TRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE COMPANY

gas_transmission Incident, , October 8, 2015

Incident Information

Incident DateOctober 8, 2015
OperatorTRANSCONTINENTAL GAS PIPE LINE COMPANY
Commodity-
Pipeline Typegas_transmission

Location

State
Coordinates29.60310, -90.87479

Cause

CauseINCORRECT OPERATION
SubcauseDAMAGE BY OPERATOR OR OPERATOR'S CONTRACTOR NOT RELATED TO EXCAVATION AND NOT DUE TO MOTORIZED VEHICLE/EQUIPMENT DAMAGE

Casualties

Fatalities4
Injuries1

Costs

Property Damage$3,320,860
Emergency Response$451,662
Other Costs$3,772,522

Location Map

Incident Narrative

"WILLIAMS PERSONNEL AND CONTRACTORS WERE PERFORMING MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES ALONG THE LIQUID DISTRIBUTION HEADER OF THE SLUG CATCHER LOCATED AT THE TRANSCO COMPRESSOR STATION 62, LOCATED IN THE TERREBONNE PARRISH, LA. DURING THE MAINTENANCE THERE WAS AN UNINTENTIONAL IGNITION THAT OCCURRED WHILE PERFORMING HOT WORK ACTIVITIES ON A 3"" WATER DRAW LINE ON THE EASTERN END OF THE LIQUID DISTRIBUTION HEADER. THE WELDING ACTIVITY AT THIS LOCATION IS BELIEVED TO BE THE SOURCE OF THE IGNITION, ACCORDINGLY A 3"" FOREMAN'S PLUG THAT WAS USED DURING THE WELDING ACTIVITY AT THIS LOCATION DID NOT FUNCTION AS INTENDED. THE EXACT SOURCE OF THE VAPOR THAT IGNITED CANNOT BE DETERMINED AS THERE ARE MULTIPLE POSSIBLE SUPPLY POINTS. THERE WERE THREE CONFIRMED FATALITIES AT THE SCENE, AND TWO INDIVIDUALS HOSPITALIZED WITH SERIOUS BURNS. ONE OF THE HOSPITALIZED INDIVIDUALS LATER PASSED AWAY AT THE HOSPITAL."

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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