NUSTAR PIPELINE OPERATING PARTNERSHIP L.P.

hazardous_liquid Incident — — November 21, 2012

Incident Information

Incident DateNovember 21, 2012
OperatorNUSTAR PIPELINE OPERATING PARTNERSHIP L.P.
CommodityREFINED AND/OR PETROLEUM PRODUCT (NON-HVL) WHICH IS A LIQUID
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates40.62199, -97.54973

Cause

CauseMATERIAL FAILURE OF PIPE OR WELD
SubcauseORIGINAL MANUFACTURING-RELATED (NOT GIRTH WELD OR OTHER WELDS FORMED IN THE FIELD)

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage$26,000
Emergency Response$260,000
Other Costs$0

Location Map

Incident Narrative

LANDOWNER NOTIFIED NUSTAR GENEVA TERMINAL IN PERSON THAT PIPELINE MAY HAVE A LEAK. TERMINAL PERSONNEL RESPONDED AND CONFIRMED A LEAK AT 13:30 ON 11/21/2012. THE CUT OUT SECTION OF PIPE HAS BEEN SENT TO KEIFNER FOR METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS. A SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT WILL BE FILED UPON RECEIVING RESULTS. SOILS WERE EXCAVATED AS THE FORM OF REMEDIATION. 5400 CUBIC YARDS OF SOIL WAS APPROVED BY NDEQ TO BE LANDFARMED ON SITE. 2300 CUBIC YARDS OF SOIL WAS HAULED TO A LOCAL PERMITTED LANDFILL. SITE REMEDIATION IS COMPLETE AS OF THIS REPORT. METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS RESULT - THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK WAS PRESSURE CYCLE INDUCED FATIGUE CRACKING THAT INITIATED AT A PRE-EXISTING HOOK CRACK IN THE ELECTRIC-RESISTANCE WELD (ERW) SEAM. THE ORIGINAL HOOK CRACK WAS OPEN TO THE EXTERNAL PIPE SURFACE AND MEASURED 8.49 INCHES LONG BY 0.5 INCH DEEP (EQUIVALENT TO 27% OF THE NORMAL WALL THICKNESS). A PORTION OF THIS HOOK CRACK ENLARGED DUE TO PRESSURE CYCLE INDUCED FATIGUE, RESULTING IN A LEAK OPENING MEASURED 2.0 INCHES LONG ON THE INTERNAL PIPE SURFACE.

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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