SHELL PIPELINE CO., L.P.

Incident Narrative

ON THURSDAY, DECEMBER 1ST, AT APPROX. 9:44 AM THE MAINLINE PUMP UNIT #5 WAS STARTED AND THE NORTH 20"" PIPELINE WAS RUNNING. AT APPROX. 12:15 PM, STATION POWER WAS LOST FROM THE UTILITY COMPANY, SHUTTING DOWN ALL PUMPS AT COALINGA AND THE NORTH 20"" PIPELINE. STATION OUTBOUND SCADA COMMUNICATION TO THE HOUSTON CONTROL CENTER WAS LOST AT THE SAME TIME AS THE POWER DROPPED OUT. POWER REMAINED DOWN UNTIL SOMETIME AFTER 4 PM, AND SCADA COMMUNICATION REMAINED DOWN UNTIL APPROX. 6:30 AM ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 2ND. AT APPROX. 4:17 PM, DECEMBER 1ST, POWER WAS RESTORED TO THE STATION. MAINLINE UNIT #5 CAME BACK ON WHEN THE UTILITY RESTORED POWER TO THE STATION, THE UNIT DISCHARGE VALVE WAS CLOSED, CAUSING THE MAINLINE PUMP TO RUN BLOCKED IN. AT APPROX. 4:34 PM, PUMP VIBRATION TRIPPED THE MOTOR OFFLINE. IT WAS UNCLEAR AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT WHAT INITIATED THE FIRE. THE ONGOING POST-INCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A RELEASE OF CRUDE OIL FROM THE PUMP SEAL WAS INVOLVED IN THE FIRE. RCA CONDUCTED CONCLUDED MOTOR BREAKER, COMMUNICATIONS FAILURE AND PLC BATTERIES WERE THE CONTRIBUTERS TO THE OPERATION OF THE MOTOR/PUMP UNIT WHICH CONTINUED TO OPERATE UNTIL FAILURE OF THE PUMP SEAL AND SUBSEQUENT IGNITION OF THE CRUDE OIL VAPORS WHICH ENSUED IN THE FIRE. 3/13/2013 - UPDATED E5F PER REQUEST FROM PHMSA. 7/3/13 - UPDATED PART D 7. OPOP, ECO IDENTIFIED. 7/29/13 - UPDATED ENTER AS FINAL.