WILLIAMS FIELD SERVICES
hazardous_liquid Incident — — August 6, 2015
Incident Information
| Incident Date | August 6, 2015 |
| Operator | WILLIAMS FIELD SERVICES |
| Commodity | HVL OR OTHER FLAMMABLE OR TOXIC FLUID WHICH IS A GAS AT AMBI |
| Pipeline Type | hazardous_liquid |
Location
| State | |
| Coordinates | 40.45772, -104.44393 |
Cause
| Cause | EXCAVATION DAMAGE |
| Subcause | EXCAVATION DAMAGE BY THIRD PARTY |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $200,000 |
| Emergency Response | $20,000 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
ON AUGUST 6, 2015 AT 14:09 PM, A THIRD-PARTY CONTRACTOR WAS EXCAVATING WITH A TRENCHING MACHINE ACROSS THE RIGHT OF WAY, STRIKING THE LUCERNE LATERAL OF THE OVERLAND PASS PIPELINE SYSTEM. THE PIPE WALL WAS PENETRATED, AND THE EQUIPMENT OPERATOR IMMEDIATELY EVACUATED. THE FUMES MIGRATED TO A TANK BATTERY AND VAPOR COMBUSTION UNIT APPROXIMATELY 200 YARDS FROM THE LOCATION OF THE STRIKE, WHICH IGNITED THE VAPOR PER EYEWITNESS ACCOUNTS. AT 15:20, WILLIAMS RECEIVED CALL FROM KERSEY COLORADO FIRE DEPARTMENT REPORTING A FIRE. AT 15:51, TWO OPPL OP/TECHS RESPONDED TO REPORTED RELEASE LOCATION. FIRE DEPARTMENT EVACUATED A 2 MILE AREA. AT 16:50, AN OP/TECH CLOSED THE BLOCK VALUE AT LUCERNE JUNCTION WHICH ISOLATED THE LUCERNE LATERAL FROM THE DJ LATERAL MAINLINE. AT 17:30, AN OP/TECH CLOSED THE LUCERNE LATERAL BLOCK VALVE, ISOLATING THE LUCERNE PLANT FROM THE LATERAL. THE FIRE CONTINUED TO BURN THROUGH THE NIGHT AND AT LOW LEVELS UNTIL AUGUST 8. ON AUGUST 9, WILLIAMS COMPLETED REPAIRS TO THE PIPELINE AND AT 15:50 THE LINE WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE.
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.