CHEVRON PIPE LINE CO

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 1445 CDT ON 06JUL22, AFTER MAKING A SECOND SUBSEA PIPELINE CUT TO ALLOW FOR FLANGES TO BE INSTALLED TO SUPPORT DE-OILING THE 12-INCH SOUTH TIMBALIER 130 PIPELINE, 30.8 GALLONS OF CRUDE OIL ESCAPED THE POLLUTION DOME MITIGATION AND WAS RELEASED TO THE GULF OF MEXICO. PLUMBERS PLUGS WERE INSTALLED ON THE CUT SQUARE ENDS TO MITIGATE FURTHER RELEASE. THE SHEEN WAS NOT SCIMMABLE AND THE ONSITE RESPONSE VESSEL DEPLOYED SORBENT BOOM TO COLLECT THE RECOVERABLE OIL PORTION. AT APPROXIMATELY 12:30 CDT ON 06JUL22, DIVERS INSPECTED THE PLUMBER PLUGS AT THE SECOND CUT LOCATION AND NOTED NO DISCHARGE OR LEAKAGE. AT APPROXIMATELY 02:30 CDT ON 07JUL22, THE DIVERS REMOVED THE PLUMBERS PLUG ON THE PIPELINE END OF THE SECOND CUT IN ORDER TO INSTALL PORTED BLIND FLANGE. A POLLUTION DOME WAS IN PLACE, BUT INTERFERED WITH THE RIGGING USED TO SUPPORT THE END CONNECTOR DURING THE CONNECTOR INSTALLATION. THEREFORE, THE POLLUTION DOME WAS UNABLE TO CONTAIN ALL RELEASES AND ADDITIONAL 0.125 GALLONS OF CRUDE OIL WAS RELEASED TO THE GULF OF MEXICO THAT NATURALLY DISSIPATED. THE TOTAL VOLUME ASSOCIATED WITH THE SECOND SUBSEA PIPELINE CUT FROM THE START OF THE CUT UNTIL THE PERMANENT END CONNECTOR AND PORTED BLIND FLANGE WERE INSTALLED WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 30.925 GALLONS. PLIDCO END CONNECTORS AND BLIND FLANGES WERE INSTALLED OVER THE SQUARE CUT ENDS AND THE TWO PIPE SECTIONS CREATED BY CUTTING ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN RECOVERED.