HL incident on 2024-07-19 — TX

Operator
Et Crude Operating Llc
Cause
Equipment Failure
Commodity
Crude Oil
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities 0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$36,000
Incident datetime
2024-07-19 00:00 UTC
Report number
Location
TX
Narrative
On 6/22/24 at approximately 20:46, a fire at the tank 2536 mixer at the cushing north terminal was discovered. Local operating personnel contacted the terminal manager, then called 911 and requested fire services to assist in extinguishing the fire. The terminal manager contacted the control center and requested that the terminal be shut down. Once the fire was extinguished it was determined that approximately 2 barrels of crude oil was released. A contractor crew cleaned up product and removed contaminated soil. Operations pumped the tank down, replaced the mixer, inspected the tank and returned to normal service the following day. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. The removed mixer was examined by the manufacturer and a bearing failure is suspected to be the cause. The other mixer bearing on tank 2536 was removed and it along with the failed bearing were sent to an independent 3rd party lab for additional analysis. A supplemental and final report will be submitted once the investigation is complete. Supplemental & final: the investigation determined the accident was caused by equipment failure. Tank mixer seal failure was caused by mixer bearing failure which was likely due to a bearing lubrication failure or piece of debris entering the bearing assembly. Sometime after the seal leak began the power wiring to the mixer shorted to ground through a worn conduit and the resultant sparks caused ignition to the crude oil released from the seal failure. The investigation identified that the power wiring to the mixer was routed in a manner that allowed rubbing against the mixer mounting plate. To prevent reoccurrence, operations is rerouting conduits that are currently in contact with the mixer mounting plate.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2024-07-19 00:00:00
Iyear
2024
Report Number
20240170
Supplemental Number
40632
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
Name
Et Crude Operating Llc
Operator Street Address
1300 Main Street
Operator City Name
Houston
Operator State Abbreviation
TX
Operator Postal Code
77002
Time Zone
Central
Daylight Savings Ind
Yes
Location Latitude
Location Longitude
Commodity Released Type
Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls
2.5
Recovered Bbls
2.5
Fatality Ind
No
Fatal
0
Injury Ind
No
Injure
0
Accident Identifier
Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type
Operator Employee
System Part Involved
Onshore Breakout Tank Or Storage Vessel, Including Attached Appurtenances
On Off Shore
Onshore
Status When Identified
Normal Operation, Includes Pauses Between Batches And During Maintenance
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Communication State Fed Ind
Yes
Party Initiated Communication
Operator
Nrc Rpt Num
Additional Nrc Report Numbers
1402790
Ignite Ind
Yes
How Extinguished
Local/state/federal Emergency Responder
Consumed By Fire In Barrels
0.5
Explode Ind
No
Notify Qualified Indiv Ind
Yes
Oil Spill Removal Org Ind
No
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Cushing Tank Farm
Segment Name
Tank 2536
Onshore State Abbreviation
Ok
Onshore Postal Code
74023
Onshore City Name
Not Within A Municipality
Onshore County Name
Payne
Designated Location
Survey Station No.
Designated Name
0+00
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
Mixer
Tank Type
Atmospheric
Safe Fill Level
48.8
Safe Fill Level Exceeded Ind
No
Api Std Out Of Service Year
2021
Api Std In Service Year
2017
Installation Year
2021
Manufactured Year
2021
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
No
Commodity Reached Hca
No
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Gas Released
202
Est Cost Prop Damage
36000
Est Cost Emergency
35000
Est Cost Environmental
23350
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
94552
Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght
0
Num Injured Treated By Emt
0
Num Resident Building Affctd
0
Num Business Building Affctd
0
Accident Psig
15.75
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
A review of the accident determined that there were no control room actions that contributed to the event.
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
Tank Mixer Seal Failure Caused By Bearing Failure
Eq Additional Other Ind
Yes
Eq Additional Other Details
Mechanical Damage, Sliding Fatigue, Or Fretting
Preparer Name
T*** N*******
Preparer Title
Director - Dot Compliance
Preparer Email
T************@e*************.com
Preparer Telephone
713-989-7126
Prepared Date
2025-03-14 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
T*** N*******
Authorizer Telephone
713-989-7126
Authorizer Title
Director - Dot Compliance
Authorizer Email
T************@e*************.com
Narrative
On 6/22/24 at approximately 20:46, a fire at the tank 2536 mixer at the cushing north terminal was discovered. Local operating personnel contacted the terminal manager, then called 911 and requested fire services to assist in extinguishing the fire. The terminal manager contacted the control center and requested that the terminal be shut down. Once the fire was extinguished it was determined that approximately 2 barrels of crude oil was released. A contractor crew cleaned up product and removed contaminated soil. Operations pumped the tank down, replaced the mixer, inspected the tank and returned to normal service the following day. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. The removed mixer was examined by the manufacturer and a bearing failure is suspected to be the cause. The other mixer bearing on tank 2536 was removed and it along with the failed bearing were sent to an independent 3rd party lab for additional analysis. A supplemental and final report will be submitted once the investigation is complete. Supplemental & final: the investigation determined the accident was caused by equipment failure. Tank mixer seal failure was caused by mixer bearing failure which was likely due to a bearing lubrication failure or piece of debris entering the bearing assembly. Sometime after the seal leak began the power wiring to the mixer shorted to ground through a worn conduit and the resultant sparks caused ignition to the crude oil released from the seal failure. The investigation identified that the power wiring to the mixer was routed in a manner that allowed rubbing against the mixer mounting plate. To prevent reoccurrence, operations is rerouting conduits that are currently in contact with the mixer mounting plate.
Report Received Date 2024-07-19 00:00:00
Iyear 2024
Report Number 20240170
Supplemental Number 40632
Report Type Supplemental Final
Operator Id 31476 PHMSA Enforcement
Name Et Crude Operating Llc
Operator Street Address 1300 Main Street
Operator City Name Houston
Operator State Abbreviation TX
Operator Postal Code 77002
Time Zone Central
Daylight Savings Ind Yes
Location Latitude 36.020521 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Location Longitude -96.755193 Google Maps OpenStreetMap
Commodity Released Type Crude Oil
Unintentional Release Bbls 2.5
Recovered Bbls 2.5
Fatality Ind No
Fatal 0
Injury Ind No
Injure 0
Accident Identifier Local Operating Personnel, Including Contractors
Operator Type Operator Employee
System Part Involved Onshore Breakout Tank Or Storage Vessel, Including Attached Appurtenances
On Off Shore Onshore
Status When Identified Normal Operation, Includes Pauses Between Batches And During Maintenance
Shutdown Due Accident Ind Yes
Communication State Fed Ind Yes
Party Initiated Communication Operator
Nrc Rpt Num 1402673 NRC Report How to search
Additional Nrc Report Numbers 1402790
Ignite Ind Yes
How Extinguished Local/state/federal Emergency Responder
Consumed By Fire In Barrels 0.5
Explode Ind No
Notify Qualified Indiv Ind Yes
Oil Spill Removal Org Ind No
Num Pub Evacuated 0
Pipe Fac Name Cushing Tank Farm
Segment Name Tank 2536
Onshore State Abbreviation Ok
Onshore Postal Code 74023
Onshore City Name Not Within A Municipality
Onshore County Name Payne
Designated Location Survey Station No.
Designated Name 0+00
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 Mixer
Tank Type Atmospheric
Safe Fill Level 48.8
Safe Fill Level Exceeded Ind No
Api Std Out Of Service Year 2021
Api Std In Service Year 2017
Installation Year 2021
Manufactured Year 2021
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 No
Commodity Reached Hca No
Est Cost Oper Paid 0
Est Cost Gas Released 202
Est Cost Prop Damage 36000
Est Cost Emergency 35000
Est Cost Environmental 23350
Est Cost Other 0
Prpty 94552
Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght 0
Num Injured Treated By Emt 0
Num Resident Building Affctd 0
Num Business Building Affctd 0
Accident Psig 15.75
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 A review of the accident determined that there were no control room actions that contributed to the event.
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 Tank Mixer Seal Failure Caused By Bearing Failure
Eq Additional Other Ind Yes
Eq Additional Other Details Mechanical Damage, Sliding Fatigue, Or Fretting
Preparer Name T*** N*******
Preparer Title Director - Dot Compliance
Preparer Email T************@e*************.com
Preparer Telephone 713-989-7126
Prepared Date 2025-03-14 00:00:00
Authorizer Name T*** N*******
Authorizer Telephone 713-989-7126
Authorizer Title Director - Dot Compliance
Authorizer Email T************@e*************.com
Narrative On 6/22/24 at approximately 20:46, a fire at the tank 2536 mixer at the cushing north terminal was discovered. Local operating personnel contacted the terminal manager, then called 911 and requested fire services to assist in extinguishing the fire. The terminal manager contacted the control center and requested that the terminal be shut down. Once the fire was extinguished it was determined that approximately 2 barrels of crude oil was released. A contractor crew cleaned up product and removed contaminated soil. Operations pumped the tank down, replaced the mixer, inspected the tank and returned to normal service the following day. The cause of the accident is still under investigation. The removed mixer was examined by the manufacturer and a bearing failure is suspected to be the cause. The other mixer bearing on tank 2536 was removed and it along with the failed bearing were sent to an independent 3rd party lab for additional analysis. A supplemental and final report will be submitted once the investigation is complete. Supplemental & final: the investigation determined the accident was caused by equipment failure. Tank mixer seal failure was caused by mixer bearing failure which was likely due to a bearing lubrication failure or piece of debris entering the bearing assembly. Sometime after the seal leak began the power wiring to the mixer shorted to ground through a worn conduit and the resultant sparks caused ignition to the crude oil released from the seal failure. The investigation identified that the power wiring to the mixer was routed in a manner that allowed rubbing against the mixer mounting plate. To prevent reoccurrence, operations is rerouting conduits that are currently in contact with the mixer mounting plate.

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