MINNESOTA ENERGY RESOURCES CORPORATION
gas_distribution Incident — BUTTERFIELD, MN — August 18, 2019
Incident Information
| Incident Date | August 18, 2019 |
| Operator | MINNESOTA ENERGY RESOURCES CORPORATION |
| Commodity | NATURAL GAS |
| Pipeline Type | gas_distribution |
Location
| City | BUTTERFIELD |
| State | MN |
| County | WATONWAN |
| Coordinates | 43.95796, -94.79730 |
Cause
| Cause | NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE |
| Subcause | HIGH WINDS |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $98,016 |
| Emergency Response | $25,960 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"DURING LOCAL THUNDERSTORMS WITH EXTREMELY HIGH WINDS, A TREE TOPPLED AND LANDED ON A DISTRICT REGULATOR STATION. CURRENT DISTRICT REGULATOR STATION IS THE ONLY FEED FOR THE SMALL TOWN (<250 CUSTOMERS). THE FORCE OF THE TREE CAUSED A FLANGE ON THE INLET SIDE TO CRACK, RESULTING IN A GAS LEAK. THE OUTLET PIPING ALSO BROKE CAUSING THE DOWNSTREAM PRESSURE SIDE TO RELEASE INTO ATMOSPHERE. THE EMERGENCY VALVE FOR THE STATION WAS TURNED OFF, RESULTING IN ALL CUSTOMERS WITHOUT GAS UNTIL THE REPAIRS WERE MADE."
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.