COLONIAL PIPELINE CO

hazardous_liquid Incident — — September 4, 2021

Incident Information

Incident DateSeptember 4, 2021
OperatorCOLONIAL PIPELINE CO
CommodityREFINED AND/OR PETROLEUM PRODUCT (NON-HVL) WHICH IS A LIQUID
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates33.28180, -86.80295

Cause

CauseEQUIPMENT FAILURE
SubcauseOTHER EQUIPMENT FAILURE

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage$14,494
Emergency Response$0
Other Costs$0

Location Map

Incident Narrative

"ON 9/4/2021 AT 7:51 A ROUTINE STATION CHECK IDENTIFIED PRODUCT OVERFLOWING AT THE L1 INJECTION PUMP DRAIN PAN. PRESSURE WAS RELIEVED FROM THE IDLE PUMP CIRCUIT AND PUMP PISTON PACKING WAS ADJUSTED. IT WAS THEN DISCOVERED THAT THE DRAIN LINE TO THE STATION SUMP WAS PLUGGED RESULTING IN THE OVERFLOW TO THE GROUND. PRODUCT WAS FOUND IN A VALVE WELL ADJACENT TO THE INJECTION PUMP. AN ESTIMATED 7 GALLONS OF GASOLINE WAS COLLECTED AND AN ADDITIONAL 2 GALLONS IS ESTIMATED IN THE EXCAVATED SOIL. NO EXTERNAL NOTIFICATIONS WERE REQUIRED. NO ADDITIONAL ACTION IS REQUIRED. A SUPPLEMENTAL FINAL REPORT WILL BE ISSUED AFTER ALL COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH RESPONSE TO THE RELEASE ARE QUANTIFIED. UPDATE: SLUDGE/DEBRIS WAS DISCOVERED TO HAVE CLOGGED THE 1 INCH DRAIN LINE FROM THE PUMP DRAIN BASIN TO THE STATION SUMP, CAUSING THE DRAIN TO BACKUP, FILL THE BASIN, AND EVENTUALLY RESULT IN A PRODUCT OVERFLOW. THE INJECTION PUMP AND DRAIN LINE WERE INSTALLED IN 1963, HOWEVER, THE EXACT DATE FOR THE MOP IS UNKNOWN. A PROCESS WAS IMPLEMENTED TO PROACTIVELY FLUSH THE INJECTION PUMP DRAIN LINE TO ENSURE IT IS CLEAR OF ANY DEBRIS BEFORE USE."

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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