SHELL PIPELINE CO., L.P.

hazardous_liquid Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorSHELL PIPELINE CO., L.P.
Commodity—
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates35.26178, -119.07449

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

THE PIPE WAS FOUND TO HAVE A CRACK 1.25 INCHES IN LENGTH ASSOCIATED WITH TWO CAD WELDED MAG ANODE CONNECTION. THE CAD WELDS WERE FOUND TO BE WITHIN A FEW INCHES OF THE LONG SEAM. IT IS SUMMIZED THAT THE THERMITE WELDING APPEARED TO BE A LARGER CHARGE WITH GREATER HEAT INPUT ON THE 0.203 INCH W.T. PIPE WHICH CAN CAUSE LIQUID METAL EMBRITTLEMENT (LME). GIVEN THE CLOSE PROXIMITY TO THE LONG SEAM AND THE PROXIMITY AND GEOMETRY OF THE CRACK IT IS THOUGHT THAT HEAT AFFECTED ZONES (HAZ) OF THE ERW AND CAD WELD WERE INTERACTING AND WERE LIKELY A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR. PIPELINE WAS ORIGINALLY INSTALLED IN 1982 WHICH IS WHEN WE BELIEVE THE CAD WELDS WERE MADE. REPAIR TO PIPELINE WAS BY INSTALLING A FIVE FOOT LONG TYPE B FULL ENCIRCLEMENT SLEEVE.

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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