PLANTATION PIPE LINE CO

Incident Narrative

ON THE MORNING OF 9/17/2018, A DRAIN UP CONDUCTED BY OPERATIONS OF THE ASSOCIATED PIPING WAS BEGUN IN PREPARATION FOR THE AUF PROVER REPLACEMENT PROJECT. THE PROJECT INVOLVED REPLACING A LARGE VOLUME PROVER WITH A SMALL VOLUME PROVER. DURING THIS DRAIN UP PROCESS, THE BOTTOM OF THE PIPE AT TIE-IN LOCATION #1, WAS CUT (APPROX. 2 INCHES) AS THE MEANS TO DRAIN THE ASSOCIATED PIPING WHILE VENTING WAS ATTEMPTED THROUGH A 3/8 INCH LINE ON THE PRESSURE TRANSMITTER (IN THE BOOSTER AREA APPROX. 1300FT AWAY). THE PRODUCT IN THE PIPING DRAINED THROUGH THE 2 INCH CUT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PIPE, INTO A DRAIN PAN BENEATH THE PIPE AND WAS BEING REMOVED FROM THE DRAIN PAN VIA A VACUUM TRUCK. AS THE PRODUCT FLOW FROM THE 2 INCH CUT IN THE BOTTOM OF THE PIPE INTO THE DRAIN PAN SLOWED TO A TRICKLE, MORE OF THE PIPE WAS CUT (AS DIRECTED BY CONTRACT INSPECTOR) UNTIL FINALLY THE CUT WAS COMPLETED. AFTERWARDS, THE PRESSURE TRANSMITTER WAS REMOVED TO FACILITATE THE LINE FLUSH. THE REMOVAL OF THE PRESSURE TRANSMITTER CAUSED THE VENTING SIZE TO INCREASE FROM A 3/8 INCH OPENING TO A 2 INCH OPENING, WHICH ALLOWED INCREASED AIRFLOW AND RESULTED IN A RELEASE OF TURBINE FUEL INTO THE BELLHOLE FOR TIE-IN LOCATION #1. THE ADDITIONAL TURBINE OVERFILLED THE DRAIN PAN AND FLOWED INTO THE BELLHOLE. IMMEDIATELY AFTERWARDS, THE 2 INCH OPENING WAS CLOSED TO STOP THE FLOW AND THE VACUUM TRUCK WAS USED TO COLLECT THE TURBINE FUEL WHICH HAD OVERFILLED THE DRAIN PAN AND COLLECTED IN THE BELLHOLE.