WEST TEXAS GULF PIPELINE CO

Incident Narrative

ON OCTOBER 14, 2018 THE COLORADO CITY TO ABILENE SEGMENT OF THE WEST TEXAS GULF PIPELINE SYSTEM WAS IN PROCESS OF HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE TESTING. AT APPROXIMATELY 10:10 THE SEGMENT WAS ON SPIKE TEST PRESSURE WHEN A FAILURE OCCURRED AT MP 64.2 IN ABILENE, TX. THE FAILURE RESULTED IN HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE TEST WATER MIXED WITH A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF RESIDUAL CRUDE OIL BEING RELEASED AND IMPACTING NEARBY BUTTON WILLOW CREEK. DUE TO THE RESIDUAL PRODUCT CAUSING A SHEEN ON THE CREEK, NRC WAS NOTIFIED AT 12:07 ON OCTOBER 14, 2018 (REPORT 1227441). 48 HOUR FOLLOW UP REPORT WAS MADE ON OCTOBER 16, 2018 (REPORT 1227621). TOTAL ESTIMATED AMOUNT OF CRUDE OIL RELEASED WAS 8 BBLS. ALL FREE PRODUCT WAS RECOVERED BY SKIMMING THE IMPACTED WATER BODY AND VIA ABSORBENT MATERIALS. THE FAILED SECTION OF PIPE WAS CUT OUT AND REPLACED AND HYDROSTATIC PRESSURE TEST WAS PERFORMED SUCCESSFULLY BETWEEN MLV 44.6 AND ABILENE STATION. PIPELINE WAS RETURNED TO NORMAL SERVICE ON NOVEMBER 1, 2018. EXTERNAL CORROSION WAS DETERMINED TO BE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE VIA FIELD EXAMINATION. FAILED SECTION OF PIPE WAS ALSO EXAMINED BY A 3RD PARTY LABORATORY WHICH CONFIRMED EXTERNAL CORROSION AS THE CAUSE RESULTING FROM THE DETERIORATION OF THE EXTERNAL COATING WHICH EXPOSED THE PIPE SURFACE TO A CORROSIVE ENVIRONMENT CONTAINING MIC.