WILLISTON BASIN INTERSTATE PIPELINE CO

Incident Narrative

THIS INCIDENT OCCURRED AT A THREE INCH STORAGE WELL LINE SPAN OVER THE SOUTH FORK OF CABIN CREEK ON THE EVENING OF MARCH 16TH. THE THREE INCH LINE FAILED DUE TO EXTERNAL FORCES FROM WATER, ICE AND DEBRIS FROM A LOCALIZED SPRING THAW/FLOOD EVENT. THIS AREA IS REMOTE WITH ONE RESIDENCE (FORMER COMPANY FIELDMAN HOUSE) LOCATED APPROXMIATELY 1,600 FEET FROM THE SPAN. AT THE TIME OF FAILURE THE RESIDENT (RETIRED EMPLOYEE) HEARD THE ESCAPING GAS AND CALLED OUR CABIN CREEK STATION WHO CALLED GAS CONTROL. PERSONNEL WERE DISPATCHED TO INVESTIGATE HOWEVER THEY COULD NOT ACCESS THE IMMEDIATE AREA OF THE LINE BREAK DUE TO FLOODING. THE PIPELINE FEEDING THE BREAK FROM THE MAINLINE WAS SHUT IN THAT EVENING. DUE TO THE HAZARDOUS CONDITIONS ASSOCIATED WITH FLOODING AND THE REMOTE LOCATION (NO AFFECTED PUBLIC), COMPANY PERSONNEL CHOSE TO WAIT UNTIL THE NEXT MORNING TO ATTEMPT TO GET TO THE WELL. THE NEXT MORNING WATER HAD RECEDED TO THE POINT WHERE THEY COULD CLEAR ICE FROM AN ACCESS BRIDGE WITH A BACKHOE, ACCESS THE WELL AND SHUT IT IN ON MARCH 17TH. THIS LINE IS NOT METERED SO IT WAS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE GAS LOSS. IT WAS FINALLY DETERMINED THROUGH MODELING THAT THE GAS LOSS DID EXCEED 3 MMCF AND IS REPORTED IN THIS INCIDENT REPORT AS 3.6 MMCF. THE WELL LINE WAS SHUT OFF UNTIL THE AREA DRIED OUT AND THE LINE WAS REPAIRED. THIS WAS COMPLETED ON APRIL 13TH. PIPE GRADE IS LISTED AS 24K (UNKNOWN GRADE). THE WELL WAS COMPLETED IN 1926 SO USED 1926 FOR PIPE MANUFACTURE AND INSTALLATION DATE. A PICTURE OF THE SPAN TAKEN ON THE MORNING OF MARCH 17TH IS ATTACHED. APPENDED PART E5F TO STORAGE GATHERING PER DOT EMAIL REQUEST FROM BLAINE KEENER ON 3/4/13.