COLONIAL PIPELINE CO

Incident Narrative

ON THE MORNING OF APRIL 8 2014, OPERATIONS REQUIRED THE DRAIN DOWN AND BACKFILL OF THE MANIFOLD DUE TO KEROSENE BEING BROUGHT INTO THE TANK FARM. IT HAD BEEN RAINING THROUGH THE NIGHT AND THE RAIN CONTINUED INTO THE MORNING. THE OPERATOR WAS DOING A WALK-AROUND INSIDE THE OIL MANIFOLD LATE TUESDAY AFTERNOON WHEN HE NOTICED A STRONG ODOR OF PETROLEUM NEAR THE INCOMING TANK VALVE HEADER. THE OPERATOR USED A MSA ALTAIR LEL DETECTOR TO CHECK FOR VAPORS BUT GOT A READING OF ZERO. THE OPERATOR CONTACTED THE ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST TO INFORM HER AND ASK FOR ASSISTANCE TO LOCATE THE SOURCE OF THE ODOR. THE ENVIRONMENTAL SPECIALIST WAS ABLE TO DETECT VAPOR LEVELS - USING AN ULTRA RAE MONITOR - IN THE MONITORING WELLS ALONG THE MAIN LINE OIL HEADER. THE SLOTTED PVC PIPING USED TO CHECK FOR GROUND WATER CONTAMINATION CONFIRMED THAT THERE WAS INDEED PRODUCT IN THE MONITORING WELLS ALONG THE ROW OF VALVES AT THE OIL HEADER. INITIAL INDICATION REVEALED A POTENTIALLY SMALL RELEASE SO THE ACTING OPERATIONS MANAGER AND THE DISTRICT PROJECT LEADER FORMED A CREW TO EXCAVATE THE NEXT MORNING. LOCAL NOTIFICATION WAS MADE TO THE DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS AND ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGER THAT EVENING. THE NEXT MORNING THE CREW BEGAN DIGGING ALONG THE MAIN LINE AND ROANOKE HEADER VALVE AND FOUND A CRACKED 1 INCH SCHEDULE 80 DRAIN LINE BETWEEN ROANOKE TANK VALVES 973 AND 974. PERMANENT REPAIRS WERE MADE ON THE DRAIN LINE BY CUTTING OUT AND REPLACING THE 1 INCH TEE AND A FOOT OF 1 INCH SCHEDULE 80 PIPE. CLEAN UP AND MONITORING ACTIVITIES CONTINUED UNTIL APRIL 15TH, 2014, AT WHICH TIME THE RECOVERED ACCUMULATION REMAINED AT 20 GALLONS. PRODUCT RECOVERED INCLUDED APPROXIMATELY 3 GALLONS IN SOIL, 6 GALLONS IN FREE PRODUCT AND 11 GALLONS IN ABSORBENTS FROM OPEN EXCAVATION. AS OF APRIL 22, 2014, NO SIGN OF ADDITIONAL PRODUCT HAS BEEN DETECTED.