LOOP LLC

Incident Narrative

DURING A HELICOPTER FLIGHT TO THE MARINE TERMINAL ON WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 2014, A LOOP EMPLOYEE SPOTTED A LIGHT SHEEN ALONG THE LOOP PIPELINE RIGHT-OF-WAY IN THE GULF OF MEXICO APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES SOUTH OF THE BEACH AT PORT FOURCHON. THE SHEEN WAS REPORTED TO NRC AT 13:00 (REPORT NO. 1092192) THAT SAME DAY BY LOOP AS AN UNKNOWN SOURCE. LOOP PROMPTLY DISPATCHED RESOURCES TO THE AREA TO INVESTIGATE THE SOURCE. LOOP NOTIFIED PHMSA THAT IT HAD CALLED NRC TO REPORT A SHEEN SPOTTED IN THE AREA OF THE LOOP RIGHT-OF-WAY IN THE GULF OF MEXICO ABOUT A MILE OFF THE BEACH AND THAT IT HAD SUSPENDED OPERATION OF ITS MAIN OIL LINE WHILE AN INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED TO DETERMINE IF THERE WAS A PROBLEM WITH THE PIPELINE. THE INVESTIGATION CONTINUED OVER A FOUR DAY PERIOD. ON SUNDAY, AUGUST 17, 2014, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE SOURCE OF THE SHEEN WAS A 2.2 INCH LONGITUDINAL CRACK ACROSS THE WELD BETWEEN TWO JOINTS OF PIPE ON THE LOOP MAIN OIL LINE. THE LINE WAS OFFICIALLY SHUTDOWN FOR REPAIR. BASED UPON THE CONDITION OF THE CONCRETE ON THE PIPE IN THE AREA OF THE CRACK, IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE CRACK WAS THIRD PARTY DAMAGE. LOOP NOTIFIED PHMSA THAT EVENING OF THE RESULTS OF THE INVESTIGATION. IN A DISCUSSION WITH PHMSA ON MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014, LOOP WAS ADVISED THAT A SECOND REPORT TO NRC WAS REQUIRED BY THE AGENCY IN ORDER FOR THE ACCIDENT TO BE LOGGED INTO THE PHMSA SYSTEM. LOOP MADE A SECOND REPORT TO NRC AT 12:10 ON MONDAY, AUGUST 18, 2014 (REPORT NO. 1092665). ONCE THE LEAK SOURCE WAS IDENTIFIED, LOOP IMMEDIATELY COMMENCED REPAIR OPERATIONS. THE REPAIR PLAN ENTAILED THE FOLLOWING: REMOVING A PORTION OF THE CONCRETE COVER FROM THE TWO JOINTS OF PIPE; REMOVING THE SHRINK SLEEVE FROM THE WELD JOINT; DRILLING A 0.5 INCH HOLE AT EITHER END OF THE CRACK TO MINIMIZE THE POTENTIAL FOR PROPAGATION; AND, INSTALLING A PLIDCO CLAMP OVER THE CRACK AREA. THE REPAIR WAS COMPLETED AND THE PIPELINE WAS RETURNED TO FULL SERVICE ON THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2014. LOOP HAD A VESSEL WITH OIL SPILL RESPONSE EQUIPMENT ON BOARD STANDING BY AT THE WORK SITE THROUGHOUT THE INVESTIGATION AND REPAIR PERIOD. AS INDICATED ABOVE, BASED UPON THE CONDITION OF THE CONCRETE ON THE PIPE IN THE AREA OF THE CRACK, IT APPEARED THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE CRACK WAS THIRD PARTY DAMAGE. ALTHOUGH THERE WAS NO WAY TO DETERMINE WHEN THE DAMAGE COULD HAVE OCCURRED, LOOP RESEARCHED LA ONE CALL RECORDS FOR ANY NOTIFICATIONS MADE FOR THE AREA IN AND AROUND THE PIPELINE FOR 30 TO 60 DAYS PRIOR TO INCIDENT. LOOP ALSO FOLLOWED WITH PORT VISION FOR A REVIEW OF THEIR RECORDS FOR VESSEL ACTIVITY IN THE AREA OF THE PIPELINE FOR 30 TO 60 DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. A SOURCE OF THE DAMAGE COULD NOT BE IDENTIFIED FROM THESE REVIEWS.