WEST TEXAS GAS INC

Incident Narrative

A SECOND PARTY CONTRACTOR WAS AWARD A CAPITOL PROJECT TO REPLACE 2.5 MILES OF 6.625 INCH PIPELINE IN ZAVALLA COUNTY TEXAS FOR WEST TEXAS GAS (WTG). THE PROJECT WAS ON WTG'S TGU SYSTEM AND THE 6/A SUB-SYSTEM. THE SCOPE OF THE PROJECT INCLUDES THE PARALLEL INSTALLATION OF NEW PIPE APPROXIMATELY SEVEN FOOT FROM THE EXISTING PIPELINE. THE REPLACEMENT PIPELINE WILL BE CONSTRUCTED WHILE THE EXISTING PIPELINE REMAINS IN-SERVICE, THE EXCEPTION WOULD BE FOR THE TIE-IN ON BOTH THE UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM POINTS. WTG EMPLOYEES LOCATED THE EXISTING PIPELINE UTILIZING A CONDUCTIVE PIPELINE LOCATOR AND ""POT-HOLED"" THE PIPE AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FOOT INTERVALS TO ENSURE THE ACCURACY OF THE PIPE LOCATION. THIS CENTERLINE WAS CLEARLY MARKED. THE CENTERLINE OF THE NEW PIPELINE LOCATION WAS CLEARLY STAKED. IN ADDITION ""LINE-UP MARKERS"" WAS ALSO IN PLACE FOR THE TRENCHER OPERATOR. APPROXIMATELY 2.25 MILES OF THE PROJECT WAS COMPLETED WITHOUT INCIDENT. ON MAY 31, 2013 PRIOR TO 1:50 PM THE TRENCHER OPERATOR BECAME IN-ATTENTIVE AND ALLOWED THE MACHINE TO START DRIFTING TOWARD THE PIPELINE THAT WAS IN OPERATION. AT APPROXIMATELY 1:50 PM, THE TRENCHER CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE PRESSURIZED PIPELINE. WHEN THE TRENCHER STRUCK THE PIPELINE, IT PLACED A GOUGE IN THE PIPELINE. THE GOUGE INCLUDED METAL LOSS OF AN AREA APPROXIMATELY 2 INCHES BY 3 INCHES WHICH ALLOWED THE RELEASE OF GAS. THE OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO DISMOUNT THE TRENCHER AND MOVE TO A SAFE DISTANCE PRIOR TO THE GAS BEING IGNITED.