STAKEHOLDER MIDSTREAM CRUDE OIL PIPELINE, LLC

Incident Narrative

PIPELINE CONTROLLER INITIATED FLOW FOR CRUDE OIL DELIVERY TO A 3RD PARTY PIPELINE CUSTOMER. PRESSURE SPIKED IMMEDIATELY UPON INITIATING DELIVERY DUE TO CONTROL VALVES ON LACT METER SKIDS FAILING TO OPEN. OVERPRESSURE OF AIR ELIMINATOR ON LACT SKID RESULTED IN INTERNAL VENT SEAL DAMAGE AND FAILURE TO SEAL. AFTER CONTROL VALVES WERE OPENED, OIL LEAKED FROM AIR ELIMINATOR THROUGH VENT SEAL AND VENT TUBING INTO SUMP OVERNIGHT. THE 3RD PARTY PIPELINE OPERATOR DISCOVERED THE RELEASE THE FOLLOWING MORNING AND NOTIFIED THE COMPANY. A COMPANY OPERATOR RESPONDED TO THE LOCATION AND IMMEDIATELY CLOSED AN ISOLATION VALVE BELOW AIR ELIMINATOR, STOPPING THE LEAK. THE LEAK WAS CONFINED TO THE IMMEDIATE AREA AROUND THE LACT METER SKID AND DID NOT LEAVE THE FACILITY. THE DAMAGED AIR ELIMINATOR WAS REPLACED, EQUIPMENT INSPECTED TO ENSURE NO OTHER DAMAGE, AND 3RD PARTY CONTRACTOR CONTACTED FOR CLEANUP. THE SYSTEM IS A FAILSAFE SYSTEM REQUIRING A MINIMUM OF 2 CONTROL VALVES TO BE OPEN IN ORDER FOR THE PUMPS TO START. THE ROOT CAUSE DETERMINED THERE WAS A PROGRAMMING ERROR IN SCADA THAT ALLOWED THE PUMP TO BE STARTED WHILE THE VALVES WERE CLOSED. THE SCADA PROGRAMMING ERROR WAS CORRECTED AND THE AIR ELIMINATOR THAT WAS DAMAGED WAS REPLACED. NO OTHER DAMAGE OR CATASTROPHIC FAILURE OCCURRED.