EXPLORER PIPELINE CO

Incident Narrative

ON NOVEMBER 24, 2012 EXPLORER PIPELINES HUNTSVILLE, TEXAS PUMP STATION EXPERIENCED A RELEASE OF 86 BARRELS OF GASOLINE/TRANSMIX FROM A VALVE BONNET O-RING FAILURE. THE VALVE INVOLVED IS A STATION VALVE ASSOCIATED WITH UNIT NUMBER ONE PUMP SUCTION. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT THAT PUMP STATION WAS ISOLATED FROM THE PIPELINE. EXPLORERS SCADA RECEIVED A STATION HAZARDOUS ATMOSPHERE ALARM AT 07:08 ON NOVEMBER 24, 2012 AFTER WHICH TIME THE CONTROLLER CONDUCTED A CONTROLLED SHUT DOWN OF THE PIPELINE AND DISPATCHED PERSONNEL TO THE STATION. EXPLORER PERSONNEL ARRIVED AT THE STATION AT 08:34 AND CONFIRMED A RELEASE. MUCH OF THE STATION CONSISTS OF BELOW GRADE PIPING OR IS INSIDE STATION VAULTS. MAINTENANCE CREWS ARRIVED AT THE PUMP STATION AT 10:30 ON NOVEMBER 24, 2012 TO LOCATE THE POTENTIAL SOURCE AND BEGIN RECOVERY AND REMEDIATION. AT 09:10 ON NOVEMBER 25, 2012 THE SOURCE WAS IDENTIFIED AND CONFIRMED TO BE THE BONNET O-RING. AT 09:12 ON NOVEMBER 25, 2012 IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE COST ASSOCIATED WITH THE RELEASE WOULD EXCEED $50,000 AND THE NATIONAL RESPONSE CENTER WAS NOTIFIED. ALL FREE-PHASE PRODUCT WAS REMOVED AND ANY PETROLEUM IMPACTED SOIL IS BEING EXCAVATED AND TESTED FOR PROPER DISPOSAL. ALL REMEDIATION COSTS ARE INCLUDED UNDER EMERGENCY RESPONSE AS LONG TERM REMEDIATION IS NOT EXPECTED. THE VITON O-RING WAS SUBMITTED TO A THIRD-PARTY FOR A FAILURE ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE ANALYSIS INDICATED NO PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL EVIDENCE OR CHEMICAL ATTACK OR CHEMICAL PENETRATION. THE ENTIRE O-RING REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF END-TO-END SEALING (VULCANIZED) AND THEREFORE NO FAILURE OF ANY JOINED ENDS. THE MICROSCOPIC EVALUATION SHOWED EVIDENCE OF IMPRESSIONS INDICATING PARTICULATE WITHIN THE SEALING SURFACE AND EVIDENCE OF MATERIAL LOSS DUE TO DEBRIS ABRASION ALONG THE PRIMARY ID SURFACES. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE ANALYSIS COULD NOT PROVIDE DEFINITIVE REASONS FOR THE LEAK OTHER THAN THE EVIDENCE OF MATERIAL LOSS AND ABRASIONS.