DTE GAS COMPANY

Incident Narrative

A CONTRACTOR INSTALLING TELECOMMUNICATIONS CABLE BY DIRECTIONAL DRILLING STRUCK AND PUNCTURED A 12-INCH CAST IRON MAIN OPERATING AT 10 PSIG APPROX. 280 FEET WEST OF EAST GRAND BLVD. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE MAIN TO HAVE BEEN CORRECTLY MARKED IN RESPONSE TO THE CONTRACTOR'S MARK-OUT REQUEST; HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF POTHOLING OR OTHER METHOD HAVING BEEN USED TO VERIFY THE LOCATION AND DEPTH OF THE MAIN. RESPONSE BY DTE GAS ON 1/19/2017 FROM THE TIME OF THE CONTRACTOR'S DAMAGE REPORT UNTIL ARRIVAL ON THE SCENE TOOK 23 MINUTES. INITIAL CONTROL OF GAS FROM THE BREAK OCCURRED AT 03:17 ON 1/20/2017; HOWEVER, THE SHUT-OFF WAS NOT MAINTAINED AND FURTHER WORK WAS REQUIRED UNTIL, AT 11:00 ON 1/20/2017, THE SITUATION WAS MADE SAFE AND WORK PROCEEDED ON MAKING REPAIRS. ESTIMATES OF REPAIR AND LABOR COSTS ALREADY EXPENDED ALONG WITH COSTS FOR REMAINING REPAIR AND RECOVERY WORK WERE DETERMINED AT 16:18 ON 1/20/2017 TO LIKELY EXCEED THE $50,000 REPORTING THRESHOLD; TELEPHONIC NOTICE WAS THEN MADE TO THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER. REPLACEMENT OF A 15-FOOT SECTION OF 12-INCH CAST IRON MAIN WITH NEW 8-INCH POLYETHYLENE PIPE WAS COMPLETED AT 18:30 ON 1/20/2017, AND REGULAR OPERATION RESUMED. THERE WAS NO INTERRUPTION OF SERVICE TO CUSTOMERS DURING THE EVENT. NOTE: THE ACTUAL TICKET NUMBER RECEIVED FROM OUR STATE ONE-CALL SYSTEM WAS B63371000. THE PHMSA FORM DOES NOT ALLOW ALPHABETIC CHARACTERS.