SOUTHERN NATURAL GAS CO
gas_transmission Incident — — August 19, 2024
Incident Information
| Incident Date | August 19, 2024 |
| Operator | SOUTHERN NATURAL GAS CO |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_transmission |
Location
| State | |
| Coordinates | 32.52576, -86.92999 |
Cause
| Cause | EQUIPMENT FAILURE |
| Subcause | MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $0 |
| Emergency Response | $1,000 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
ON 8/19/2024 AT 1:26 AM THE SUCTION ESD BLOW-OFF VALVE 038 AT THE SELMA COMPRESSOR STATION INADVERTENTLY OPENED. THE CAUSE OF THE VALVE OPENING WAS NOT IMMEDIATELY KNOWN. LOCATION PERSONNEL RESPONDED AND CLOSED THE VALVE AT 2:46 AM. DURING THE ERL CALL IT WAS DECIDED TO ISOLATE AND BLOW-DOWN THE STATION TO PREVENT FURTHER EVENTS UNTIL THE ROOT CAUSE WAS DETERMINED. THE EVENT WAS REPORTED TO NRC. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT CLOSED THE ROAD TO THROUGH TRAFFIC AND STAYED NEARBY UNTIL THE EVENT WAS UNDER CONTROL. THERE WERE NO EVACUATIONS AND INJURIES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE ROOT CAUSE WAS A CLOGGED ORIFICE ON THE 1/2-INCH SUPPLY GAS LINE. THE ESD OPERATED AS DESIGNED AND CAUSED THE VALVE TO OPEN ONCE IT STOPPED SEEING THE FULL PRESSURE ON THE SUPPLY LINE THAT IT WAS EXPECTING TO SEE.
About This Pipeline Incident
Pipeline incident data is reported to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). All significant incidents involving fatalities, injuries, or property damage over $50,000 must be reported.