EXPLORER PIPELINE CO

hazardous_liquid Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorEXPLORER PIPELINE CO
Commodity—
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates32.98356, -96.19119

Cause

CauseEQUIPMENT FAILURE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage
Lost Commodity
Public/Private Damage
Emergency Response
Environmental Remediation
Other Costs

Location Map

Incident Narrative

ON FRIDAY JUNE 9, 2023, AT 19:34 CST AN EXPLORER PIPELINE RIGHT OF WAY SPECIALIST RECEIVED A CALL DIRECTLY FROM A LANDOWNER FAMILIAR WITH EXPLORER PERSONNEL REGARDING A PETROLEUM PRODUCTS ODOR AROUND MILE POST 307 ON THE 28-INCH PASADENA, TEXAS TO GREENVILLE, TEXAS LINE SEGMENT. EXPLORER PERSONNEL IMMEDIATELY NOTIFIED THE CONTROL CENTER FOR A PIPELINE SHUTDOWN, AND PERSONNEL WERE DISPATCHED TO MP 307. EXPLORER HAS A PROPERLY FENCED OUTSTATION CONCRETE VAULT EQUIPPED WITH A GRAVITOMETER AND PIPELINE SPHERE DETECTOR CALLED A PIG SIG. A PIG SIG IS A COMPONENT THAT IS THREADED INTO A TOR AND IS UTILIZED TO SEND A NOTIFICATION WHEN TRIPPED THAT A CLEANING PIG OR PIPELINE SPHERE IS A PREDETERMINED VOLUME UPSTREAM OF THE GREENVILLE TANK FARM. FIVE BARRELS OF REFINED PETROLEUM PRODUCT WERE CONFIRMED INSIDE THE CONCRETE VAULT, AND NO PRODUCT HAD BEEN RELEASED OUTSIDE THE VAULT OR OFF THE FENCED FACILITY. THE PIG SIG WAS SUBMITTED TO THE MANUFACTURER WHO CONFIRMED A FAILED VITON O-RING INSIDE THE PIG SIG WAS THE SOURCE OF THE RELEASE.

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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