WEST TEXAS GULF PIPELINE CO

hazardous_liquid Incident — — February 25, 2015

Incident Information

Incident DateFebruary 25, 2015
OperatorWEST TEXAS GULF PIPELINE CO
CommodityCRUDE OIL
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates31.88918, -96.63953

Cause

CauseCORROSION FAILURE
SubcauseEXTERNAL CORROSION

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage$75,000
Emergency Response$344,269
Other Costs$32,000

Location Map

Incident Narrative

ON 2/25/2015 A LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT RESPONDED TO A PUBLIC COMPLAINT OF A STRONG ODOR. THEY DISCOVERED A CRUDE OIL RELEASE AT FM 709 AND NOTIFIED THE CONTROL CENTER AT APPROXIMATELY 00:03 ON 2/26/2015. THE CONTROL CENTER IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE LINE SEGMENT AND NOTIFIED FIELD PERSONNEL WHO RESPONDED AND CONFIRMED THE RELEASE AT APPROXIMATELY 00:35. NRC NOTIFICATION WAS MADE BY THE OPERATOR AT 02:33. EXCAVATION AND REMOVAL OF A PORTION OF THE CASING REVEALED A PINHOLE IN THE CARRIER PIPE DUE TO EXTERNAL CORROSION. THE MORPHOLOGY OF THE EXTERNAL PITS IS CONSISTENT WITH MIC AND MAY HAVE BEEN A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IN THE FAILURE. THE ENTIRE CASED SECTION OF PIPE AT THE CROSSING OF FM 709 WAS PERMANENTLY REPLACED. PER A PHMSA ISSUED CORRECTIVE ACTION ORDER (CAO) RECEIVED ON 3/12/15, THE BLUM TO WORTHAM SUB-SEGMENT OF THE COLORADO CITY TO WORTHAM SEGMENT OF THE WEST TEXAS GULF PIPELINE SYSTEM IS CURRENTLY OPERATING UNDER A MANDATORY 20% REDUCTION IN OPERATING PRESSURE UNTIL SUCH TIME A REMOVAL OF THIS PRESSURE RESTRICTION IS APPROVED BY PHMSA.

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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