EQUISTAR CHEMICALS, L.P.

hazardous_liquid Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorEQUISTAR CHEMICALS, L.P.
Commodity—
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates27.69424, -97.57951

Cause

CauseMATERIAL FAILURE OF PIPE OR WELD
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

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

Location Map

Incident Narrative

ON 4/22/2022 AT APPROXIMATELY 11 AM CT, A PIPELINE TECHNICIAN DISCOVERED DEAD VEGETATION NEAR AN EQUISTAR PIPELINE RIGHT-OF-WAY DURING MOWING ACTIVITIES AND REPORTED A POTENTIAL PIPELINE LEAK TO THE PIPELINE CONTROL CENTER. APPROPRIATE REGULATORY AGENCIES AND NEIGHBORING PIPELINE OWNERS AND OPERATORS WERE NOTIFIED. EQUISTAR ALONG WITH THE OTHER 3RD PARTY PIPELINE OPERATOR IN THE RIGHT-OF-WAY BEGAN INVESTIGATION INTO THE SOURCE OF THE DEAD VEGETATION AND POTENTIAL PIPELINE LEAK. FIELD INVESTIGATION AND SAMPLING WAS CONDUCTED, AND ON MAY 3, 2022, A PINHOLE ON A WELD WAS IDENTIFIED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR NEGATIVE COMMUNITY IMPACT. THE CUTOUT OF THE WELD HAS BEEN SENT TO A LABORATORY FOR ANALYSIS. 2022-07-01 - LAB ANALYSIS SHOWS THE GIRTH WELD QUALITY CONSISTED OF INCOMPLETE PENETRATION, LACK OF FUSION AND WELD POROSITY. CORRECTIVE ACTIONS: MEET WITH AERIAL COMPANY TO STRESS THE IMPORTANCE OF REPORTING DEAD VEGETATION AS A SIGN OF A LEAK OBTAIN OWNER'S (CELANESE) PRESSURE TEST DOCUMENTATION FOR A PIPELINE THAT WAS RECENTLY TESTED IN THE SAME VICINITY TO DETERMINE IF FURTHER REMEDIATION ACTION IS NEEDED.

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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