COLONIAL PIPELINE CO

Incident Narrative

ON APRIL 27, 2019, AT APPROXIMATELY 20:35 EDT, A BUCKEYE PIPELINE EMPLOYEE CALLED THE COLONIAL RESPONSE PHONE NUMBER TO REPORT A POSSIBLE LEAK ON OUR DELIVERY LINE INSIDE THE PENNSAUKEN DELIVERY FACILITY. THE COLONIAL CONTROL CENTER IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE DELIVERY OF 88 GRADE FUEL OIL AND CLOSED VALVES TO ISOLATE LEAK. COLONIAL PERSONNEL WERE IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHED TO THE SITE. AT 21:00 EDT, COLONIAL PERSONNEL CONFIRMED THE LEAK HAD EMANATED FROM A 1"" THERMOWELL ON AN ABOVEGROUND SECTION OF COLONIAL'S DELIVERY LINE. THE LEAK HAD STOPPED BY THE TIME COLONIAL PERSONNEL ARRIVED. AT 21:10 EDT, THE WOODBURY OM CALLED THE NJDEP HOTLINE TO REPORT THE LEAK (ASSIGNED CASE #04-27-2109-51). THE ESTIMATED RELEASE VOLUME GIVEN AT THAT TIME WAS 25 GALLONS. THE VOLUME WAS LATER REVISED TO 11 GALLONS, BASED ON ABSORBENT DIAPER COUNT, LABORATORY RESULTS FOR SOIL STOCKPILE, AND AN ESTIMATED STOCKPILE VOLUME/WEIGHT. THE PRODUCT WAS CONTAINED IN THE FACILITY IN THE IMMEDIATE PROXIMITY TO THE RELEASE POINT. CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS CONSISTING OF EXCAVATING THE STAINED SURFACE SOIL AND GRAVEL, ABSORBENT PAD USE AND WIPING RESIDUAL PRODUCT FROM INFRASTRUCTURE STARTED IMMEDIATELY. THE THERMOWELL WAS REMOVED AND A PIPE PLUG INSTALLED. THE PIPELINE WAS RESTARTED AT 2345 EDT ON APRIL 27, 2019. CLEAN-UP WAS COMPLETED AT 03:45 EDT ON APRIL 28, 2019. ON APRIL 28, 2019 AT 10:44 EDT, AN ADDITIONAL REPORT (SAME CASE NUMBER) WAS FILED WITH THE NJDEP TO CORRECT THE INITIAL REPORT STATING THAT THE LEAK CAME FROM A LEAKING PIPE CAP. THE CAP WAS SITTING ON TOP OF THE THERMOWELL. THE FOLLOW-UP REPORT, ALSO NOTED THAT CLEAN-UP WAS COMPLETED AT 03:45 EDT ON APRIL 28, 2019. THE THERMOWELL WAS SENT TO DNV GL FOR METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS AND THE RESULTS WILL BE INCORPORATED IN THE SUPPLEMENT/FINAL REPORT. 9/5/2019 UPDATE: AN INCIDENT ANALYSIS (IA) WAS COMPLETED AND THE ACTION ITEMS RESULTING INCLUDE: * SEND THE THERMOWELL OUT FOR FAILURE ANALYSIS * INSTITUTE AN ENGINEERING DIRECTIVE TO HAVE ALL THERMOWELLS INSPECTED DURING THE NEXT PM OF TEMPERATURE TRANSMITTER THE METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS FAILURE REPORT OF THE THERMOWELL STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS CAUSED BY FATIGUE ON A CRACK THAT DEVELOPED IN AN AREA WHERE THERE WAS MECHANICAL DAMAGE. THE MECHANICAL DAMAGE APPEARS TO HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY MACHINING DURING MANUFACTURE OF THE THERMOWELL. ANOTHER CONTRIBUTING FACTOR, BASED ON A WAKE ANALYSIS CONDUCTED FOLLOWING ASME PTC 19.3TW-2016, WAS THAT THE THERMOWELL EXTENDED TOO DEEP INTO THE PIPING AND CAUSED VIBRATION. THE VIBRATION MAY HAVE ALSO CONTRIBUTED TO THE GROWTH OF THE CRACK.