EQT PRODUCTION

Incident Narrative

"ON AUGUST 28, 2025, THERE WAS A RELEASE OF GAS AT THE SNAPPING TURTLE COMPRESSOR STATION LOCATED IN WIND RIDGE, PA WHICH IS OWNED AND OPERATED BY EQT PRODUCTION. CHIEF INSPECTOR TROY LEEK CALLED THE EQT ENVIRONMENTAL, HEALTH, & SAFETY (EHS) HOTLINE TO REPORT A GAS RELEASE AT THE SNAPPING TURTLE COMPRESSOR STATION. UPON ARRIVAL TO THE LOCATION, HE OBSERVED THE RICHHILL TOWNSHIP FIRE DEPARTMENT (WHO HAD BEEN DISPATCHED TO THE LOCATION UPON COMMUNITY NOTIFICATION), STAGED ~150' AWAY ON THE SHARED ACCESS ROAD. ALL CONTRACT PERSONNEL WERE MUSTERED OUTSIDE OF THE GATE. THE OPERATIONS SUPERVISOR (JOHN MINCIN) WAS NOTIFIED. GAS CONTROL WAS CONTACTED TO INITIATE A REMOTE SHUT IN OF COMPRESSOR UNIT #3, AND OPERATIONS PERSONNEL WERE DISPATCHED TO THE SITE. UPON EXAMINATION, THERE WAS A TUBING FAILURE ON A RELIEF VALVE INSIDE THE STATION. UPON EVALUATION, OPERATIONS DETERMINED THAT NO OVERPRESSURE EVENT OCCURRED. PRESSURE WAS ~917PSI WHEN THE PRV LIFTED. IT WAS NOTED THAT THE NUT AND FERRULE OF THE 1/8"" STAINLESS STEEL TUBING BROKE AT THE PILOT WHICH, BY DESIGN, CAUSED A LOSS OF PRESSURE TO THE MAIN VALVE DOME THUS TRIGGERING A FAIL-OPEN CONDITION (CAUSED THE RELIEF VALVE TO LIFT). THE SUSPECTED FAILURE IS EXCESSIVE VIBRATION, SO NEW TUBING WAS INSTALLED IN A CONFIGURATION THAT ALLEVIATED THE VIBRATION ISSUE. EQT PRODUCTION EXAMINED OTHER STATIONS WITH SIMILAR TUBING CONFIGURATIONS AS THE FAILED TUBING AND FOUND THEM TO BE FULLY OPERATIONAL FOR MANY YEARS AND WITHOUT VIBRATION ISSUES. EQT PRODUCTION BELIEVES THAT THIS WAS AN ISOLATED EVENT AND PARTICULAR TO THE RELIEF VALVE TUBING AT THIS SPECIFIC RELIEF VALVE AT SNAPPING TURTLE COMPRESSOR STATION."