EXPLORER PIPELINE CO

Incident Narrative

ON JULY 11, 2014 A RELEASE OF APPROXIMATELY 10 BARRELS OF GASOLINE WAS EXPERIENCED INSIDE THE EXPLORER PIPELINE TANK FARM IN HAMMOND, IN. THE PRODUCT WAS TOTALLY CONTAINED ON THE PROPERTY. A THERMAL RELIEF VALVE FROM THE BODY OF A GENERAL TWIN SEAL FAILED. A THIRD-PARTY FAILURE ANALYSIS OF THE THERMAL RELIEF VALVE WAS CONDUCTED AND INDICATED AN INTERNAL MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE THERMAL RELIEF. THE THERMAL RELIEF IS PIPED TO THE TERMINAL DRAIN SYSTEM. THE 3/8-INCH PIPING FROM THE RELIEF VALVE BECAME LOOSE FROM THE SUMP DRAIN SYSTEM AND THE PRODUCT WAS RELEASED TO THE GROUND AND NOT THE SUMP SYSTEM. ANY FREE PHASE PRODUCT WAS RECOVERED AND ANY IMPACTED SOIL WAS PROPERLY MANAGED. SUMP DRAIN LINE FROM THE VALVE HAS BEEN REPLACED. NOTIFICATION WAS MADE TO PHMSA'S CENTRAL REGION ONCE IT WAS LEARNED THE COST FOR THE SOIL REMOVE FROM THE IN-STATION RELEASE WOULD EXCEED $50,000. FOLLOW-UP CORRESPONDENCE WAS SUBMITTED TO PHMSAS CENTRAL REGION ADDRESSING WHY NO NRC RELEASE WAS MADE. THE RELIEF DRAIN PIPING HAS BEEN SECURED AT THE TERMINAL.