PHILLIPS 66 PIPELINE LLC

Incident Narrative

A NEW BIO-DIESEL SYSTEM WAS INSTALLED AT THE AMARILLO TERMINAL IN JANUARY 2014. DURING START UP OF THE NEW SYSTEM, THERE WAS INADEQUATE BIO-DIESEL FLOW FROM THE NEW PUMP. WHILE TROUBLESHOOTING THIS PROBLEM ON JANUARY 12TH, A 300 PSIG PRESSURE GUAGE WAS INSTALLED ON THE PUMP DISCHARGE PRESSURE TRANSMITTER TO VERIFY DISCHARGE PRESSURE. THE TRANSMITTER WAS CONFIRMED TO BE ACCURATE, AND EVENTUALLY THE PROBLEM WAS TRACED TO A VARIABLE SPEED MOTOR ISSUE (WHICH WAS CORRECTED). AFTER TROUBLESHOOTING WAS COMPLETE THE PRESSURE GUAGE INSTALLED WAS NOT REMOVED AND AN INSULATING BLANKET WAS REINSTALLED WHICH HID THE GUAGE FROM VIEW. ON FEBRUARY 16TH, THE GUAGE'S BOURDON TUBE FAILED AND LEAKED B100 FROM A HOLE IN THE GAUGE'S CASE. THE LEAK WAS DISCOVERED DURING ROUTINE OPERATOR ROUNDS. APPROXIMATELY 3 BARRELS OF B100 WAS RECOVERED FROM SECONDARY CONTAINMENT AROUND THE PUMP SKID. ANOTHER 1/2 BARREL SPRAYED ON ADJACENT SOIL, WHICH WAS REMOVED FOR DISPOSAL. THE LEAKING PRESSURE GAUGE WAS REMOVED AND A BULL PLUG WAS INSTALLED AT THE CONNECTION. THE MOP OF THE LINE IS 275 PSIG AND THE LINE NORMALLY RUNS BETWEEN 230 AND 250 PSIG. THE LINE WAS NOT OVERPRESSURED. THE PRESSURE GUAGE FAILED BECAUSE IT WAS NOT DESGINED FOR THE SERVICE. THE BOURDON TUBE IN THE GAUGE WAS MADE FROM COPPER ALLOY INSTEAD OF FROM STAINLESS STEEL (AS REQUIRED). USING THE COPPER ALLOY GUAGE WOULD NOT HAVE BEEN A PROBLEM FOR SHORT TERM TROUBLESHOOTING IF THE GUAGE WAS REMOVED AFTER COMPLETING THE TROUBLESHOOTING ACTIVITY. TO PREVENT A REOCCURANCE OF THIS INCIDENT P66PL HAS: 1) TRAINED THE AMARILLO TERMINAL OPERATORS IN THE USE OF ENGINEERING PRACTICE (TEP 12-1-9 FOR THE PROPER SELECTION OF PRESSURE GAUGES; AND 2) TRAINED OPERATORS AT THE AMARILLO TERMINAL TO IMMEDIATELY REMOVE PRESSURE GAUGES USED FOR TROUBLESHOOTING.