SUNOCO PIPELINE L.P.

Incident Narrative

ON 7/14/21 AT APPROXIMATELY 13:20 PM EST, SUNOCO PIPELINE CONTROL CENTER WAS NOTIFIED BY THE PUBLIC OF A GAS ODOR NEAR THE REAR OF 3442 E. MANHATTAN BLVD, TOLEDO, OH. THE CONTROL CENTER CONTACTED THE LOCAL OPERATIONS MANAGER AT 13:27 AND A PIPELINER WAS DISPATCHED TO THE LOCATION TO INVESTIGATE. THE PIPELINE WAS ALREADY DOWN ON NORMAL SCHEDULE AT THE TIME. AFTER LOCAL PERSONNEL ARRIVED THE AREA WAS ASSESSED WITH LEL MONITORS AND PROBING, AND IT WAS DETERMINED THAT A BUTANE LEAK WAS PRESENT. APPROXIMATELY 0.3 BARREL OF BUTANE WAS CALCULATED TO HAVE BEEN RELEASED BASED ON SURFACE OBSERVATION. ON 7/15/21 AFTER EXCAVATION IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE RELEASE WAS DUE TO A PINHOLE IN A GIRTH WELD AND THAT THE ESTIMATED COSTS FOR THE RELEASE WOULD EXCEED $50,000 AND THAT NOTIFICATION TO NRC WOULD BE REQUIRED. THIS NOTIFICATION WAS MADE AT AT 11:11 AM EST ON 7/15/21 (NRC# 1310774). A 48-HR UPDATE TO THE NRC WAS PLACED ON 7/16/21 AT 5:26 PM EST (NRC # 1310967). A MECHANICAL BOLT ON CLAMP WAS INSTALLED AND THE LINE WAS PLACED BACK INTO SERVICE. DURING A SCHEDULED DOWN TIME ON 7/22/21, THE FAILED SECTION OF PIPE WAS CUT OUT AND SENT TO A METALLURGICAL LAB FOR ANALYSIS AND DETERMINATION OF THE FAILURE CAUSE. A SUPPLEMENTAL UPDATE WILL BE FILED ONCE THE FAILURE ANALYSIS REPORT IS RECEIVED. UPDATE: THE RESULTS OF THE METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS INDICATE THAT THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY ELONGATED POROSITY IN THE OXYACETYLENE ORIGINAL CONSTRUCTION GIRTH WELD. AFTER CONSTRUCTION THE LEAK PATH WAS LIKELY PLUGGED WITH WELD SLAG OR OTHER DEBRIS THAT BROKE DOWN OVER TIME ULTIMATELY LEADING TO THE FAILURE.