EL PASO NATURAL GAS CO
gas_transmission Incident — — February 19, 2024
Incident Information
| Incident Date | February 19, 2024 |
| Operator | EL PASO NATURAL GAS CO |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_transmission |
Location
| State | |
| Coordinates | 33.22281, -112.77106 |
Cause
| Cause | OTHER INCIDENT CAUSE |
| Subcause | MISCELLANEOUS |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $500,000 |
| Emergency Response | $0 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"DURING A SCHEDULED REMEDIATION PROJECT IN MARICOPA COUNTY, AZ ON L2000 MLV 43 TO 44 A SUSPECTED PIPELINE LEAK WAS DISCOVERED WHILE POTHOLING A DIG ON 02/19/24. THE VAC TRUCK OPERATOR NOTICED BUBBLING SOIL AT THE BOTTOM OF THE POTHOLE. WORK WAS STOPPED AND THE AREA WAS CLEARED. OPERATIONS IMPLEMENTED AN IMMEDIATE 10 PERCENT PRESSURE REDUCTION TO FURTHER INVESTIGATE THE NATURAL GAS LEAK. OPERATIONS CHECKED THE AREA WITH A GAS SCOPE AND ETHANE DETECTOR AND NO GAS OR ETHANE WAS DETECTED, BUT A SLIGHT HISSING SOUND COULD STILL BE HEARD. ESTIMATED GAS LOSS WOULD BE 6.3 MCF PER DAY. NO EMERGENCY RESPONDERS WERE INVOLVED. ON 02/20/24 OPERATIONS SUSPECTED PIN HOLE LEAK AT THE LOCATION DUE TO THE PRESENCE OF METHANE FROM DETECTOR. THE LINE WAS BLOWN DOWN AND EVACUATED OF NATURAL GAS. EXCAVATION, DECOMPRESSING OF THE WATER TABLE, AND INVESTIGATION FOUND THAT THE BUBBLES IN STANDING WATER WAS FROM TRAPPED AIR FROM CONCRETE CASING. METHANE THAT WAS DETECTED WAS FROM ADJACENT ROTTING VEGETATION. THIS INCIDENT WAS ONLY A SUSPECTED LEAK. KINDER MORGAN TOOK ALL MEASURES TO CONFIRM LEAK WAS ACTUALLY NOT FROM THE PIPELINE."
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.