TEXAS EASTERN TRANSMISSION, LP

Incident Narrative

ON JUNE 26, 2023, TEXAS EASTERN TRANSMISSION, L.P. (TETLP) WAS CONDUCTING AN ANOMALY DIG TO INSTALL A REPAIR SLEEVE ON LINE 1 NLRK-BALD VS-5 (MP 246.7). IN ORDER TO INSTALL THE SLEEVE, THE EXISTING GIRTH WELD CAP NEEDED TO BE GROUND DOWN TO ACCOMMODATE THE SLEEVE. THE NON-DESTRUCTIVE EXAMINATION REPORTS DID NOT SHOW ANY INDICATIONS OF CRACKING OR LACK OF FUSION. AT APPROXIMATELY 9:15 A.M. CT, WHILE GRINDING THE GIRTH WELD CAP, THE WELDER HEARD AN UNUSUAL NOISE AND STOPPED GRINDING. UPON INSPECTION, THE WELDER IDENTIFIED A SMALL LEAK ON THE WELD AND EXITED THE EXCAVATION AREA. AT APPROXIMATELY 10:50 A.M. CT, VALVE SECTION 5 WAS ISOLATED AND EMERGENCY OFFICIALS WERE NOTIFIED. THE LINE WAS THEN BLOWN DOWN FROM 721 TO APPROXIMATELY 300 P.S.I.G IN ORDER KEEP METER STATIONS ONLINE. AN ONSITE CREW MONITORED THE SYSTEM CONDITIONS AROUND THE CLOCK. ON JUNE 29, 2023, THE LINE WAS COMPLETELY BLOWN DOWN AND A CUT OUT REPAIR WAS COMPLETED. THE LINE WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE LATER THAT DAY AT APPROXIMATELY 3:15 CT. P.M. THE LEAK WAS THE RESULT OF GRINDING INTO EXISTING WORM HOLE POROSITY ON A VINTAGE WELD (1943). THE NRC WAS NOTIFIED AT APPROXIMATELY 12:00 P.M. WHEN IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT REPAIRS WERE LIKELY TO EXCEED THE REPORTING THRESHOLD. 07/24/2023 INCIDENT DATE WAS MISTAKENLY ENTERED AS JUNE 23RD. DATE FIELDS IN PART A WERE UPDATED TO JUNE 26, 2023.