BUCKEYE PARTNERS, LP

Incident Narrative

ON APRIL 16, 2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 12:15 HOURS, BUCKEYE RECEIVED A CALL REPORTING DEAD VEGETATION IN THE VICINITY OF 1626 SOUTH WHEELING STREET, OREGON, OHIO. BUCKEYE'S LINE JL417DL IS PARALLELED BY ANOTHER COMPANY'S PIPELINE AT THIS LOCATION. LINE JL417DL WAS SHUT DOWN AT 08:00 HOURS THAT MORNING FOR SCHEDULED TOLEDO REFINING COMPANY MAINTENANCE. BUCKEYE OPERATIONS PERSONNEL ARRIVED AT THE LOCATION AT 12:28 AND BEGAN EXCAVATION. AT 13:10 BUCKEYE OPERATIONS PERSONNEL CONFIRMED DISCOVERY OF A RELEASE OF JET FUEL FROM A STOPPLE FITTING. THE NRC WAS NOTIFIED AT 14:30. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES WERE IMPLEMENTED AND REQUIRED NOTIFICATIONS WERE MADE. A TOTAL OF 5 BARRELS OF JET FUEL WAS ESTIMATED TO HAVE BEEN RELEASED. A TOTAL OF 2.74 BARRELS WERE RECOVERED. ALL IMPACTED SOIL WAS REMOVED AND NO FURTHER REMEDIATION IS EXPECTED. METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS RESULTS DETERMINED THAT THE LEAK OCCURRED AT THE FLANGE GASKET OF THE STOPPLE FITTING. DEGRADATION OF THE GASKET AT THE FLANGE INTERFACE COUPLED WITH OFF CENTER SEATING OF THE FLANGE GASKET RESULTED IN PRODUCT LEAKING FROM THE STOPPLE FITTING. DAMAGED THREADS ON THE STOPPLE PLUG SERVED AS A PATH FOR THE PRODUCT WITHIN THE MAIN VALVE BODY TO LEAK UP INTO THE CAVITY BETWEEN THE TOP PLATE AND BLIND FLANGE. THE FLANGE GASKET WAS FRAYED AT THE LOCATION OF THE LEAK. NO DEFECTS WERE PRESENT AT THE FLANGE FACES AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF LEAKAGE PAST EITHER THE SPRING-LOADED PIN OR THE THREADED TOP PLATE. THE STOPPLE FITTING WAS REPLACED.