CENTRAL FLORIDA PIPELINE CORP

Incident Narrative

7/6/2022 - HEMLOCK PUMP STATION IN HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, TAMPA FLORIDA - DURING A MAINTENANCE ACTIVITY TO DISPLACE GASOLINE FROM THE KINDER MORGAN CENTRAL FLORIDA PIPELINE'S (PHMSA OPID #2190) 12-INCH ITG FEEDER PIPELINE, PROJECT PERSONNEL BECAME CONCERNED THAT NITROGEN HAD LEAKED PAST THE PIPELINE PIG AND INTO THE PIPELINE. THE PIPELINE WAS DEPRESSURIZED, AND THE LAUNCHER DOOR OPENED TO DETERMINE IF THE PIG HAD LAUNCHED. UPON OPENING THE LAUNCHER DOOR AN UNEXPECTED SURGE OF PRESSURE RESULTED IN A RELEASE OF 1 BARREL OF GASOLINE FROM THE LAUNCHER DOOR DUE TO THE DOWNSTREAM LAUNCHER ISOLATION VALVE NOT BEING FULLY CLOSED. THE ISOLATION VALVE WAS IMMEDIATELY CLOSED, AND THE RELEASE WAS STOPPED AND ISOLATED. THE CFPL OIL SPILL RESPONSE PLAN WAS IMPLEMENTED AND CONTRACT OSRO'S WERE CALLED OUT TO PERFORM CLEANUP AND REMEDIATION. THE CAUSE OF THE ACCIDENT IS STILL UNDER INTERNAL INVESTIGATION (SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT REQUIRED). UPDATE 12/16/2022 - OUR INTERNAL INCIDENT INVESTIGATION CONCLUDED THAT AFTER VENTING NITROGEN AND ENTRAINED PRODUCT, ON-SITE PERSONNEL BELIEVED THAT THE PIPELINE SEGMENT WAS IN THE FINAL STAGES OF DEPRESSURIZATION. WITH THE OUTBOUND BLOCK VALVE IN THE OPEN POSITION, THE LAUNCHER DOOR WAS OPENED SLIGHTLY TO ALLOW FOR THE DRAINAGE OF RESIDUAL PRODUCT. THE ON-SITE PERSONNEL FAILED TO RECOGNIZE THAT THE PIPELINE SEGMENT CONTAINED STORED ENERGY WHICH -WHEN UNKNOWINGLY RELEASED BY OPENING A VALVE ON THE OTHER END OF THE PIPELINE SEGMENT - RESULTED IN A SURGE OF PRODUCT WHICH EXITED THROUGH THE PARTIALLY OPENED CLOSURE DOOR. THE 7000.1 WAS UPDATED TO SHOW G7 INCORRECT OPERATION, WITH THE SUB CAUSE VALVE LEFT OR PLACED IN THE WRONG POSITION, BUT NOT RESULTING IN VESSEL OVERFLOW OR OVERPRESSURE.