CENTRAL FLORIDA GAS CORP

Incident Narrative

ON 10/11/22 DRILLING SMART, DIRECTIONAL BORE CONTRACTOR, HIT A 6"" PE GAS MAIN OPERATED BY CENTRAL FLORIDA GAS UNDER THE PAVING AT ADAMS ST AND BRIDGERS AVE IN AUBURNDALE, FLORIDA. THE 6"" PE IS IN THE AREA WHERE THERE IS AN OLD ABANDONED 4"" BARE STEEL GAS MAIN. THE CONTRACT LOCATOR FOR CENTRAL FLORIDA GAS WAS OFF ON HIS MARKINGS. DRILLING SMART EXPOSED THE 4"" BARE STEEL AND ASSUMED IT WAS THE ACTIVE GAS MAIN AND BORED DEEPER THAN THAT LINE AND HIT THE ACTIVE 6"" PE GAS MAIN. CENTRAL FLORIDA GAS RESPONDED AND USED PIPE SQUEEZERS ON BOTH SIDES OF THE INTERSECTION TO STOP THE FLOW OF GAS IN THIS DUAL FED GAS MAIN AND DID NOT LOSE SERVICE TO ANY CUSTOMERS. THE POINT OF DAMAGE WAS UNDER THE ROADWAY PAVING AND THE ACTUAL DAMAGE COULD NOT BE SEEN. ON 10/12/22, A NEW PIECE OF 6"" PE WAS INSTALLED UNDER THE INTERSECTION VIA DIRECTIONAL BORE, TESTED AND TIED IN. GAS WAS RESTORED TO THAT MAIN ON 10/14/22. ON 11/1/22, THE CITY OF AUBURNDALE PRESENTED CENTRAL FLORIDA GAS WITH COSTS TO RESTORE THE ROAD BASE AND PAVING AT THAT INTERSECTION, PUSHING THE DAMAGE COST ABOVE THE PHMSA REPORTING THRESHOLD OF $122,000. A NOTICE WAS MADE TO THE NATIONAL REPORTING CENTER VIA TELEPHONE ON 11/1/22 AND A 48 HOUR FOLLOW UP ON 11/3/22. 12/28/2022 SUPPLEMENT CORRECTION MADE TO PART A (19) - INCORRECT NRC REPORT NUMBER ENTERED INITIALLY WITH A NUMBER LEFT OUT. CORRECT NRC REPORT NUMBER OF 1351443 ENTERED. PART J - EXCAVATION DAMAGE (EXCAVATION DAMAGE BY THIRD PARTY) REMOVED AS NOT NECESSARY SINCE LISTED IN G3. CHANGED CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO INCORRECT OPERATION (FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROCEDURES) DUE TO CONTRACT LOCATOR BEING OFF ON MARKS AND NOT LISTING THE TYPE AND SIZE OF GAS MAIN IN THE POSITIVE RESPONSE FOR THE LOCATE TICKET. THE LOCATOR WAS OFF ON THE LOCATE MARKS BY A FEW FEET. THE EXCAVATOR SPOTTED A PIPE SEVERAL FEET AWAY IN A GRASSY AREA AND ASSUMED IT WAS THE GAS MAIN AND AT A CERTAIN DEPTH. THEY BORED THE ROAD AT A DEEPER DEPTH AND HIT THE LIVE PE GAS MAIN. THE PIPE THEY DUG UP AND SPOTTED FOR DEPTH WAS AN OLD RETIRED 4"" BARE STEEL GAS MAIN AND NOT THE LIVE 6"" PE GAS MAIN. THE CONTRACTOR LOCATOR TECHNICIANS WERE BROUGHT IN AND INSTRUCTED AGAIN TO LIST THE SIZE AND TYPE OF PIPE ON THE POSITIVE RESPONSE TO MARKED LOCATE TICKETS, PER PROCEDURES, TO ENSURE EXCAVATORS ARE SURE WHICH PIPES THEY ARE SPOTTING. NO OTHER DAMAGE INFORMATION OR COSTS REQUIRE UPDATING.