ATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION - MID-TEX

gas_distribution Incident — COPPERAS COVE, TX — March 5, 2020

Incident Information

Incident DateMarch 5, 2020
OperatorATMOS ENERGY CORPORATION - MID-TEX
CommodityNATURAL GAS
Pipeline Typegas_distribution

Location

CityCOPPERAS COVE
StateTX
CountyCORYELL
Coordinates31.12097, -97.87130

Cause

CauseEQUIPMENT FAILURE
SubcauseTHREADED CONNECTION FAILURE

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage$0
Emergency Response$412,485
Other Costs$0

Location Map

Incident Narrative

"AT 9:30 AM ON MARCH 5, 2020, A THREADED FITTING FAILED AT A CONNECTION POINT WITH A 2"" BRASS BALL VALVE AT GROUND LEVEL ON A RECENTLY INSTALLED TEMPORARY BYPASS AT THE COPPERAS COVE CITY GATE STATION, CAUSING AN INTERRUPTION IN SERVICE. THE FAILURE OF THE THREADED CONNECTION ON THE TEMPORARY BYPASS VALVE OCCURRED DURING SUPPORT CRIBBING ADJUSTMENT. ATMOS ENERGY IDENTIFIED ADDITIONAL POTENTIAL CONTRIBUTING FACTORS AS THE VALVE MATERIAL AND POSSIBLE UNDER-TORQUEING OF THE THREADED CONNECTION. AN INITIAL ESTIMATE OF THE COPPERAS COVE SYSTEM BASED ON THE FACTS AVAILABLE AT THAT TIME RESULTED IN AN UNDERESTIMATION OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF CUSTOMERS AND THE COST OF RELIGHTS. HOWEVER, A SUBSEQUENT REVIEW OF OUTAGE REPORTS WHEN REFINING THAT ESTIMATE INDICATED THAT THE CUSTOMER OUTAGE WAS MORE EXTENSIVE THAN ORIGINALLY ANTICIPATED. AT 12:30 PM, THE RELIGHT COSTS WERE ESTIMATED TO BE GREATER THAN $50,000, AND A TELEPHONIC REPORT WAS MADE TO THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER AT 12:51 PM. GAS SERVICE WAS INTERRUPTED TO 270 COMMERCIAL AND 4067 RESIDENTIAL CUSTOMERS. THE APPROPRIATE REPAIRS WERE MADE AND THE FACILITY WAS RESTARTED AT 12:12 AM ON MARCH 6, 2020. SERVICE HAS BEEN RESTORED TO ALL AFFECTED CUSTOMERS. 48 HR. NRC # 1272905"

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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