ENBRIDGE OFFSHORE (GAS TRANSMISSION) LLC

gas_transmission Incident — — May 7, 2010

Incident Information

Incident DateMay 7, 2010
OperatorENBRIDGE OFFSHORE (GAS TRANSMISSION) LLC
CommodityNATURAL GAS
Pipeline Typegas_transmission

Location

State
Coordinates28.28589, -92.56861

Cause

CauseOTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
SubcauseOTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage$0
Emergency Response$137,000
Other Costs$144,000

Location Map

Incident Narrative

W&T (THE VR320 PLATFORM PRODUCER) HIRED A VESSEL THE 'LIA JANE' TO DRAG METAL ""GORILLA"" NETS IN A 1300' RADIUS AROUND THE ABANDONED VR320 PLATFORM SITE. WHILE DRAGGING THE METAL NETS, SOMETHING WAS SNAGGED. WHILE THE VESSEL CREW WORKED TO ""UN-SNAG"" THE NET, THEY OBSERVED A LARGE GAS RELEASE, APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE TO THE WEST OF THEIR LOCATION. THE GAS RELEASE WAS 50' HIGH BY 100' WIDE BUT THERE WAS NO SHEEN. THE ENBRIDGE GAS CONTROL CENTER IMMEDIATELY NOTICED THE DROP IN PRESSURE ON THE STINGRAY 22"" PIPELINE AND SUBSEQUENTLY INITIATED THE INCIDENT COMMAND PROCEDURE WHICH RESULTED IN THE IMMEDIATE SHUT-IN OF PRODUCTION INTO THE 22"" AND BLOW-DOWN OF THE 22"" PIPELINE (FROM THE INCIDENT LOCATION TO THE TERMINATION OF THE 22"" PIPELINE AT WC509 COMPRESSOR STATION). DIVERS LATER CONFIRMED THE DAMAGE WAS ON A 6"" PIPELINE THAT GOES OUT TO THE VERMILION 326 PLATFORM.

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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