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NIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORP

gas_distribution Incident — PROVIDENCE, RI

Incident Information

Report Date—
OperatorNIAGARA MOHAWK POWER CORP
Commodity—
Pipeline Typegas_distribution

Location

CityPROVIDENCE
StateRI
CountyPROVIDENCE
Coordinates41.81393, -71.40600

Cause

CausePIPE, WELD, OR JOINT FAILURE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

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

Location Map

Incident Narrative

**SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT ISSUED ON AUGUST 14, 2020 TO PROVIDE ACTUAL ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION COSTS AND TO UPDATE THE APPARENT CAUSE SECTION, PART G3. *** ON MARCH 29, 2017 THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY RESPONSE TO AN UNCONTROLLED RELEASE OF GAS FROM 12 INCH, 99 PSIG STEEL PIPELINE AT 30 ALLENS AVE, PROVIDENCE RI THIS SUBSEQUENTLY RESULTED IN UNPLANNED SUPPLY INTERRUPTION. WHAT HAPPENED: GAS CONTROL PRESSURE ALARMS INITIATED EMERGENCY RESPONSE WITH GAS INSTRUMENTATION & REGULATION (I&R) AT 7:59 PM. RI GAS DISPATCH INITIATED CMS RESPONSE BASED ON NUMEROUS ODOR CALLS AT 8:05 PM. PROVIDENCE LNG INITIATED RESPONSE ACTIVITIES AFTER LOW PRESSURE READING DURING ROUNDS AT 8:00 PM THE RELEASE WAS CONTROLLED AT 11:16 PM. CMS COMPLETED 59 SHUTOFFS AT 3:11 AM ON 3/30/17, C&M COMPLETED REPAIRS AT 3:30 AM ON 3/30/17, CMS BEGAN RELIGHTS AT 3:40 AM ON 3/30/17. A 12 INCH DRESSER COUPLING FAILED BY SEPARATION ALLOWING TWO 12 INCH 99 PSIG PIPE SEGMENTS TO BE PULLED APART. ROOT CAUSE: THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT SUPPORT OF A LIVE GAS MAIN DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE EARTH WAS REMOVED DURING CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY ALLOWING VIBRATION AND PRESSURE TO PULL THE SEGMENTS OUT FROM THE COUPLING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS: MARCH, 2017 - ENBRIDGE EXCAVATED AROUND A PRESSURIZED 99 PSIG OUTLET MAIN IN PREPARATION OF TIE-IN FOR OUTLET PIPING FOR THE NEWLY CONSTRUCTED CRARY ST GATE STATION. THE PIPING WAS LEFT INSUFFICIENTLY SUPPORTED IN EXCAVATION. REMOVAL OF TWO 750 TO 99 PSIG REGULATOR RUNS ALLOWED A PIPING HEADER TO SHIFT AND ALLOW PIPING TO MOVE OUT OF ALIGNMENT, FURTHER ADDING TO THE FORCES ACTING TO PULL THE SEGMENTS FROM THE COUPLING PIPING CHANGE IN 2005 UTILIZED UNRESTRAINED, SHORT-BARREL, INSULATING DRESSER COUPLINGS USE OF MECHANICAL COUPLING; DESIGN & MATERIAL CHOICE UNRESTRAINED MECHANICAL COUPLING USED AS PERMANENT METHOD OF JOINING TWO PIPE SEGMENTS. CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITY AROUND A PRESSURIZED 99 PSIG MAIN CONDUCTED WITH INSUFFICIENT SAFEGUARDS. ENBRIDGE PROCEEDED WITH TIE-IN EXCAVATION WHILE 99 PSIG MAIN WAS STILL IN 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.

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