WESTERN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, LP

hazardous_liquid Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorWESTERN MIDSTREAM PARTNERS, LP
Commodity—
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates40.23859, -104.77255

Cause

CauseOTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

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

Location Map

Incident Narrative

AFTER FURTHER INVESTIGATION IT WAS DETERMINED THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY SLIGHT ACCIDENTAL MOVEMENT OF THE VALVE HANDLE ON A 1IN VALVE ON THE DRAIN LINE. WHEN THE FIELD OPERATOR WAS PREPARING FOR THE NEXT MAINTENANCE PIGGING HE NOTICED THE CONTAINMENT WAS ALMOST FULL SO HE CALLED A VAC TRUCK TO EMPTY THE CONTAINMENT PRIOR TO THE NEXT PIG LAUNCH. THE LAUNCHER BARREL WAS THEN SET UP TO AUTO-LAUNCH BY THE FIELD OPERATOR. LATER THAT DAY IN THE PROCESS OF EMPTYING THE CONTAINMENT, THE VAC TRUCK DRIVER BUMPED THE VALVE HANDLE ON THE 1IN BALL VALVE ON THE DRAIN LINE EVEN THOUGH THE VALVE WAS LOCKED. THE VALVE HANDLE MOVED JUST ENOUGH TO CAUSE THE VALVE TO LEAK WITHOUT BEING NOTICED BY THE TRUCK DRIVER. THE LEAK WAS FOUND WHEN THE FIELD OPERATOR RETURNED TO CHECK THAT THE PIG HAD LAUNCHED SUCCESSFULLY.

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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