ONEOK NGL PIPELINE, LLC

hazardous_liquid Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorONEOK NGL PIPELINE, LLC
Commodity—
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates31.70920, -96.22747

Cause

CauseINCORRECT OPERATION
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage
Lost Commodity
Public/Private Damage
Emergency Response
Environmental Remediation
Other Costs

Location Map

Incident Narrative

ON 7/25/2018 ONEOK PERSONNEL CHANGED SEALS ON A PUMP AT ONEOK'S FAIRFIELD PUMP STATION. UPON COMPLETION OF CHANGING THE SEALS PERSONNEL BEGAN TO PURGE THE PUMP CAVITY TO RETURN THE PUMP TO SERVICE. PURGING BEGAN THROUGH A SMALL BALL VALVE ON TOP OF THE PUMP WITHOUT REMOVING THE TEMPORARY UMBRELLA SHADE THAT HAD BEEN INSTALLED TO KEEP THE SUN OFF OF THE WORKERS WHILE CHANGING THE SEAL. AS THE PURGE BEGAN THE VAPORS COLLECTED UNDER THE UMBRELLA AND IT IS BELIEVED STATIC ELECTRICITY IGNITED THE VAPORS CAUSING A FLASH FIRE. THE FIRE IMMEDIATELY EXTINGUISHED ITSELF AND THE PURGE VALVE WAS CLOSED. AFTER A SAFETY STAND DOWN, THE REMAINS OF THE UMBRELLA WERE REMOVED AND THE PUMP PURGE WAS COMPLETED. ONEOK CONDUCTED A CAUSE MAP INVESTIGATION INTO THE INCIDENT AND DETERMINED PROCEDURES DID NOT COVER THE USE OF AN UMBRELLA FOR SHADE DURING PUMP SEAL CHANGES. IN THE FUTURE WHEN AN UMBRELLA IS USED THE UMBRELLA SUPPORT WILL BE GROUNDED AND THE UMBRELLA WILL BE REMOVED PRIOR TO PURGING THE PUMP.

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.

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