DCP MIDSTREAM

Incident Narrative

THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING ROUTINE MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES. THE FIELD OPERATOR EMPTIED THE PIPELINE SEGMENT OF ITS CONTENTS BY OPENING THE 3/4"" HIGH AND LOW POINT BLEEDS. THE OPERATOR THEN CONTINUED THE LOCK OUT TAG OUT PROCEDURE ON THE PIPING AND VALVES. WHILE LOCKING OUT THE MOTOR OPERATED VALVE MOV-7004 THE OPERATOR INADVERTENTLY INITIATED THE VALVE SEQUENCE TO THE OPEN POSITION ALLOWING SYSTEM CONTENTS TO FILL THE PREVIOUSLY EMPTY PIPING RESULTING IN A BUTANE RELEASE FROM THE OPEN HIGH AND LOW POINT BLEEDERS (SYSTEM PRESSURE WAS APPROXIMATELY 702 PSI AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT). THE OPERATOR ATTEMPTED TO CLOSE THE OPEN BLEEDERS, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REACH THEM AT WHICH TIME HE RETURNED TO MOV-7004 WHICH HAD OPENED FULLY AND CLOSED IT. THE OPERATOR AND MAINTENANCE SUPERVISOR WHO WERE PRESENT AT THE SCENE THEN PROCEEDED TO THE HIGH AND LOW POINT BLEEDERS AND CLOSED THEM. LOCAL SCADA RECORDED THE RELEASE AS OCCURRING FOR 1 MINUTE 59 SECONDS. THE RELEASE WAS A VAPOR RELEASE OF BUTANE. NO LIQUIDS WERE SPILLED TO THE GROUND AND NO POLLUTION TO ANY WATERBODY OCCURRED. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO COMPANY EMPLOYEES OR CONTRACTORS ON SITE. THERE WAS NO DAMAGE TO EQUIPMENT AND AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT THE ESTIMATED COST OF LOST PRODUCT WAS LESS THAN $50,000. THE PIPE WAS PUT BACK INTO SERVICE AFTER THE MAINTENANCE WORK WAS COMPLETED ON 8-22-13 AT 1300 HOURS.