VIRGINIA NATURAL GAS
gas_distribution Incident — WILLIAMSBURG, VA — September 1, 2022
Incident Information
| Incident Date | September 1, 2022 |
| Operator | VIRGINIA NATURAL GAS |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | WILLIAMSBURG |
| State | VA |
| County | JAMES CITY |
| Coordinates | 37.20827, -76.59725 |
Cause
| Cause | EXCAVATION DAMAGE |
| Subcause | EXCAVATION DAMAGE BY THIRD PARTY |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $75,000 |
| Emergency Response | $50,000 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"VIRGINIA NATURAL GAS (COMPANY) WAS MADE AWARE OF A LEAK ON AUGUST 31, 2022, NEAR THE INTERSECTION OF POCAHONTAS TRAIL AND GREEN MOUNT PARKWAY AT 1601 GREEN MOUNT PARKWAY IN WILLIAMSBURG, VA. SHIRLEY CONTRACTING COMPANY (CONTRACTOR) WAS CONSTRUCTING A NEW ROAD AND SHOULDER FOR VDOT FROM THE INTERSECTION OF POCAHONTAS TRAIL AND GREEN MOUNT PARKWAY FOR A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 900 FEET EAST OF THAT INTERSECTION. THE CONTRACTOR WAS EXCAVATING DIRECTLY ABOVE THE COMPANY'S 16-INCH STEEL PIPELINE WHEN IT SCRAPED THE PIPELINE CAUSING COATING DAMAGE, DENTING, AND RIPPING OFF AN EXISTING TAP CAUSING THE LEAK. THE FACILITY WAS MARKED CORRECTLY, BUT PARTS OF THE MARKS WERE DESTROYED BY THE CONTRACTOR DURING CONSTRUCTION. THE CONTRACTOR SHOULD HAVE CONTACTED VA811 TO GENERATE A 3-HOUR TICKET TO REMARK THE FACILITY BEFORE CONTINUING ITS WORK. THE COMPANY WORKED WITH THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT AND LAW ENFORCEMENT TO SHUT DOWN ROUTE 60 AND REDUCED THE PRESSURE ON THE PIPELINE FROM APPROXIMATELY 150 PSI TO 100 PSI UNTIL REPAIRS COULD BE MADE. THE COMPANY UTILIZED A REPAIR SLEEVE TO REPAIR THE LEAK."
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.