ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS OPERATING LLC

gas_transmission Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorENTERPRISE PRODUCTS OPERATING LLC
Commodity—
Pipeline Typegas_transmission

Location

State
Coordinates30.00885, -97.41884

Cause

CauseEQUIPMENT FAILURE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage
Lost Commodity
Public/Private Damage
Emergency Response
Environmental Remediation
Other Costs

Location Map

Incident Narrative

ON 3/4/2015 AT 23:00 THE 8 INCH RELIEF VALVE AT THE HILBIG REGULATOR STATION FOR LINE 36 PREMATURELY ACTUATED VENTING NATURAL GAS TO THE ATMOSPHERE. A NEARBY RESIDENT REPORTED THE EVENT TO ENTERPRISE PIPELINE CONTROL AT 23:08 AND AN ENTERPRISE TECHNICIAN WAS DISPATCHED TO THE HILBIG REGULATOR STATION. UPON TECHNICIAN'S ARRIVAL AT 00:05 ON 3/5/2015, THE TECHNICIAN FOUND THE RELIEF VALVE HAD RESET ITSELF. UPON FURTHER INVESTIGATION, IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE RELIEF VALVE OPERATED PREMATURELY BELOW ITS SET POINT. THE CAUSE FOR THE PREMATURE ACTUATION WAS DUE TO HYDRATES FREEZING IN THE PILOT REGULATOR/SENSING LINE. LATER ON 3/5/2015, THE RELIEF VALVE WAS TESTED SEVERAL TIMES AND FUNCTIONED PROPERLY EACH TIME AT THE DESIRED SET POINT. THE CORRECTIVE ACTION TO PREVENT FUTURE RECURRENCE INCLUDES REPLACING PILOT WITH ONE MORE SUITABLE FOR COLDER TEMPERATURES AND INSTALLING A KNOCK-OUT CYLINDER IN SENSING LINE. CORRECTIVE ACTION TAKEN: INSTALLED NEW REGULATOR WITH FILTER.

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.

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