EASTERN GAS TRANSMISSION AND STORAGE, INC.

Incident Narrative

OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT RECEIVED INITIAL NOTIFICATION OF THIS INCIDENT VIA A CALL FROM ANOTHER OPERATOR ON 1/25/24 AT APPROXIMATELY 18:06 REPORTING THAT THERE WAS A FIRE AT BIG ISAAC COMPRESSOR STATION (CS) (GA-1081). GAS CONTROL RECEIVED SECONDARY NOTIFICATION OF THIS INCIDENT FROM 911 AT APPROXIMATELY 18:10 REPORTING THAT A FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS IN THE PROCESS OF RESPONDING TO BIG ISAAC CS. AT THIS POINT IN TIME, THE EXTENT AND SEVERITY OF THE FIRE AT BIG ISAAC CS WAS NOT KNOWN. BIG ISAAC CS RECEIVES NATURAL GAS FROM H-21912 (PRODUCTION PIPELINE OWNED AND OPERATED BY HOPE GAS), COMPRESSES IT USING A SINGLE ENGINE UNIT (AJAX MODEL #DPC-360LE INSTALLED IN 1999 WITH 360 HP), AND DISCHARGES IT INTO TL-413 (GATHERING PIPELINE OWNED AND OPERATED BY EGTS WITH A MAOP OF 500 PSIG). GAS CONTROL NOTIFIED OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT OF THE SITUATION AT APPROXIMATELY 18:15. OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT DISPATCHED PERSONNEL TO BIG ISAAC CS AT APPROXIMATELY 18:20. GAS CONTROL LOST COMMUNICATIONS WITH BIG ISAAC CS AT APPROXIMATELY 17:19. OPERATIONS PERSONNEL ARRIVED AT BIG ISAAC CS AT APPROXIMATELY 19:24, ASSESSED THE SITUATION, BEGAN UTILIZING FIRE EXTINGUISHERS TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE ON THE ENGINE UNIT, AND IMPLEMENTED A PLAN TO SAFELY ISOLATE THE FIRE. OPERATIONS PERSONNEL MANUALLY CLOSED VALVE 1081-A AT APPROXIMATELY 19:26. VALVE 1081-A IS LOCATED WHERE THE DISCHARGE OF BIG ISAAC CS CONNECTS TO TL-413 WHICH IS DOWNSTREAM OF THE FIRE. OPERATIONS PERSONNEL MANUALLY CLOSED VALVE 1081-B AT APPROXIMATELY 19:27. VALVE 1081-B IS LOCATED WHERE THE SUCTION OF BIG ISAAC CS CONNECTS TO H-21912 WHICH IS UPSTREAM OF THE FIRE. THE CLOSURE OF VALVES 1081-A AND 1081-B COMPLETED THE ISOLATION OF THE FIRE. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AT APPROXIMATELY 19:36. THE RESPONDING FIRE DEPARTMENT DEPARTED THE FACILITY AT APPROXIMATELY 20:20. THE RESPONDING OPERATIONS PERSONNEL SECURED THE FACILITY AND DEPARTED THE FACILITY AT APPROXIMATELY 23:20. NO EVACUATIONS WERE NECESSARY, NO INJURIES WERE SUSTAINED, AND THERE WERE NO ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AS A RESULT OF THE INCIDENT. BASED ON REVIEW OF THE SCADA DISCHARGE PRESSURE AND FLOW HISTORIES, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE FIRE ON THE ENGINE UNIT INITIALLY IGNITED AT APPROXIMATELY 17:19 AT WHICH POINT IN TIME BIG ISAAC CS WAS IN NORMAL OPERATION WITH A DISCHARGE PRESSURE OF 197 PSIG AND A DISCHARGE FLOW RATE OF 832 MSCFD. UPON EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE UNIT FOLLOWING THE INCIDENT, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE FIRE INITIATED IN THE LOW STAGE DISTANCE PIECE AND WAS SUSTAINED BY THE FLOW OF NATURAL GAS. THE CROSSHEAD PIN AND BUSHING SEIZED CAUSING INCREASED FRICTION ON THE SLIDE ASSEMBLY. THE ADDITIONAL FRICTION INCREASED THE TEMPERATURE ON THE COMPONENTS TO THE FLASHPOINT OF THE OIL (459 DEG F). THE CROSSHEAD RUNNING POSITION WAS ALTERED BY MELTING BABBITT CAUSING THE COMPRESSOR PISTON ROD TO RUB THE PRESSURE AND WIPER PACKING CASES. EXCESSIVE RUBBING OF THE COMPRESSOR PISTON ROD GENERATED EXCESSIVE HEAT INSIDE A GASEOUS ENVIRONMENT WHICH ALLOWED COMBUSTION TO OCCUR. THE INTERNAL FIRE MELTED THE PLEXIGLASS COVER ON THE CROSSHEAD DISTANCE PIECE HOUSING WHICH ALLOWED ADDITIONAL OXYGEN TO ENTER THE DISTANCE PIECE AND SUSTAINED THE COMBUSTION. THE RESULTING DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE UNIT AND THE ASSOCIATED FRAME, SKID, PROTECTIVE STRUCTURE, CONTROL PANEL, COMPRESSOR BOTTLE, FUEL LINE VALVE, AND CONDUIT WAS EXTENSIVE. INITIAL TELEPHONIC NOTIFICATION WAS MADE TO THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER ON 1/25/24 AT 19:28. THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER ASSIGNED INCIDENT REPORT #1389962 TO THE INITIAL NOTIFICATION OF THE INCIDENT. A FOLLOW UP TELEPHONIC NOTIFICATION WAS MADE TO THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER ON 1/27/24 AT 09:04 TO CONFIRM THE INITIAL TELEPHONIC NOTIFICATION. THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER ASSIGNED INCIDENT REPORT #1389962 TO THE FOLLOW UP TELEPHONIC NOTIFICATION. A SUPPLEMENTAL INCIDENT REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED ONCE BIG ISAAC CS IS RETURNED TO SERVICE AND WILL INCLUDE THE REMEDIAL ACTIONS THAT WERE COMPLETED.