Incident details
Operator, cause, commodity and consequences with raw source fields.
HL incident on 2024-09-16 — PA
Operator
Buckeye Partners, Lp
Cause
Equipment Failure
Commodity
Refined And/or Petroleum Product (Non-Hvl) Which Is A Liquid At Ambient Conditions
Program
HL
Damage and Injuries
0 fatalities
0 injuries
Property damage (nominal)
$15,000
Incident datetime
2024-09-16 00:00 UTC
Report number
Location
PA
Narrative
On august 19, 2024, at approximately 03:50 hours, a local operator started a delivery from tank 1211 to a marine barge utilizing the tank pump. The local operator started the tank pump using the physical on/off switch. After starting the pump, the local operator observed flames emitting from the pump. The operator immediately called 911 to dispatch emergency responders. The source was isolated and all internal and external notifications were made. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. Approximately 30 gallons of ulsd was released into secondary containment and completely contained on operator property. Additionally, approximately 30 gallons of fire foam was released by the fire department to ensure there were no remaining hazards. All released product was recovered. All released fire foam was recovered. All affected soil has been removed and properly disposed of. Further investigation revealed a minor pump seal failure was the cause of the incident. The failed tank pump was removed and sent to 3rd party for failure analysis. A replacement pump was installed, and normal operations resumed. 1/10/2025 third party failure analysis determined the cause of the failure was line feeder wires feeding the motor has a catastrophic failure or short. This caused temperatures to rise which then caused wire insulation to fail resulting in a flash fire. The heat and excessive vibration by the pump damaged the o ring forming a leak path. The seal itself was found to be properly bolted and tightened.
Detailed record list
Report Received Date
2024-09-16 00:00:00
Iyear
2024
Report Number
20240218
Supplemental Number
40407
Report Type
Supplemental Final
Operator Id
1845
Name
Buckeye Partners, Lp
Operator Street Address
The Buckeye Building 6161 Hamilton Boulevar
Operator City Name
Allentown
Operator State Abbreviation
PA
Operator Postal Code
18106
Time Zone
Eastern
Daylight Savings Ind
Yes
Location Latitude
40.560345
Location Longitude
-74.243724
Commodity Released Type
Refined And/or Petroleum Product (Non-Hvl) Which Is A Liquid At Ambient Conditions
Commodity Subtype
Diesel, Fuel Oil, Kerosene, Jet Fuel
Unintentional Release Bbls
0.75
Recovered Bbls
0.75
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 Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping
On Off Shore
Onshore
Status When Identified
Routine Start-Up
Shutdown Due Accident Ind
Yes
Communication State Fed Ind
Yes
Party Initiated Communication
Operator
Nrc Rpt Num
1408382
Additional Nrc Report Numbers
None
Ignite Ind
No
Notify Qualified Indiv Ind
Yes
Oil Spill Removal Org Ind
Yes
Osro Arrived On Site Dt
8/19/2024 4:15
Num Pub Evacuated
0
Pipe Fac Name
Port Reading
Segment Name
Tank Pump
Onshore State Abbreviation
Nj
Onshore Postal Code
07064
Onshore City Name
Port Reading
Onshore County Name
Middlesex
Designated Location
Milepost
Designated Name
Tank 1211
Federal
No
Location Type
Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property
Incident Area Type
Aboveground
Incident Area Subtype
Other
Incident Area Details
Pump Inside Tank Farm
Crossing
No
Pipe Facility Type
Interstate
Item Involved
Pump
Pump Type
Centrifugal
Pump Service Type
Other
Pump Service Type Details
Tank Pump
Installation Year
1990
Manufactured Year
1990
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
No
Water Contam Ind
No
Could Be Hca
Yes
Commodity Reached Hca
No
Est Cost Oper Paid
0
Est Cost Gas Released
38
Est Cost Prop Damage
15000
Est Cost Emergency
39100
Est Cost Environmental
23000
Est Cost Other
0
Prpty
77138
Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght
0
Num Injured Treated By Emt
0
Num Resident Building Affctd
0
Num Business Building Affctd
0
Accident Psig
75
Mop Psig
275
Mop Cfr Section
Component Design Pressure �195.406(A)(2)
Maop Established Date
1990-07-01 00:00:00
Maop Reversal Flow Ind
No
Accident Pressure
Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop
Pressure Restriction Ind
No
Pipeline Function
> 20% Smys Regulated Transmission
Scada In Place Ind
No
Cpm In Place Ind
No
Investigation Status
No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the accident
Employee Drug Test Ind
No
Contractor Drug Test Ind
No
Cause
Equipment Failure
Cause Details
Pump Or Pump-Related Equipment
Eq Failure Type
Pump Or Pump-Related Equipment
Other Pump Ind
Other
Other Pump Details
Line Feeder Wires Feeding The Motor Had A Catastrophic Failure Or Short
Additional Defect Ind
Yes
Preparer Name
D*** C*****
Preparer Title
Senior Regional Compliance Specialist
Preparer Email
D******@b******.com
Preparer Telephone
484-707-1426
Prepared Date
2025-01-14 00:00:00
Authorizer Name
R***** O****
Authorizer Telephone
610-904-4524
Authorizer Title
Director Regulatory Compliance
Authorizer Email
R*****@b******.com
Narrative
On august 19, 2024, at approximately 03:50 hours, a local operator started a delivery from tank 1211 to a marine barge utilizing the tank pump. The local operator started the tank pump using the physical on/off switch. After starting the pump, the local operator observed flames emitting from the pump. The operator immediately called 911 to dispatch emergency responders. The source was isolated and all internal and external notifications were made. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. Approximately 30 gallons of ulsd was released into secondary containment and completely contained on operator property. Additionally, approximately 30 gallons of fire foam was released by the fire department to ensure there were no remaining hazards. All released product was recovered. All released fire foam was recovered. All affected soil has been removed and properly disposed of. Further investigation revealed a minor pump seal failure was the cause of the incident. The failed tank pump was removed and sent to 3rd party for failure analysis. A replacement pump was installed, and normal operations resumed. 1/10/2025 third party failure analysis determined the cause of the failure was line feeder wires feeding the motor has a catastrophic failure or short. This caused temperatures to rise which then caused wire insulation to fail resulting in a flash fire. The heat and excessive vibration by the pump damaged the o ring forming a leak path. The seal itself was found to be properly bolted and tightened.
| Report Received Date | 2024-09-16 00:00:00 |
|---|---|
| Iyear | 2024 |
| Report Number | 20240218 |
| Supplemental Number | 40407 |
| Report Type | Supplemental Final |
| Operator Id | 1845 PHMSA Enforcement |
| Name | Buckeye Partners, Lp |
| Operator Street Address | The Buckeye Building 6161 Hamilton Boulevar |
| Operator City Name | Allentown |
| Operator State Abbreviation | PA |
| Operator Postal Code | 18106 |
| Time Zone | Eastern |
| Daylight Savings Ind | Yes |
| Location Latitude | 40.560345 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Location Longitude | -74.243724 Google Maps OpenStreetMap |
| Commodity Released Type | Refined And/or Petroleum Product (Non-Hvl) Which Is A Liquid At Ambient Conditions |
| Commodity Subtype | Diesel, Fuel Oil, Kerosene, Jet Fuel |
| Unintentional Release Bbls | 0.75 |
| Recovered Bbls | 0.75 |
| 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 Pump/meter Station Equipment And Piping |
| On Off Shore | Onshore |
| Status When Identified | Routine Start-Up |
| Shutdown Due Accident Ind | Yes |
| Communication State Fed Ind | Yes |
| Party Initiated Communication | Operator |
| Nrc Rpt Num | 1408382 NRC Report How to search |
| Additional Nrc Report Numbers | None |
| Ignite Ind | No |
| Notify Qualified Indiv Ind | Yes |
| Oil Spill Removal Org Ind | Yes |
| Osro Arrived On Site Dt | 8/19/2024 4:15 |
| Num Pub Evacuated | 0 |
| Pipe Fac Name | Port Reading |
| Segment Name | Tank Pump |
| Onshore State Abbreviation | Nj |
| Onshore Postal Code | 07064 |
| Onshore City Name | Port Reading |
| Onshore County Name | Middlesex |
| Designated Location | Milepost |
| Designated Name | Tank 1211 |
| Federal | No |
| Location Type | Totally Contained On Operator-Controlled Property |
| Incident Area Type | Aboveground |
| Incident Area Subtype | Other |
| Incident Area Details | Pump Inside Tank Farm |
| Crossing | No |
| Pipe Facility Type | Interstate |
| Item Involved | Pump |
| Pump Type | Centrifugal |
| Pump Service Type | Other |
| Pump Service Type Details | Tank Pump |
| Installation Year | 1990 |
| Manufactured Year | 1990 |
| 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 | No |
| Water Contam Ind | No |
| Could Be Hca | Yes |
| Commodity Reached Hca | No |
| Est Cost Oper Paid | 0 |
| Est Cost Gas Released | 38 |
| Est Cost Prop Damage | 15000 |
| Est Cost Emergency | 39100 |
| Est Cost Environmental | 23000 |
| Est Cost Other | 0 |
| Prpty | 77138 |
| Num Persons Hosp Not Ovnght | 0 |
| Num Injured Treated By Emt | 0 |
| Num Resident Building Affctd | 0 |
| Num Business Building Affctd | 0 |
| Accident Psig | 75 |
| Mop Psig | 275 |
| Mop Cfr Section | Component Design Pressure �195.406(A)(2) View CFR 49 §192 |
| Maop Established Date | 1990-07-01 00:00:00 |
| Maop Reversal Flow Ind | No |
| Accident Pressure | Pressure Did Not Exceed Mop |
| Pressure Restriction Ind | No |
| Pipeline Function | > 20% Smys Regulated Transmission |
| Scada In Place Ind | No |
| Cpm In Place Ind | No |
| Investigation Status | No, the facility was not monitored by a controller(s) at the time of the accident |
| Employee Drug Test Ind | No |
| Contractor Drug Test Ind | No |
| Cause | Equipment Failure |
| Cause Details | Pump Or Pump-Related Equipment |
| Eq Failure Type | Pump Or Pump-Related Equipment |
| Other Pump Ind | Other |
| Other Pump Details | Line Feeder Wires Feeding The Motor Had A Catastrophic Failure Or Short |
| Additional Defect Ind | Yes |
| Preparer Name | D*** C***** |
| Preparer Title | Senior Regional Compliance Specialist |
| Preparer Email | D******@b******.com |
| Preparer Telephone | 484-707-1426 |
| Prepared Date | 2025-01-14 00:00:00 |
| Authorizer Name | R***** O**** |
| Authorizer Telephone | 610-904-4524 |
| Authorizer Title | Director Regulatory Compliance |
| Authorizer Email | R*****@b******.com |
| Narrative | On august 19, 2024, at approximately 03:50 hours, a local operator started a delivery from tank 1211 to a marine barge utilizing the tank pump. The local operator started the tank pump using the physical on/off switch. After starting the pump, the local operator observed flames emitting from the pump. The operator immediately called 911 to dispatch emergency responders. The source was isolated and all internal and external notifications were made. The fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. Approximately 30 gallons of ulsd was released into secondary containment and completely contained on operator property. Additionally, approximately 30 gallons of fire foam was released by the fire department to ensure there were no remaining hazards. All released product was recovered. All released fire foam was recovered. All affected soil has been removed and properly disposed of. Further investigation revealed a minor pump seal failure was the cause of the incident. The failed tank pump was removed and sent to 3rd party for failure analysis. A replacement pump was installed, and normal operations resumed. 1/10/2025 third party failure analysis determined the cause of the failure was line feeder wires feeding the motor has a catastrophic failure or short. This caused temperatures to rise which then caused wire insulation to fail resulting in a flash fire. The heat and excessive vibration by the pump damaged the o ring forming a leak path. The seal itself was found to be properly bolted and tightened. |
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