PLAINS PIPELINE, L.P.

hazardous_liquid Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorPLAINS PIPELINE, L.P.
Commodity—
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates32.54213, -103.17194

Cause

CauseEQUIPMENT FAILURE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

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

Location Map

Incident Narrative

APPROXIMATELY 40 BBLS OF CRUDE OIL WERE RELEASED AS A RESULT OF A FAILED 1- INCH CHECK VALVE, CAUSING THE SUMP TO OVERFILL. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE CLAPPER INSIDE OF THE CHECK VALVE BROKE. PLAINS HAS REPLACED THE CHECK VALVE AND CLEAN UP IS ONGOING. THE CHECK VALVE WAS SENT TO THE LAB TO UNDERGO METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS. A SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED BASED ON THE RESULTS OF THE ANALYSIS. SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE: BASED ON THE ANALYSIS PERFORMED, THE CHECK VALVE FAILED DUE TO FATIGUE. POTENTIAL EXPLANATIONS FOR THE FATIGUE IN THE CLAPPER INCLUDE EXCESSIVE OPENING AND CLOSING, OR FLUTTERING IN THE FLUID STREAM. THE SUB-CAUSE IN PART G HAS BEEN UPDATED TO REFLECT THIS INFORMATION. IN ADDITION, PLAINS HAS ADDED A NEW, DOUBLE WALL SUMP WITH A HIGH LEVEL SWITCH. PLAINS HAS ALSO CHANGED SUMP OPERATIONS FROM AUTOMATED TO MANUAL, WHICH WILL ELIMINATE ANY UNNEEDED OPENING/CLOSING OF THE NEW CHECK VALVE AS WELL AS PREVENT ANY FUTURE, SIMILAR INCIDENTS AT THIS FACILITY. PART C, NUMBER 2 HAS BEEN UPDATED FROM 'ONSHORE TERMINAL/TANK FARM EQUIPMENT AND PIPING' TO 'ONSHORE PUMP/METER STATION EQUIPMENT AND PIPING' FOLLOWING AN INTERNAL ANNUAL REVIEW.

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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