COLUMBIA GAS TRANSMISSION, LLC

Incident Narrative

ON DECEMBER 06, 2021, A LANDOWNER CONTACTED COLUMBIA GAS (OPID:2616) REGARDING A LEAK ON PIPELINE SM-123 IN MINGO COUNTY, WV NEAR THE TOWN OF BAISDEN, WV. OPERATIONS IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED TO THE LEAK LOCATION AND GRADED THE LEAK AS A GRADE 2, NON-EMERGENCY/SCHEDULE FOR REPAIR. THE PIPELINE PRESSURE WAS LIMITED TO 800 PSIG IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE LEAK WAS DISCOVERED ON DEC 06, 2021 AT APPROX. 4:15 PM EST. THE PIPELINE PRESSURE WAS FURTHER REDUCED TO 695 PSIG (20% REDUCTION OF THE 60 DAY HIGH PRESSURE) ON DECEMBER 08, 2021 AT 2:00 PM EST. ON DECEMBER 10, 2021, THE PIPELINE SEGMENT WAS ISOLATED AT 12:30 PM EST AND PRESSURE REDUCED TO 0 PSIG AND VENTED. OPERATIONS BEGAN EXCAVATION TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK AND MAKE THE REPAIRS ON DECEMBER 12, 2021. APPROXIMATELY 20 FEET OF PIPE HAS BEEN EXPOSED REVEALING A BUCKLE IN THE PIPE, WHICH WAS DETERMINED TO NOT BE THE LEAK LOCATION. BASED ON THE MAGNITUDE OF THE PROJECT, OPERATIONS TURNED THE INVESTIGATION AND REPAIR OVER TO THE PROJECTS TEAM ON DECEMBER 15, 2021. A SECOND BUCKLE, WHERE THE LEAK OCCURRED WAS DISCOVERED. THE DAMAGED PIPE WAS REPLACE AND THE PIPELINE WAS PUT BACK INTO SERVICE ON JANUARY 7, 2022 BASED ON THE ESTIMATED COST OF THE REPAIR, THE EVENT EXCEEDED THE PHMSA REPORTABLE VALUE ($122K). AFTER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE LEAK WAS EARTH MOVEMENT. EARTH MOVEMENT AT THE ACCESS ROAD CROSSING CAUSED SM 123 TO BUCKLE AT TWO LOCATIONS, ONE OF WHICH RESULTED IN A LEAK AT THE PEAK OF THE BUCKLE. SHALLOW, EXTERNAL FATIGUE OR SCC CRACKS AT THE LEAK INITIATION SITE WERE OBSERVED AND DETERMINED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE FAILURE.