EXPLORER PIPELINE CO

Incident Narrative

ON DECEMBER 13, 2019, A QUALIFIED EXPLORER PIPELINE EMPLOYEE BECAME DISTRACTED AND LEFT A SMALL BLEEDER VALVE IN THE OPEN POSITION AT THE PASADENA PUMP STATION, AND PRODUCT WAS RELEASED. THE PRODUCT WAS TOTALLY CONTAINED ON THE PROPERTY. ANY IMPACTED SOIL WAS PROPERLY TESTED AND REMOVED. A POST-INCIDENT INTERVIEW WAS IMMEDIATELY CONDUCTED WITH THE OPERATOR BY EXPLORER PIPELINE'S SENIOR AREA MANGER AND MAINTENANCE AND OPERATIONS SUPERVISORS. THE EMPLOYEE ACKNOWLEDGED FAILED TO CLOSE THE BLEEDER VALVE. THE OPERATOR WAS REQUIRED TO COMPLETE A POST-INCIDENT DRUG AND ALCOHOL (D&A) TEST, AND THE MRO CONFIRMED IT WAS NEGATIVE. BEFORE THE EMPLOYEE WAS ALLOWED BACK INTO OPERATIONS, AN EVALUATION WAS COMPLETED BY THE EXPLORER PIPELINE SUPERVISORS. THE EVALUATION CONFIRMED THE EMPLOYEE KNEW THE OPERATIONS IDENTIFIED IN THE PROCEDURE, AND THEY FREQUENTLY CONDUCT OPERATIONS. AN EVALUATION OF THE RECORDS, LOGS, AND QUALIFICATION RECORDS SUPPORTED THAT THE OPERATOR KNEW THE SPECIFICS STEPS. HOWEVER, THE OPERATOR BECAME DISTRACTED WITH THE PHONE CALL FROM THE CONTROL CENTER THAT REQUESTED THE OPERATOR TO CONDUCT A NON-EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN. AFTER CONSULTATION, THE SENIOR MANAGEMENT ELECTED TO CONDUCT COUNSELING WITH THE OPERATOR BEFORE THEY RETURNED TO OPERATIONS VERSUS UNDERGOING A FULL OQ REQUALIFICATION.