MIPC LLC

Incident Narrative

WHILE CONDUCTING A CATHODIC PROTECTION SURVEY, AN MIPC PIPELINER OBSERVED AN ODOR AND NOTICED STAINED SOIL ALONG MIPC'S PIPELINE RIGHT-OF-WAY. THE PIPELINE WAS IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN AND ISOLATED WITH THE TWO NEAREST REMOTE BLOCK VALVES. AFTER SURVEYING THE AREA, IT WAS CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS ULTRA-LOW SULFUR DIESEL PRODUCT ON THE GROUND. MIPC'S OIL RESPONSE ORGANIZATION (OSRO) WAS CALLED AND A CONTRACTOR WAS CALLED TO EXCAVATE THE AREA AROUND THE PIPELINE TO EVALUATE THE PIPELINE AND DETERMINE THE REPAIR METHOD. THE PIPELINE WAS EXCAVATED AND A REPAIR WAS MADE ON THE OBSERVED PINHOLE LEAK. THE IMPACTED SOIL WAS REMOVED AND SENT OFF-SITE AS NON-HAZARDOUS, NON-DOT REGULATED MATERIAL. MIPC THEN RECEIVED PADEP CERTIFIED CLEAN FILL TO BACKFILL THE EXCAVATION. ON 1/14/2020, THE SECTION OF PIPE THAT WAS LEAKING WAS SAFELY CUT-OUT AND REPLACED. THAT SECTION WAS SENT OUT TO A THIRD PARTY FOR ROOT CAUSE FAILURE ANALYSIS. MIPC RECEIVED THE FINAL METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS REPORT ON MARCH 23, 2020. THE REPORT CONFIRMED THAT THE ROOT CAUSE WAS THE RESULT OF SELECTIVE SEAM CORROSION THAT PENETRATED THE PIPE WALL TO APPROXIMATELY 90% THROUGH WALL. THE INTERNAL PRESSURE OF THE PIPE, WHICH WAS OPERATING AT 13% OF SMYS, THEN EXCEEDED THE STRENGTH OF THE REMAINING LIGAMENT AT THE BASE OF THE SELECTIVE SEAM CORROSION GROVE CAUSING A LEAK.