NORTHERN ILLINOIS GAS CO

Incident Narrative

THIRD PARTY CONTRACTOR, VERITA TELECOMMUNICATIONS CORP, WAS DIRECTIONAL DRILLING ALONG THE EAST SIDE OF MCLEAN BLVD, AT/NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF BIG TIMBER RD. THE VERITA HDD CREW WAS DRILLING ACROSS BIG TIMBER RD. A VERITA CREW-PERSON CALLED A NICOR GAS EMPLOYEE AT 15:49 ON JANUARY 10, 2023, INDICATING THEY SMELLED GAS. COMPANY EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WERE DISPATCHED IN RESPONSE TO THE NOTIFICATION. UPON EVALUATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A 12-INCH MAIN HAD BEEN DAMAGED AND THE SYSTEM COULD BE ISOLATED USING TWO EXISTING VALVES (EAST & WEST OF THE DAMAGE) AND A LINE STOP FITTING (NORTH OF THE DAMAGE). THE RELEASE WAS SECURED AT APPROXIMATELY 22:42 ON JANUARY 11, 2023. NICOR INSTALLED A 250-FOOT LONG, 4-INCH BYPASS TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF ADDITIONAL GAS SERVICE INTERRUPTION TO CUSTOMERS THAT WERE NOT ALREADY IMPACTED BY THE INCIDENT. THE BYPASS WAS IN SERVICE AT APPROXIMATELY 03:00 (24-HOUR TIME) ON JANUARY 12, 2023. THE DAMAGED SECTION OF MAIN WAS EXPOSED AND EXAMINED, AND A CLAMP WAS INSTALLED TO REPAIR THE DAMAGED SECTION. THE SYSTEM WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE IN SECTIONS, WITH THE LAST SECTION RETURNING TO NORMAL OPERATION BY 21:46 ON JANUARY 12, 2023. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, THERE WAS A VALID ONE-CALL TICKET AND MARKINGS WERE ACCURATE. THE CONTRACTOR INDICATED THEY POTHOLED DOWN TO 4.5 FEET AND OBSERVED THE TOP OF WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS A GAS MAIN. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE THAT THE CONTRACTOR HAD EXPOSED THE 12-INCH GAS MAIN TO OBSERVE THE DRILLING EQUIPMENT PASS THE GAS MAIN DURING THEIR OPERATION. THE DAMAGE TO THE 12-INCH MAIN OCCURRED AT A DEPTH OF 9.5 FEET.