Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2023-12-14 — TX
Operator
Nustar Pipeline Operating Partnership L.p.
Cause
Other Accident Cause
Commodity
Hvl Or Other Flammable Or Toxic Fluid Which Is A Gas At Ambient Conditions
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$115,000
Incident datetime
2023-12-14 00:00 UTC
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
On 11/15/2023, at 1337, the lyon county, ia, sheriff's department contacted nustar's control room, stating that a farmer was chiseling the field and hit the pipeline. He reported a vapor cloud from the field and that he had closed 260th street between elmwood street and fig avenue. Two homes were notified that, out of precaution, they should evacuate. Employees headed to close the rock rapids terminal outstation valve lbv70 (closed at 1401) and the rock valley valve lbv60 (closed at 1403). The site was secured and monitored until the pressure was low enough to enter safely and repair the line. To maintain site security, nustar employees remained at the site 24 hours a day. On 11/17/2023, stopples were installed 140' upstream and 300' downstream of the leak location to cut out the damaged line safely. The line was cut out and replaced with 44.95' of pre-tested pipe. The line was restarted on 11/18/2023 at 10:52. The pipe was sent for metallurgical analysis for material data collection.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2023-12-14 00:00:00
Iyear
2023
Report Number
20230299
Supplemental Number
38983
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
10012
Name
Nustar Pipeline Operating Partnership L.p.
Operator Street Address
8111 Westchester Drive
Operator City Name
Dallas
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
75225
Time Zone
Central
Daylight Savings Ind
Yes
Location Latitude
43.2718
Location Longitude
-96.2868
Commodity Released Type
Hvl Or Other Flammable Or Toxic Fluid Which Is A Gas At Ambient Conditions
Commodity Subtype
Other Hvl
Commodity Details
Propane
Unintentional Release Bbls
2250
Intentional Release Bbls
0
Recovered Bbls
0
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Notification From Emergency Responder
System Part Involved
Onshore Pipeline, Including Valve Sites
On Off Shore
Onshore
Status When Identified
Normal Operation, Includes Pauses Between Batches And During Maintenance
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
No
Shutdown Explain
The Line Was Already Down, Holding Static Pressure.
Nrc Rpt Num
1384385
Additional Nrc Report Numbers
1384553
Ignite Ind
No
Upstream Action Taken
Valve Closure
Upstream Valve Type Ind
Manual
Downstream Action Taken
Valve Closure
Downstream Valve Type Ind
Manual
Num Pub Evacuated
3
Pipe Fac Name
Yankton Terminal To Rock Rapids Terminal
Segment Name
Hawarden Junction To Rock Rapids Terminal
Onshore State Abbreviation
Ia
Onshore Postal Code
51235
Onshore City Name
Not Within A Municipality
Onshore County Name
Lyon
Designated Location
Milepost
Designated Name
29.25
Federal
No
Location Type
Pipeline Right-Of-Way
Incident Area Type
Underground
Incident Area Subtype
Under Soil
Depth Of Cover
13
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Interstate
Item Involved
Pipe
Pipe Type
Pipe Body
Puddle Weld Ind
No
Pipe Diameter
6.625
Pipe Wall Thickness
0.219
Pipe Smys
24000
Pipe Specification
Unknown
Pipe Seam Type
Seamless
Pipe Manufacturer
National Tube
Pipe Coating Type
Coal Tar
Coating Applied Ind
Unknown
Installation Year
1939
Manufactured Year
Unknown
Material Involved
Carbon Steel
Release Type
Mechanical Puncture
Puncture Axial
2.5
Puncture Circum
1
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
2500
Est Cost Gas Released
57685
Est Cost Prop Damage
115000
Est Cost Emergency
0
Est Cost Environmental
0
Est Cost Other
7500
Est Cost Other Details
Internal Travel, Meals, Hotel. Gift Card Expenses For (2) Evacuated Families.
Prpty
182685
Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght
0
Num Injured Treated By Emt
0
Num Resident Building Affctd
2
Num Business Building Affctd
0
Accident Psig
415
Mop Psig
960
Mop Cfr Section
Other
Mop Cfr Section Details
Unknown
Maop Established Date
1939-01-01 00:00:00
Maop Reversal Flow Ind
No
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop
Pressure Restriction Ind
No
Length Segment Isolated
59664
Internal Inspection Ind
Yes
Operation Complications 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
Yes
Cpm Operating Ind
Yes
Cpm Functional Ind
Yes
Cpm Detection Ind
Yes
Cpm Conf 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
The cr operator was not a factor in the cause of this incident and responded correctly. The pipeline was shut down and blocked in after it was struck by a chisel plow, which caused the leak.
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Other Accident Cause
Cause Details
Miscellaneous
Other Type
Miscellaneous
Misc Details
The Pipeline Was Struck By A Chisel Plow, Which Caused The Leak.
Preparer Name
K*** P****
Preparer Title
Pipeline Safety Supervisor
Preparer Email
K*********@n***********.com
Preparer Telephone
3167217053
Prepared Date
2023-12-19 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
R**** H******
Authorizer Telephone
316-721-7030
Authorizer Title
General Manager - Ce Region
Authorizer Email
R************@n***********.com
Narrative
On 11/15/2023, at 1337, the lyon county, ia, sheriff's department contacted nustar's control room, stating that a farmer was chiseling the field and hit the pipeline. He reported a vapor cloud from the field and that he had closed 260th street between elmwood street and fig avenue. Two homes were notified that, out of precaution, they should evacuate. Employees headed to close the rock rapids terminal outstation valve lbv70 (closed at 1401) and the rock valley valve lbv60 (closed at 1403). The site was secured and monitored until the pressure was low enough to enter safely and repair the line. To maintain site security, nustar employees remained at the site 24 hours a day. On 11/17/2023, stopples were installed 140' upstream and 300' downstream of the leak location to cut out the damaged line safely. The line was cut out and replaced with 44.95' of pre-tested pipe. The line was restarted on 11/18/2023 at 10:52. The pipe was sent for metallurgical analysis for material data collection.
| Report Received Date | 2023-12-14 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2023 |
| Report Number | 20230299 |
| Supplemental Number | 38983 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 10012 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Nustar Pipeline Operating Partnership L.p. |
| Operator Street Address | 8111 Westchester Drive |
| Operator City Name | Dallas |
| Operator State Abbreviation | TX |
| Operator Postal Code | 75225 |
| Time Zone | Central |
| Daylight Savings Ind | Yes |
| Location Latitude | 43.2718 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -96.2868 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Hvl Or Other Flammable Or Toxic Fluid Which Is A Gas At Ambient Conditions |
| Commodity Subtype | Other Hvl |
| Commodity Details | Propane |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 2250 |
| Intentional Release Bbls | 0 |
| Recovered Bbls | 0 |
| Fatality Ind | No |
| Fatal | 0 |
| Injury Ind | No |
| Injure | 0 |
| Accident Identifier | Notification From Emergency Responder |
| System Part Involved | Onshore Pipeline, Including Valve Sites |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Status When Identified | Normal Operation, Includes Pauses Between Batches And During Maintenance |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | No |
| Shutdown Explain | The Line Was Already Down, Holding Static Pressure. |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1384385 NRC Report How to search |
| Additional Nrc Report Numbers | 1384553 |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Upstream Action Taken | Valve Closure |
| Upstream Valve Type Ind | Manual |
| Downstream Action Taken | Valve Closure |
| Downstream Valve Type Ind | Manual |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 3 |
| Pipe Fac Name | Yankton Terminal To Rock Rapids Terminal |
| Segment Name | Hawarden Junction To Rock Rapids Terminal |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Ia |
| Onshore Postal Code | 51235 |
| Onshore City Name | Not Within A Municipality |
| Onshore County Name | Lyon |
| Designated Location | Milepost |
| Designated Name | 29.25 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Pipeline Right-Of-Way |
| Incident Area Type | Underground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Under Soil |
| Depth Of Cover | 13 |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Interstate |
| Item Involved | Pipe |
| Pipe Type | Pipe Body |
| Puddle Weld Ind | No |
| Pipe Diameter | 6.625 |
| Pipe Wall Thickness | 0.219 |
| Pipe Smys | 24000 |
| Pipe Specification | Unknown |
| Pipe Seam Type | Seamless |
| Pipe Manufacturer | National Tube |
| Pipe Coating Type | Coal Tar |
| Coating Applied Ind | Unknown |
| Installation Year | 1939 |
| Manufactured Year | Unknown |
| Material Involved | Carbon Steel |
| Release Type | Mechanical Puncture |
| Puncture Axial | 2.5 |
| Puncture Circum | 1 |
| 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 | 2500 |
| Est Cost Gas Released | 57685 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 115000 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 0 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 0 |
| Est Cost Other | 7500 |
| Est Cost Other Details | Internal Travel, Meals, Hotel. Gift Card Expenses For (2) Evacuated Families. |
| Prpty | 182685 |
| Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght | 0 |
| Num Injured Treated By Emt | 0 |
| Num Resident Building Affctd | 2 |
| Num Business Building Affctd | 0 |
| Accident Psig | 415 |
| Mop Psig | 960 |
| Mop Cfr Section | Other View CFR 49 §192 |
| Mop Cfr Section Details | Unknown |
| Maop Established Date | 1939-01-01 00:00:00 |
| Maop Reversal Flow Ind | No |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop |
| Pressure Restriction Ind | No |
| Length Segment Isolated | 59664 |
| Internal Inspection Ind | Yes |
| Operation Complications 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 | Yes |
| Cpm Operating Ind | Yes |
| Cpm Functional Ind | Yes |
| Cpm Detection Ind | Yes |
| Cpm Conf 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 | The cr operator was not a factor in the cause of this incident and responded correctly. The pipeline was shut down and blocked in after it was struck by a chisel plow, which caused the leak. |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Other Accident Cause |
| Cause Details | Miscellaneous |
| Other Type | Miscellaneous |
| Misc Details | The Pipeline Was Struck By A Chisel Plow, Which Caused The Leak. |
| Preparer Name | K*** P**** |
| Preparer Title | Pipeline Safety Supervisor |
| Preparer Email | K*********@n***********.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 3167217053 |
| Prepared Date | 2023-12-19 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | R**** H****** |
| Authorizer Telephone | 316-721-7030 |
| Authorizer Title | General Manager - Ce Region |
| Authorizer Email | R************@n***********.com |
| Narrative | On 11/15/2023, at 1337, the lyon county, ia, sheriff's department contacted nustar's control room, stating that a farmer was chiseling the field and hit the pipeline. He reported a vapor cloud from the field and that he had closed 260th street between elmwood street and fig avenue. Two homes were notified that, out of precaution, they should evacuate. Employees headed to close the rock rapids terminal outstation valve lbv70 (closed at 1401) and the rock valley valve lbv60 (closed at 1403). The site was secured and monitored until the pressure was low enough to enter safely and repair the line. To maintain site security, nustar employees remained at the site 24 hours a day. On 11/17/2023, stopples were installed 140' upstream and 300' downstream of the leak location to cut out the damaged line safely. The line was cut out and replaced with 44.95' of pre-tested pipe. The line was restarted on 11/18/2023 at 10:52. The pipe was sent for metallurgical analysis for material data collection. |
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