CASCADE NATURAL GAS CORP

Incident Narrative

CNGC PERSONNEL RESPONDED TO AN ODOR CALL ON 1/18/17. CNGC PERSONNEL PERFORMED AN INVESTIGATION PER COMPANY PROCEDURE, CHECKING CNGC FACILITIES/PIPELINE AND STRUCTURE FOUNDATIONS IN THE VICINITY OF THE ODOR CALL. NO IMMEDIATE HAZARDS, OR GAS LEAKS WERE FOUND. ON 1/19/17 CNGC PERSONNEL CONTINUED TO INVESTIGATE THE GAS ODOR, AND EXTENDED THE INVESTIGATION TO INCLUDE ADDITIONAL CNGC FACILITATES/PIPELINE AND STRUCTURE FOUNDATIONS. AGAIN, NO IMMEDIATE HAZARDS, OR GAS LEAKS WERE FOUND. ON 1/20/17, CNGC PERSONNEL CONTINUED TO INVESTIGATE THE GAS ODOR, AND THROUGH EXPLORATORY EXCAVATION, DETECTED NATURAL GAS IN AN IRRIGATION LINE. CNGC PERSONNEL MONITORED THE IRRIGATION LINE AND UTILIZED THE DIRECTION OF GAS MIGRATION IN THE LINE TO AID IN PIN-POINTING THE LOCATION OF THE GAS LEAK. ON 1/21/17, CNGC PERSONNEL WERE ABLE TO PINPOINT THE LEAK TO A 2"" DISTRIBUTION PIPELINE IN THE ROADWAY. CNGC PERSONNEL EXCAVATED THE PIPELINE AND STOPPED THE FLOW OF GAS IN THE PIPELINE. ONCE THE FLOW WAS STOPPED IN THE PIPELINE, THE AFFECTED SEGMENT OF PIPELINE WAS REPLACED. THE LEAK CAUSE WAS DETERMINED TO BE A CRACK IN THE PIPELINE RESULTING FROM NATURAL FORCES (FROST HEAVE). CNGC PERSONNEL CONTINUED TO WORK THROUGH THE WEEKEND (OVERTIME PAY IS A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR TO THE INCIDENT BEING REPORTABLE) TO COMPLETE THE PIPELINE REPAIR (1/21/17), RESTORE SERVICE TO AFFECTED CUSTOMERS (1/21/17), AND RESTORE THE AFFECTED ROADWAY (1/22/17). THE ROOT CAUSE OF THE INCIDENT WAS A NATURAL FORCE LEAK WITH A TOTAL REPAIR COST OF $72,986.99, INCLUSIVE OF OPERATOR LABOR (STANDARD AND OVERTIME), MATERIALS, CONTRACTOR LABOR, PERMITS, SURFACE RESTORATION AND OVERHEAD. NO INJURIES, HOSPITALIZATIONS, EXPLOSIONS OR IGNITIONS WERE OBSERVED.