ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS OPERATING LLC

hazardous_liquid Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorENTERPRISE PRODUCTS OPERATING LLC
Commodity—
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates40.36682, -80.58459

Cause

CauseMATERIAL FAILURE OF PIPE OR WELD
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

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

Location Map

Incident Narrative

AT APPROXIMATELY 9:40 A.M. C.S.T. ON JANUARY 26, 2015, THE ATEX PIPELINE FAILED NEAR FOLLANSBEE, WEST VIRGINIA, RESULTING IN THE RELEASE OF APPROXIMATELY 30,565 BARRELS OF LIQUID ETHANE INTO A WOODED AREA. THERE WERE NO INJURIES OR IMPACTED WATERWAYS, THOUGH THE EXPLOSION AND RESULTING FIRE BURNED APPROXIMATELY FIVE ACRES OF WOODLANDS. THE FIRE IN THE SURROUNDING AREA WAS EXTINGUISHED AT 7:10 P.M. E.S.T. IN THE EVENING OF JANUARY 27, 2015. THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED TO THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER (#1106602) ON JANUARY 26, 2015, AT 11:38 A.M. METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS INDICATES THAT THE PIPE FAILED FROM DUCTILE TENSILE OVERLOAD. THE TWO PRIMARY SOURCES FOR THIS STRAIN ARE BENDING STRESS AND SAG-TENSION FROM PIPE SETTLEMENT. THE PIPELINE WAS REPAIRED AND RETURNED TO SERVICE AT A REDUCED MAXIMUM OPERATING PRESSURE ON FEBRUARY 14, 2015. A REMEDIAL WORK PLAN WAS DEVELOPED AND IS BEING IMPLEMENTED PER AMENDED CORRECTIVE ACTION ORDER (ACAO) CPF 1-2015-5002H. ADDITIONALLY, PERIODIC UPDATES ARE BEING PROVIDED TO PHMSA AS PRESCRIBED BY THE ACAO. ENTERPRISE COMPLETED THE ACTIVITIES DESCRIBED WITHIN THE REMEDIAL WORK PLAN AND SUBMITTED DOCUMENTATION TO PHMSA AS THE FINAL CAO DOCUMENTATION REPORT ON JANUARY 26, 2015. PHMSA APPROVED THE FINAL CAO DOCUMENTATION REPORT ON FEBRUARY 24, 2016 AND CLOSED THE AMENDED CORRECTIVE ACTION ORDER.

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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