PRODUCTS (SE) PIPE LINE CORPORATION

Incident Narrative

ON THURSDAY, MARCH 2ND, 2023, AT APPROXIMATELY 11:30 AM A THIRD PARTY CONTACTED THE PRODUCTS (SE) PIPELINE (PPL) CONTROL CENTER REPORTING AN ODOR IN VICINITY OF THE KNOXVILLE 8"" ROW. AT 11:36 EST AM, COMPANY PERSONNEL WERE DISPATCHED TO INVESTIGATE. PPL PERSONNEL DISCOVERED GASOLINE IN THE CONCRETE DRAINAGE DITCH AND DROP INLET ADJACENT TO THE KINDER MORGAN 8KX LINE AND A THIRD-PARTY LINE. PPL BEGAN EXCAVATING TO EXPOSE THE LINE IN ORDER TO CONFIRM WHETHER THE RELEASE WAS FROM THE 8KX LINE. AFTER EXCAVATION, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT GASOLINE WAS COMING FROM THE KNOXVILLE 8"" CASING NEAR A RAILROAD CROSSING. THE RAILROAD WAS NOT IMPACTED BY THE LEAK OR EXCAVATION. THE SECTION OF THE LINE WAS CUT OUT AND REPLACED INSIDE THE EXISTING CASING. THE SEGMENT IDENTIFIED WITH THE LEAK WAS SENT FOR METALLURGICAL. THE LINE WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE ON MARCH 7TH, 2023. THE SECTION OF THE 8KX LINE WHERE THE RELEASE OCCURRED IS CATHODICALLY PROTECTED, BUT THE ORIGINAL INSTALLATION DATE OF THE CP SYSTEM IS UNKNOWN DUE TO THE LINE BEING CONSTRUCTED PRIOR TO CODE REQUIREMENTS. METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS HAS BEEN PERFORMED WITH THE REPORT FINALIZED ON APRIL 26, 2023. THE ANALYSIS FOUND THE COATING IN THE AREA OF THE LEAK HAD BECOME DISBONDED AND THE RELEASE WAS CAUSED BY A PINHOLE LEAK THAT RESULTED FROM EXTERNAL CORROSION. MULTIPLE CORROSION MECHANISMS WERE OBSERVED, LOCALIZED CORROSION IN THE FORM OF PITTING AND GENERAL CORROSION. THE CORROSION ON THE PIPE WAS CONSISTENT WITH GENERAL ELECTROCHEMICAL CORROSION AND POTENTIALLY MICROBIOLOGICALLY INDUCED CORROSION.