Width | 1.5 |
| Class Location Type | Class 3 Location |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 40000.0 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 39310.0 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 4615.0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0.0 |
| Gas Cost In Mcf | 2.2207 |
| Est Cost Unintentional Release | 2165.0 |
| Est Cost Intentional Release | 0.0 |
| Prpty | 86090.0 |
| Commercial Affected | 5.0 |
| Industrial Affected | 0.0 |
| Residences Affected | 0.0 |
| Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght | 0.0 |
| Num Injured Treated By Emt | 0.0 |
| Num Resident Building Affctd | 0.0 |
| Num Business Building Affctd | 5.0 |
| Accident Psig | 95.0 |
| Normal Psig | 94.0 |
| Mop Psig | 100.0 |
| Mop Cfr Section | 192.619(A)(2) View CFR 49 §192 |
| Maop Established Date | 2019-09-17 00:00:00 |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Maop |
| Gas Odorized System Type | Combination Of Odorization Types |
| Gas Odorized Level | 5.2 |
| Scada In Place Ind | Yes |
| Scada Operating Ind | Yes |
| Scada Functional Ind | Yes |
| Scada Detection Ind | No |
| Scada Conf Ind | No |
| Accident Identifier | Notification From Emergency Responder |
| 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 | The pressure and flow rates were within normal ranges leading up to the incident and at the time the incident occurred. Actions by the control room did not impact the incident. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Pipe, Weld, Or Joint Failure |
| Cause Details | Fusion Joint |
| Pwjf Failure Type | Fusion Joint |
| Plastic Joint Subtype | Butt, Heat Fusion |
| Fpw Installed Year | 2019 |
| Fpw First Plastic Type | Polyethylene (Pe) |
| Fpw Second Plastic Type | Polyethylene (Pe) |
| Additional Other Ind | Yes |
| Additional Factor Details | Inadequate Interfacial Pressure Being Applied During The Joining Phase Of The Fusion Process And/or Excessive Dwell Time Between Heat Soak And Joining Phases. |
| Result Construction Ind | Yes |
| Result Construction Subtype | Poor Workmanship |
| Hydrotest Conducted Ind | No |
| Io Follow Procedure Ind | Yes |
| Preparer Name | R**** H*** |
| Preparer Title | Senior Engineer Standards |
| Preparer Email | R****@u**.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 484-332-8402 |
| Authorizer Name | T** A******* |
| Authorizer Title | Vp Operations |
| Authorizer Telephone | 484-256-0345 |
| Authorizer Email | T********@u**.com |
| Narrative | At approximately 1:44 am december 25, 2020, ugi employees responded to a call from monroe county 911 reporting an incident involving the release of natural gas. It was discovered that the 12-inch hdpe, 100 psig maop distribution pipeline had separated at the butt fusion interface from an unknown cause. There was one confirmed fatality and two injuries requiring hospitalization from an overturned vehicle. In response to the incident, the pipeline was repaired and placed back in operation. The pipeline operating pressure has been lowered from 94 psig to 60 psig as a precautionary measure. Ugi is filing this supplemental and final report after a third-party lab completed testing on the failed butt fusion joint and a root cause analysis. The root cause was determined to be a combination of the following factors: 1) inadequate interfacial pressure applied during the joining phase of the fusion process and/or excessive dwell time between heat soak and joining phases; and 2) the failure to follow appropriate installation and inspection procedures. |
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