NEW MEXICO GAS COMPANY

Incident Narrative

A CONTRACTOR WORKING FOR THE LOCAL ELECTRIC COMPANY EXPOSED NMGC'S 6IN PLASTIC MAINLINE, ELECTRICAL LINES, PHONE LINES AND CABLE LINES TO PERFORM WORK ON THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ON THE WESTSIDE OF ABQ. THE TRENCH WAS APPROX. 6'DX6'WX40'L AND THE MAIN WAS EXPOSED APPROX. 2.5' OFF THE GROUND AND SPANNED THE LENGTH OF THE TRENCH. ON AUG. 11, 2010, NMGC WAS NOTIFIED OF A FIRE AT THIS LOCATION. IT IS UNKNOWN HOW GAS WAS RELEASED FROM THE MAIN OR HOW IGNITION OCCURRED. THERE APPEARED TO BE NO ACTIVE EXCAVATION ACTIVITIES AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT. THE TRENCH WAS OPEN FOR AT LEAST 6 DAYS, IF NOT LONGER. THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL FAULT THAT OCCURED IN THIS AREA ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE FIRE BUT IT IS INCONCLUSIVE WHETHER THIS WAS A FACTOR IN THE RELEASE OF GAS AND SUBSEQUENT IGNITION. ALL FACILITIES IN THE TRENCH MELTED AND A BACKHOE WAS BURNED (TOTALLED). NMGC PERFORMED A BARHOLE SURVEY UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OF THE LEAK AND NO GAS WAS DETECTED. NMGC WORKED WITH THE NM PIPELINE SAFETY BUREAU ON THE INVESTIGATION. THERE IS NO CONCLUSIVE EVIDENCE ON WHAT CAUSED THE RELEASE OF GAS AND SUBSEQUENT IGNITION. POSSIBLE CAUSES INCLUDE MECHANICAL DAMAGE TO THE PIPELINE, VANDALISM, ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION OR A COMBINATION OF THESE SCENARIOS.