SFPP, LP

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 6:35 LOCAL OPERATIONS PERSONNEL DISCOVERED A RELEASE OF DIESEL COMING FROM THE FLANGE OF THE SURGE 3 PUMP TO THE SURGE CAN CONNECTION. THE SYSTEM WAS BEING UTILIZED TO EMPTY THE HEEL OF TANK C-18 IN ORDER TO REMOVE THE TANK FROM SERVICE. PRODUCT WAS BEING DROPPED FROM THE TANK FILL LINE TO THE SURGE CAN AND THEN PUMPED TO THE TRANSMIX TANK VIA THE STRIPPER PUMP. THE IMPACT TO THE SOIL WAS APPROXIMATELY 8' DIAMETER BY ROUGHLY 6"" DEEP. THE VOLUME RELEASED WAS CALCULATED TO BE 50.3 GALLONS. THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION AND A SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT WILL BE PROVIDED WHEN THE INVESTIGATION IS DEEMED COMPLETE. UPDATE 12/1/2020 FOR SUPPLEMENTAL/FINAL SUBMISSION: AS STATED IN PREVIOUS SUBMITTAL, A RELEASE OF DIESEL INSIDE THE COLTON SOUTH FACILITY WAS FOUND LEAKING FROM A FLANGED CONNECTION BETWEEN THE SURGE 3 PUMP AND THE SURGE CAN DURING A TANK TRANSFER TO TAKE TANK C-18 OUT OF SERVICE FOR REPAIR. AFTER DISCOVERING THE RELEASE, THE OPERATOR CLOSED THE MANIFOLD SURGE 3 VALVE, THEN IN AN ATTEMPT TO STOP OR SLOW THE RELEASE, CHECKED THE FLANGE BOLTS WITH A WRENCH AND FOUND 4 OF THE BOLTS SLIGHTLY LOOSE (1/4 OF A TURN TO TIGHTEN). THE TIGHTENING OF THE 4 BOLTS STOPPED THE LEAKING PRODUCT FROM THE FLANGED CONNECTION. IT IS UNKNOWN WHY THE BOLTS WERE FOUND LOOSE, BUT COULD BE RELATED TO A MARCH 17TH, 2019 RE-INSTALLATION WHEN THE BOLTS MAY NOT HAVE BEEN PROPERLY TORQUED AT THAT TIME. THE LOOSE BOLTS COULD HAVE BEEN EITHER UNDER-TORQUED OR OVER-TORQUED, RESULTING IN STRETCHED BOLTS.