SINCLAIR TRANSPORTATION COMPANY

Incident Narrative

AT 08:13 ON 8/8 THE MAGELLAN CONTROL CENTER NOTIFIED THE SINCLAIR CONTROL CENTER TO SHUT DOWN ITS PUMP AT THE CHASE TERMINAL FOR AN SPECIFIED REASON. AT 08:52 THE MAGELLAN TERMINAL MANAGER CONTACTED THE SINCLAIR LOCAL AREA OPERATOR AND INFORMED HIM THAT THERE HAD BEEN A RELEASE OUT OF THE SINCLAIR PUMP SEAL. SINCLAIR'S CHASE PUMP IS A GOULD MODEL 3196 I-FRAME PUMP. IN THIS APPLICATION A 50 HP MOTOR DRIVES THE PUMP. THE PUMP IS LOCATED WITHIN THE MAGELLAN TERMINAL. SINCLAIR TAKES REFINED PRODUCT DELIVERIES AT THIS LOCATION AND SHIPS THEM TO SINCLAIR'S DENVER PRODUCT TERMINAL VIA THE 15 MILE LONG CHASE CONNECTION PIPELINE. SINCLAIR'S AND MAGELLAN INITIAL RESPONSE WAS INITIATED AND, SINCE THE RELEASE HAPPENED WITHIN MAGELLAN'S PROPERTY, MAGELLAN TOOK RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE PRODUCT RECOVERY AND CLEAN-UP (AT SINCLAIR'S EXPENSE). THE SUBSEQUENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE OUTBOARD/THRUST BEARING HAD FAILED ALLOWING THE IMPELLER SHAFT TO TRAVEL FORWARD FAR ENOUGH THAT THE FACES OF THE SEAL PARTED ALLOWING THE RELEASE OF GASOLINE. DUE TO THE WEAR ON THE IMPELLER IT IS APPARENT THAT OVER AN UNKNOWN PERIOD OF TIME THE OUTBOARD/THRUST BEARING HAD BEGUN TO FAIL (CHRONIC CONDITION). EVENTUALLY THE OUTBOARD/THRUST BEARING CAGES WORE ENOUGH THAT THE IMPELLER SHAFT HAD SUFFICIENT LATERAL TRAVEL TO ALLOW THE SEAL TO SEPARATE. THE LAB ANALYSIS OF THE BEARING OIL REVEALED THAT THE OIL HAD BEEN CONTAMINATED WITH WATER AND THE OIL HAD BEEN DEGRADED. THIS CONTRIBUTING FACTOR MAY HAVE LED TO THE BEARING FAILURE.