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SINCLAIR TRANSPORTATION COMPANY

hazardous_liquid Incident — — August 13, 2014

Incident Information

Incident DateAugust 13, 2014
OperatorSINCLAIR TRANSPORTATION COMPANY
CommodityCRUDE OIL
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates42.55741, -107.00791

Cause

CauseINCORRECT OPERATION
SubcauseVALVE LEFT OR PLACED IN WRONG POSITION, BUT NOT RESULTING IN A TANK, VESSEL, OR SUMP/SEPARATOR OVERFLOW OR FACILITY OVERPRESSURE

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage$0
Emergency Response$6,005
Other Costs$0

Location Map

Incident Narrative

ON AUGUST 12TH, 2014 THREE PIPELINE EMPLOYEES WERE DISPATCHED TO A BOOSTER PUMP STATION (SANFORD STATION) TO REPLACE THE SEALS ON A PUMP. THEY HAD THE CONTROL CENTER SHUT DOWN THE PUMP. THEY LOCKED AND TAGGED OUT THE PUMP AND THE MOTOR OPERATED SUCTION AND DISCHARGE VALVES. THE LOCAL USER INTERFACE AND THE CONTROL CENTER CONFIRMED THE VALVES' CLOSED POSITION. THEY DID NOT VERIFY THE VALVES POSITION BY MANUALLY OPERATING THE HANDWHEELS ON THE VALVES. THEY WERE ABLE TO DRAIN THE PRESSURE OFF THE PUMP AND UPON REMOVAL OF THE INBOARD SEAL IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE PUMP CASE HAD WASHED OUT AND THE PUMP WOULD HAVE TO BE REMOVED AND SENT IN FOR REPAIRS. THE PUMP WAS LEFT WITH THE INBOARD SEAL REMOVED UNTIL ARRANGEMENTS COULD BE MADE TO REMOVE THE PUMP. THE NEXT DAY, AUGUST 13TH, 2014, THE CONTROL CENTER INITIATED A START ON ANOTHER PUMP AT THE SAME LOCATION. THIS OTHER PUMP SHARES SOME DISCHARGE PIPE WITH THE OUT OF SERVICE PUMP. SHORTLY AFTER STARTING THE PUMP A CALL WAS RECEIVED FROM THE LANDOWNER THAT OIL WAS SPRAYING IN THE AIR. THE CONTROL CENTER IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN THE PUMP AND THE ASSOCIATED PIPELINES AND DISPATCHED EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL. IT WAS FOUND THAT THE DISCHARGE VALVE TO THE OUT OF SERVICE PUMP HAD AN ACTUATOR STEM NUT THAT HAD BEEN STRIPPED AND THE DISCHARGE VALVE HAD BEEN, AT LEAST, PARTIALLY OPEN. WHEN THE SECOND PUMP WAS STARTED THE OIL FLOWED THROUGH THIS INADVERTANTLY LEFT OPEN VALVE. OIL ENTERED THE PUMP AND WAS RELEASED FROM THE PUMP SEAL LOCATION. THE PRESSURE WAS BLED OFF OF THE PUMP FOR THE SEAL REMOVAL, NOT BECAUSE THE DISCHARGE VALVE WAS CLOSED BUT, BECAUSE A DOWNSTREAM CHECK VALVE HELD BACK THE LINE PRESSURE. IMPROPERLY FOLLOWING THE ENERGY ISOLATIN PROCEDURES LED TO THE RELEASE.

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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