PHILLIPS 66 PIPELINE LLC

Incident Narrative

DURING ROUTINE OPERATOR ROUNDS AT APPROXIMATELY 8:00 A.M. ON TUESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2016 BPT PERSONNEL FOUND THE VENT LINE (FROM THE AIR ELIMINATOR OFF THE TOP OF THE AM-10 PROVER) LEAKING INTO THE OPEN DRAIN SYSTEM. THE OPEN DRAIN OVERFLOWED, RESULTING IN A 2.8 BBLS RELEASE. THE OPERATOR WHO DISCOVERED THE LEAK CLOSED THE VALVE FROM THE AIR ELIMINATOR, WHICH IMMEDIATELY STOPPED THE LEAK. THE 1-INCH VALVE FROM THE PROVER AIR ELIMINATOR WAS IN THE OPEN POSITION AND CONNECTED TO TUBING WHICH RAN TO A SECOND 1-INCH VALVE AT THE OPEN DRAIN (WHICH WAS IN THE CLOSED POSITION). THIS CREATED A DEAD LEG BETWEEN THE PROVER AIR ELIMINATOR AND THE VALVE AT THE OPEN DRAIN. THE 1-INCH VALVE AT THE OPEN DRAIN FAILED (MOST LIKELY DUE TO FREEZING) CAUSING THE VALVE TO LEAK AND SPILL 2.8 BBLS OF GASOLINE FROM THE PROVER. THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS THE AIR ELIMINATOR VALVE OFF THE PROVER WAS LEFT IN THE OPEN POSITION (OPERATOR ERROR), WHICH CREATED A DEADLEG IN THE TUBING FROM THE AIR ELIMINATOR TO THE OPEN DRAIN. HOWEVER, IT WAS NOT POSSIBLE TO DETERMINE WHEN THE VALVE WAS LEFT OPEN OR WHICH OPERATOR FAILED TO CLOSE THE VALVE. TO PREVENT REOCCURRENCE OF THIS INCIDENT, THE TUBING (FROM THE AIR ELIMINATOR VALVE) WAS DISCONNECTED, AND VALVE AT THE AIR ELIMINATOR WAS PLUGGED. THIS ELIMINATED THE TUBING DEADLEG. IF THE TUBING IS NEEDED (TO VENT THE PROVER DURING MAINTENANCE), IT WILL BE RECONNECTED, USED, AND THEN DISCONNECTED WHEN NOT IN USE. IN ADDITION, THE FACILITY WAS INSPECTED TO DETERMINE IF SIMILAR TUBING CONNECTIONS EXISTED. WHERE FOUND, THESE WERE DISCONNECTED AND PLUGGED TO PREVENT THIS TYPE OF INCIDENT ELSEWHERE IN THE FACILITY.