SHELL PIPELINE CO., L.P.

hazardous_liquid Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorSHELL PIPELINE CO., L.P.
Commodity—
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates38.02539, -122.12942

Cause

CauseEQUIPMENT FAILURE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

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

Location Map

Incident Narrative

PIPELINE HAD DELIVERED PRODUCT TO CUSTOMER ON JULY 2, 2012 AND SHUTDOWN ON SAME DAY, JULY 2, 2012. PUMP STATION WAS CHECKED AT 11:00 ON JULY 3, 2012 WITH NO ISSUES. CONTROL CENTER RECEIVED A HIGH LEVEL SUMP ALARM AT 21:33 ON JULY 3, 2012. CALLED OUT OPERATOR TO INVESTIGATE. OPERATOR DISCOVERED AN ODOR OF JET FUEL AND FOUND DISCOLORED SOILS AT THE DRAIN LINE. THE SUMP HAD FILLED AND BACKED UP THROUGH THE DRAIN LINE AT THE LOWEST POINT. DISCOVERED TWO - ONE/QUARTER INCH THERMAL RELIEF VALVES HAD BEEN SEEPING THROUGH TO THE DRAIN LINE SYSTEM TO THE SUMP. THE SUMP DID NOT AUTOMATICALLY START UP AND PUMP DUE TO THE SUMP PUMPS FOOT VALVE WAS CLOGGED WHICH WOULD NOT SUPPLY SUCTION TO THE CENTRIFUGAL PUMP WHICH EMPTIES THE SUMP. SOILS EXCAVATED, REMOVED AND REPLACED. DRAIN LINES CHANGED. THERMAL RELIEFS CHANGED, SUMP PUMP FOOT VALVE CHANGED. TESTED ALARMS TO THE CONTROL CENTER. SYSTEM RETURNED TO SERVICE. NOTIFICATIONS TO NRC AND CEMA.

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.

Back to All Incidents More Incidents in