BEAR CREEK STORAGE CO

gas_transmission Incident — — July 25, 2019

Incident Information

Incident DateJuly 25, 2019
OperatorBEAR CREEK STORAGE CO
CommodityNATURAL GAS
Pipeline Typegas_transmission

Location

State
Coordinates32.38863, -92.92966

Cause

CauseCORROSION FAILURE
SubcauseINTERNAL CORROSION

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage$43,172
Emergency Response$50
Other Costs$48,108

Location Map

Incident Narrative

ON JULY 25TH, 2019 AT 7:50 AM A BIENVILLE SHERIFF NOTICED A POTENTIAL LEAK COMING FROM THE BEAR CREEK STORAGE COMPANY, LLC (BCSC) 5.7-4 LINE. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT THEN NOTIFIED BCSC GAS CONTROL. AT 8:18 AM BCSC PERSONNEL ARRIVED ON SITE TO CONFIRM THE LEAK. AT 8:30 AM THE LINE WAS ISOLATED, AND AT 8:35 AM THE BLOWDOWN PROCESS COMMENCED. THE UNINTENTIONAL GAS LOSS WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 154.08 MCF. THE SECTION OF PIPE THAT HAD A LEAK WAS CUTOUT AND SENT IN FOR METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS. AFTER A NEW SECTION OF PIPE WAS INSTALLED, THE PIPELINE WAS RESTARTED ON DECEMBER 13TH, 2019. BCSC HAS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK WAS INTERNAL PITTING CORROSION. BCSC BELIEVES THE CAUSE MAY BE MIC, BUT THE METALLURGICAL REPORT IS NOT DEFINITIVE. AFTER THE INCIDENT, BCSC BATCH TREATED ALL LINES WITH BIOCIDE. BCSC WILL EVALUATE THE CURRENT INTERNAL CORROSION MITIGATION PROGRAM AND MAKE CHANGES TO THE PROGRAM BASED ON FINDINGS FROM THE EVALUATION. BECAUSE LIQUIDS HAD BEEN RELEASED DURING THE INCIDENT, BCSC COMPLETED ENVIRONMENTAL TESTING AND REMOVED, DISPOSED OF, AND REPLACED, THE CONTAMINATED SOIL AT THE LEAK SITE. THE ACTIONS TAKEN TO REMEDIATE THE SITE LED TO THE ABNORMALLY HIGH COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE INCIDENT.

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.

Back to All Incidents More Incidents in