EXPLORER PIPELINE CO

hazardous_liquid Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorEXPLORER PIPELINE CO
Commodity—
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates37.50302, -93.27968

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

ON APRIL 20, 2015 AN EXPLORER PIPELINE EMPLOYEE IDENTIFIED PRODUCT SEEPING FROM A ONE-INCH THREADED PIPE CONNECTION OFF THE UNIT NUMBER 1 PUMP SEAL FLUSH LINE AT THE SPRINGFIELD, MO PUMP STATION. THE EMPLOYEE NOTIFIED THE EXPLORER PIPELINE CONTROL CENTER, WHO SHUT DOWN THE PIPELINE AND ISOLATED THE PUMP STATION FROM THE MAINLINE. THE SOURCE OF THE RELEASE WAS CONFIRMED TO BE A CRACK IN THE THREADED CONNECTION OF A ONE-INCH PIPING ASSOCIATED WITH THE PUMP SEAL FLUSH. A FAILURE ANALYSIS WAS CONDUCTED ON THE ONE-INCH THREADED PIPE CONNECTION BY A THIRD PARTY AND EXPLORERS ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT. IT WAS DETERMINED LONG TERM CYCLING OF THE ONE-INCH PIPING FROM VIBRATION AT THE SPRINGFIELD, MO PUMP STATION WAS THE DIRECT CAUSE. THREE-QUARTER INCH STAINLESS STEEL TUBING AND SWAGELOK CONNECTIONS ALONG WITH PUMP MOUNTED BRACING ARE BEING INSTALLED TO REPLACE THE PIPING TO REDUCE THE RESIDUAL VIBRATION. ANY IMPACTED SOIL FROM THE RELEASE WAS TESTING, AND APPROXIMATELY 14 CUBIC YARDS OF SOIL WAS REMOVED.

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.

Back to All Incidents More Incidents in