Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2023-06-08 — TX
Operator
Plains Pipeline, L.p.
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Commodity
Crude Oil
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$500
Incident datetime
2023-06-08 00:00 UTC
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
Approximately 3.6 barrels of crude oil were released from a catch basin at south sprayberry junction station. The date and time of the release (part a q4) is indicative of the earliest possible the release could have started based on the last date/time the location had been visited and confirmed to be no release of crude oil. The cause of the release is attributed to incorrect operation when an operator left a valve in the wrong position on the suction side of an idled pump. The valve misalignment allowed for backpressure on a check valve which failed, leading to the catch basin overfilling. To prevent future incidents, the employee was re-trained on valve alignments and the check valve was replaced. Supplemental report (1): in additional to the previously mentioned preventative measures, plains will update internal procedures to reflect confirmation that valves associated with proving activities are in the correct position. Supplemental report (2): the valve misalignment occurred after meter proving activities were completed on 04/27/2023. Aerial patrol was able to identify staining near the incident location, as the release occurred above ground. In regard to actions taken to immediately stop the release, plains' operator arrived onsite and closed the valve that had been left in the wrong position. Once confirmed that no further crude oil was being released from the catch-basin associated with the suction side station piping of an idled pump, a backhoe was utilized to assist with the gathering of the contaminated soil to place on a non-permeable surface for remediation and testing.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2023-06-08 00:00:00
Iyear
2023
Report Number
20230121
Supplemental Number
38634
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
Time Zone
Central
Daylight Savings Ind
Yes
Location Latitude
31.81868026
Location Longitude
-101.6884896
Commodity Released Type
Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls
3.6
Recovered Bbls
3.6
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Air Patrol
Operator Type
Contractor Working For The Operator
System Part Involved
Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore
Onshore
Status When Identified
Normal Operation, Includes Pauses Between Batches And During Maintenance
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
No
Shutdown Explain
Section Of Piping Was In An Idle State At The Time Of The Release.
Communication State Fed Ind
Yes
Party Initiated Communication
Operator
Nrc Rpt Num
Nrc Notification Not Required
Ignite Ind
No
Notify Qualified Indiv Ind
Yes
Oil Spill Removal Org Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
South Sprayberry Junction
Segment Name
South Sprayberry Junction Check Meter
Onshore State Abbreviation
Tx
Onshore Postal Code
79379
Onshore City Name
Not Within A Municipality
Onshore County Name
Glasscock
Designated Location
Milepost
Designated Name
0+00
Federal
No
Location Type
Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Intrastate
Item Involved
Valve
Valve Type
Auxiliary Or Other Valve
Installation Year
2013
Manufactured Year
2013
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Overfill Or Overflow
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
257
Est Cost Prop Damage
500
Est Cost Emergency
15000
Est Cost Environmental
0
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
15757
Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght
0
Num Injured Treated By Emt
0
Num Resident Building Affctd
0
Num Business Building Affctd
0
Accident Psig
0
Mop Psig
1413
Mop Cfr Section
Component Design Pressure �195.406(A)(2)
Maop Established Date
2013-01-08 00:00:00
Maop Reversal Flow Ind
No
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop
Pressure Restriction Ind
No
Pipeline Function
> 20% Smys Regulated Gathering
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
Yes
Cpm Operating Ind
Yes
Cpm Functional Ind
Yes
Cpm Detection Ind
No
Cpm Conf Ind
No
Investigation Status
Yes, specify investigation result(s): (select all that apply)
Invest Schedule Ind
Yes
Invest No Control Room Ind
Yes
Invest No Controller Ind
Yes
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Incorrect Operation
Cause Details
Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow
Operation Type
Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow
Overflow Other Ind
Valve Misalignment
Related Inadequate Proc Ind
Yes
Category Type
Normal Operating Conditions
Operator Qualification Ind
Yes
Qualified Individuals
Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S)
Eqf Control Releaf Ind
Yes
Preparer Name
N****** G*******
Preparer Title
Supervisor Hse-Regulatory Compliance
Preparer Email
N***************@p*****.com
Preparer Telephone
7136464376
Prepared Date
2023-10-09 00:00:00
Local Contact Name
N****** G*******
Local Contact Email
N***************@p*****.com
Local Contact Telephone
7136464376
Authorizer Name
N***** G*****
Authorizer Telephone
7136464336
Authorizer Title
Hse Mgr Director
Authorizer Email
N******@p****.com
Narrative
Approximately 3.6 barrels of crude oil were released from a catch basin at south sprayberry junction station. The date and time of the release (part a q4) is indicative of the earliest possible the release could have started based on the last date/time the location had been visited and confirmed to be no release of crude oil. The cause of the release is attributed to incorrect operation when an operator left a valve in the wrong position on the suction side of an idled pump. The valve misalignment allowed for backpressure on a check valve which failed, leading to the catch basin overfilling. To prevent future incidents, the employee was re-trained on valve alignments and the check valve was replaced. Supplemental report (1): in additional to the previously mentioned preventative measures, plains will update internal procedures to reflect confirmation that valves associated with proving activities are in the correct position. Supplemental report (2): the valve misalignment occurred after meter proving activities were completed on 04/27/2023. Aerial patrol was able to identify staining near the incident location, as the release occurred above ground. In regard to actions taken to immediately stop the release, plains' operator arrived onsite and closed the valve that had been left in the wrong position. Once confirmed that no further crude oil was being released from the catch-basin associated with the suction side station piping of an idled pump, a backhoe was utilized to assist with the gathering of the contaminated soil to place on a non-permeable surface for remediation and testing.
| Report Received Date | 2023-06-08 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2023 |
| Report Number | 20230121 |
| Supplemental Number | 38634 |
| 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 |
| Time Zone | Central |
| Daylight Savings Ind | Yes |
| Location Latitude | 31.81868026 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -101.6884896 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Crude Oil |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 3.6 |
| Recovered Bbls | 3.6 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Accident Identifier | Air Patrol |
| Operator Type | Contractor Working For The Operator |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Status When Identified | Normal Operation, Includes Pauses Between Batches And During Maintenance |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | No |
| Shutdown Explain | Section Of Piping Was In An Idle State At The Time Of The Release. |
| Communication State Fed Ind | Yes |
| Party Initiated Communication | Operator |
| Nrc Rpt Num | Nrc Notification Not Required NRC Report How to search |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Notify Qualified Indiv Ind | Yes |
| Oil Spill Removal Org Ind | No |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Pipe Fac Name | South Sprayberry Junction |
| Segment Name | South Sprayberry Junction Check Meter |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Tx |
| Onshore Postal Code | 79379 |
| Onshore City Name | Not Within A Municipality |
| Onshore County Name | Glasscock |
| Designated Location | Milepost |
| Designated Name | 0+00 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Typical Aboveground Facility Piping Or Appurtenance |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Intrastate |
| Item Involved | Valve |
| Valve Type | Auxiliary Or Other Valve |
| Installation Year | 2013 |
| Manufactured Year | 2013 |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Overfill Or Overflow |
| 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 | 257 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 500 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 15000 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 0 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Prpty | 15757 |
| Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght | 0 |
| Num Injured Treated By Emt | 0 |
| Num Resident Building Affctd | 0 |
| Num Business Building Affctd | 0 |
| Accident Psig | 0 |
| Mop Psig | 1413 |
| Mop Cfr Section | Component Design Pressure �195.406(A)(2) View CFR 49 §192 |
| Maop Established Date | 2013-01-08 00:00:00 |
| Maop Reversal Flow Ind | No |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop |
| Pressure Restriction Ind | No |
| Pipeline Function | > 20% Smys Regulated Gathering |
| 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 | Yes |
| Cpm Operating Ind | Yes |
| Cpm Functional Ind | Yes |
| Cpm Detection Ind | No |
| Cpm Conf Ind | No |
| Investigation Status | Yes, specify investigation result(s): (select all that apply) |
| Invest Schedule Ind | Yes |
| Invest No Control Room Ind | Yes |
| Invest No Controller Ind | Yes |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Incorrect Operation |
| Cause Details | Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow |
| Operation Type | Tank, Vessel, Or Sump/separator Allowed Or Caused To Overfill Or Overflow |
| Overflow Other Ind | Valve Misalignment |
| Related Inadequate Proc Ind | Yes |
| Category Type | Normal Operating Conditions |
| Operator Qualification Ind | Yes |
| Qualified Individuals | Yes, They Were Qualified For The Task(S) |
| Eqf Control Releaf Ind | Yes |
| Preparer Name | N****** G******* |
| Preparer Title | Supervisor Hse-Regulatory Compliance |
| Preparer Email | N***************@p*****.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 7136464376 |
| Prepared Date | 2023-10-09 00:00:00 |
| Local Contact Name | N****** G******* |
| Local Contact Email | N***************@p*****.com |
| Local Contact Telephone | 7136464376 |
| Authorizer Name | N***** G***** |
| Authorizer Telephone | 7136464336 |
| Authorizer Title | Hse Mgr Director |
| Authorizer Email | N******@p****.com |
| Narrative | Approximately 3.6 barrels of crude oil were released from a catch basin at south sprayberry junction station. The date and time of the release (part a q4) is indicative of the earliest possible the release could have started based on the last date/time the location had been visited and confirmed to be no release of crude oil. The cause of the release is attributed to incorrect operation when an operator left a valve in the wrong position on the suction side of an idled pump. The valve misalignment allowed for backpressure on a check valve which failed, leading to the catch basin overfilling. To prevent future incidents, the employee was re-trained on valve alignments and the check valve was replaced. Supplemental report (1): in additional to the previously mentioned preventative measures, plains will update internal procedures to reflect confirmation that valves associated with proving activities are in the correct position. Supplemental report (2): the valve misalignment occurred after meter proving activities were completed on 04/27/2023. Aerial patrol was able to identify staining near the incident location, as the release occurred above ground. In regard to actions taken to immediately stop the release, plains' operator arrived onsite and closed the valve that had been left in the wrong position. Once confirmed that no further crude oil was being released from the catch-basin associated with the suction side station piping of an idled pump, a backhoe was utilized to assist with the gathering of the contaminated soil to place on a non-permeable surface for remediation and testing. |
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