ENTERPRISE PRODUCTS OPERATING LLC

Incident Narrative

A PIPELINE CONTRACTOR WAS USING A CAISSON FITTING ON THE P-2 PIPELINE AT BIG COW CREEK TO INSPECT A FEATURE IDENTIFIED BY A CMFL & DEFORMATION ILI TOOL RUN CONDUCTED IN APRIL 2012. THE FEATURE DID NOT MEET IMMEDIATE, 60, OR 180 DAY CRITERIA. UPON INSTALLATION OF THE CAISSON FITTING A LIGHT SHEEN WAS NOTED ON THE WATER. THE PIPELINE WAS IMMEDIATELY SHUT DOWN AND ISOLATED. NRC AND TCEQ WERE CALLED. NRC CASE # 1073264 & TCEQ CASE # 20140395 WERE GENERATED. THE RELEASE VOLUME REPORTED WAS 1 GALLON. ON SITE ENTERPRISE EMPLOYEES REMOVED THE SHEEN WITH ABSORBENT PADS. ENTERPRISE OSRO WAS IMMEDIATELY DISPATCHED AND SPILL CONTAINMENT BOOM WAS PLACED ACROSS THE CREEK. THE PIPELINE WAS INSPECTED TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF HYDROCARBON; A SURFACE BREAKING MILL DEFECT MEASURING 10"" IN LENGTH WAS DISCOVERED. THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK WAS NOT THE TARGETED ANOMALY THAT INITIATED THE INSPECTION. THE PIPELINE WAS REPAIRED VIA B SLEEVE, PRESSURED TO 400 PSI AND CONTINUOUSLY MONITORED FOR 1 HOUR TO CHECK FOR LEAKAGE. NO LEAKAGE WAS IDENTIFIED AND THE PIPELINE WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE ON SATURDAY 2-8-14 AT 2040 HOURS; THE REPAIR AREA WAS CONTINUOUSLY MONITORED THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT. THE PIPELINE WAS RECOATED ON SUNDAY 2-9-14. ENTERPRISE PIPELINE INTEGRITY DETERMINED THE LEAK WAS CAUSED BY A MANUFACTURING DEFECT IN THE VINTAGE 1944 NATIONAL TUBE SEAMLESS PIPE. THE DEFECT CONTAINED A SURFACE BREAKING LAMINATION THAT EVENTUALLY FORMED A TINY, CIRCUITOUS THROUGH WALL PATH. THE UNUSUAL NATURE OF THE REHAB ACTIVITIES THROUGH THE USE OF A CAISSON, IN A CREEK CROSSING, AND WITH OLDER SEAMLESS PIPE CREATED A UNIQUE STRESS STATE IN THE DEFECT THAT CAUSED THE LEAK PATH TO FORM. FUTURE REHAB ACTIVITIES WITH THESE CIRCUMSTANCES WILL INCLUDE AN ADDITIONAL INTEGRITY REVIEW THAT CONSIDERS SITE-SPECIFIC CONDITIONS.