SHELL PIPELINE CO., L.P.

Incident Narrative

THE FOURCHON BOOSTER PUMP STATION UNIT #2 FAILED TO SHUT DOWN. FOUND IN THE MOTOR CONTACTOR CABINET A C CLIP HAD FALLEN OFF OF A PIN WHICH HELD IN THE LINKAGE FROM THE AUXILIARY CONTACTS. THE CONTACT STATUS BECAME INACCURATE AS THE C-CLIP WHICH CONNECTS THE LINKAGE BECAME LOOSE AND EVENTUALLY FELL OFF, ALLOWING THE LINKAGE TO DISCONNECT. THE CONTACTS HAVE VARYING RELATIVE POSITION OPERATION ON THE DRUM. THE MOTOR CONTINUED TO RUN, THE PUMP SUCTION AND DISCHARGE VALVES WERE CLOSED. THE PUMP SEAL EVENTUALLY FAILED RELEASING CRUDE WITHIN THE PUMP TO THE SURROUNDING PUMP BASE AND AREA AROUND THE PUMP. THE LOCAL OPERATIONS PERSONNEL FOUND THE UNIT STILL RUNNING WITH SOME OIL ON THE PUMP BASE. HE CONTACTED THE CONTROLLER TO INITIATE THE EMERGENCY SHUT DOWN WHICH HE INITIATED, HOWEVER THE UNIT WOULD NOT SHUT DOWN DUE TO THE LOSS OF THE C CLIP ON THE LINKAGE. THE LOCAL OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO SHUT THE POWER OFF TO THE STATION WHICH SHUT DOWN THE MOTOR.