SEADRIFT PIPELINE CORP
hazardous_liquid Incident — — August 2, 2018
Incident Information
| Incident Date | August 2, 2018 |
| Operator | SEADRIFT PIPELINE CORP |
| Commodity | HVL OR OTHER FLAMMABLE OR TOXIC FLUID WHICH IS A GAS AT AMBI |
| Pipeline Type | hazardous_liquid |
Location
| State | |
| Coordinates | 28.51089, -96.76553 |
Cause
| Cause | INCORRECT OPERATION |
| Subcause | EQUIPMENT NOT INSTALLED PROPERLY |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $47,000 |
| Emergency Response | $0 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"ON AUGUST 2, 2018 TECHNICIANS WERE PREPARING TO START UP PROPANE PUMP P-103 INSIDE THE SEADRIFT PLANT IN SEADRIFT, TEXAS. AFTER THE TECHNICIAN COMMANDED THE PUMP TO START, IT CAUGHT FIRE. THE PUMP SEAL HAD JUST BEEN REPLACED. THE TECHNICIAN ONSITE WATCHING THE PUMP WAS COMMUNICATING WITH THE CONTROL ROOM DURING START-UP WHEN HE OBSERVED THE FIRE. THE REMOTE EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN DEVICE AND REMOTE DELUGE SYSTEMS WHICH ISOLATED PROPANE TO THE PUMP AND PLACED THE STATION IN BY-PASS WAS AUTOMATICALLY INITIATED. THIS MINIMIZED THE FIRE AND RELEASE TO ABOUT 8 GALLONS OF PROPANE; HOWEVER, THE ENSUING FIRE WAS ENOUGH TO DAMAGE THE MOTOR. THE ROOT CAUSE INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE PUMP MALFUNCTION WAS INADEQUATE PUMP SEAL INSTALLATION PROCEDURES, WHICH RESULTED IN A MISALIGNMENT OF THE COUPLING ASSEMBLY. THE MISALIGNMENT PREVENTED THE SEAL FROM FUNCTIONING PROPERLY AND CAUSED THE PUMP FIRE. THE PROCEDURE WAS REVISED TO PREVENT RECURRENCE."
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.