ENTERPRISE CRUDE PIPELINE LLC

Incident Narrative

ON 5-1-2014 DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION A TECHNICIAN NOTICED CRUDE OIL SPRAYING IN THE AIR FROM THE TANK-TO-TANK TRANSFER LINE BETWEEN TANKS 5611 AND 5612. THE ABOVEGROUND SLEEVE COUPLING FAILED ALLOWING PRODUCT TO ESCAPE FROM THE TANK TRANSFER LINE. ONCE DETERMINATION WAS MADE THAT THE REPAIR COST WOULD EXCEED 50,000 THE NRC NOTIFICATION WITHIN MINUTES. THE TRANSFER LINE BETWEEN THE TANKS WAS SHUT DOWN AND ISOLATED TO PREVENT FURTHER LEAKS. BASED ON INVESTIGATION, IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE RESULTING LOSS OF CONTAINMENT WAS DUE TO THE TANK FARM PUMP CAVITATING WHICH SUGGESTED VAPOR WAS PRESENT AT THE PUMP SUCTION. EXAMINATION OF THE TANK FARM PIPING REVEALED THE POSSIBILITY OF VAPOR OCCUPYING A SECTION OF PIPE UPSTREAM FROM THE COUPLING. THE SECTION OF PIPING IS AT A HIGHER ELEVATION THAN THE COUPLING OR THE TANK THAT WAS OPENED PRIOR TO STARTING THE PUMPS. ONCE FLOW WAS RE-ESTABLISHED, THE INTERFACE BETWEEN THE LIQUID AND VAPOR TRAVELED THROUGH THE COUPLING AND ASSOCIATED PIPING, RESULTING IN PIPE MOVEMENT AND LOOSENING OF THE COUPLING AND EVENTUALLY THE LOSS OF CONTAINMENT. PRESSURE TRANSMITTERS ARE BEING INSTALLED ON THE TANK FARM PIPING AT HIGH POINT LOCATIONS ALONG WITH APPROPRIATE PUMPS PERMISSIVE TO ENSURE THERE IS POSITIVE PRESSURE IN THE SUCTION HEADERS DURING PUMPING OPERATIONS AND MINIMAL VAPORS PRESENT.