EPIC CONSOLIDATED OPERATIONS, LLC

Incident Narrative

ON JANUARY 6, 2021, AT APPROXIMATELY 10:15 PM, DURING THEIR ROUTINE WALK AROUND OF THE FACILITY, EPIC OPERATIONS PERSONNEL FOUND CRUDE POOLING ON THE GROUND UNDER PUMP P-5030. PUMP P-5030 SUPPLIES LINE 110- ROBSTOWN TO INGLESIDE, 20'. THE PIPELINE SYSTEM WAS IMMEDIATELY SHUTDOWN TO INVESTIGATE WHERE THE CRUDE RELEASE WAS COMING FROM. AFTER MAKING THE SITE SAFE, PERSONNEL INSPECTED THE AREA AND FOUND THAT THE PUMP'S SEALS HAD FAILED CAUSING THE RELEASE. THE PIPELINE SYSTEM WAS RE-STARTED WITH THE BACKUP PUMP AFTER THE SITE WAS DEEMED SAFE. THE CALCULATED RELEASE AMOUNT WAS 1.11 BARRELS. ON-SITE PERSONNEL BEGAN CLEANING UP THE FREE-STANDING CRUDE ON THE GROUND AND CLEANED THE EQUIPMENT. THE CLEANUP WAS COMPLETED ON JANUARY 8, 2021. THE PUMP SEALS WERE REPLACED, AND THE PUMP WAS PUT BACK INTO SERVICE ON JANUARY 11, 2021. THE RELEASE WAS DUE TO THE MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE PUMP'S SEALS. THE PUMP REPAIR VENDOR NOTED ON THEIR REPORT THAT THE FAILURE CAUSE WAS CONSISTENT WITH SEAL WEAR ON PUMPS IN PIPELINE SERVICE. THE SEALS ARE CONSIDERED WEAR AND TEAR PARTS AND CAN FAIL WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL THE PUMP'S MAINTENANCE WAS UP TO DATE AND THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF THE SEALS PENDING FAILURE PRIOR TO THE RELEASE. THERE IS NO KNOWN MITIGATION TO PREVENT FAILURE OF A COMPONENT THAT FAILS DUE TO NORMAL WEAR FOR IN-SERVICE CONDITIONS. TO MITIGATE FUTURE RE-OCCURRENCE, PUMPS WITH SIMILAR CONFIGURATIONS WERE VISUALLY INSPECTED AND NO ISSUES WERE NOTED.