KINDER MORGAN LIQUID TERMINALS, LLC

hazardous_liquid Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorKINDER MORGAN LIQUID TERMINALS, LLC
Commodity—
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates29.73064, -95.20349

Cause

CauseINCORRECT OPERATION
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage
Lost Commodity
Public/Private Damage
Emergency Response
Environmental Remediation
Other Costs

Location Map

Incident Narrative

CONTRACTOR HAD INSTALLED NEW VALVES AT A PIPING MAIFOLD. AFTER NEW VALVES WERE INSTALLED, PIPING WAS NITROGEN TESTED BY CONNECTING NITROGEN THROUGH A 2"" BALL VALVE. TEST WAS GOOD SO NITROGEN WAS BLED OFF THROUGH THE 2"" BALL VALVE. CONTRACTOR REMOVED TESTING EQUIPMENT BUT LEFT THE VALVE OPEN. CONTROL CENTER EMPLOYEE AND OPERATIONS PERSONNEL HELD MEETING TO DISCUSS THE RECOMMISSIONING OF THE NEW EQUIPMENT LOCATION. PROCEDURE FOR RECOMMISSIONING THE LINE WAS TO HAVE OPERATIONS PERSONNEL PRESENT TO BLEED OFF AIR AND FILL SUCTION PIPING WITH DIESEL. PIPELINE CONTROLLER AGREED AND UNDERSTOOD PLAN BUT FAILED TO NOTIFY OPERATIONS WHEN HE WAS READY TO START THE PIPELINE DELIVERY. HE STARTED THE PIPELINE DELIVERY AND PRODUCT STARTED TO SPILL THROUGH THE 2"" BALL VALVE. OPERATIONS PERSONNEL HEARD CONTROLLER NOTIFY LAB THAT PIPELINE DELIVERY HAD STARTED. THEY IMMEDIATELY TOLD CONTROLLER TO SHUTDOWN PIPELINE AND FOUND DIESEL HAD SPILLED INTO CEMENT CONTAINMENT.

About This Pipeline Incident

Pipeline incident data is reported to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA). All significant incidents involving fatalities, injuries, or property damage over $50,000 must be reported.

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