PACIFIC PIPELINE SYSTEM LLC
hazardous_liquid Incident — — August 1, 2011
Incident Information
| Incident Date | August 1, 2011 |
| Operator | PACIFIC PIPELINE SYSTEM LLC |
| Commodity | CRUDE OIL |
| Pipeline Type | hazardous_liquid |
Location
| State | |
| Coordinates | 33.84662, -118.25270 |
Cause
| Cause | MATERIAL FAILURE OF PIPE OR WELD |
| Subcause | DESIGN-, CONSTRUCTION-, INSTALLATION-, OR FABRICATION-RELATED |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $160,000 |
| Emergency Response | $50,000 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
APPROXIMATELY 1 BARREL OF CRUDE OIL WAS RELEASED FROM A PINHOLE LEAK ON A 16"" DIAMETER PIPELINE. AT THIS TIME, THE CAUSE OF THIS RELEASE CANNOT BE DETERMINED UNTIL THE PIPE IS ANALYZED BY A METALLURGIC LABORATORY. A SUPPLEMENTAL REPORT WILL BE SUBMITTED ONCE THE METALLURGIC ANALYSIS RESULTS ARE RECEIVED. SUPPLEMENTAL NARRATIVE: THE METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS RESULTS DETERMINED THAT THE CAUSE OF THIS RELEASE WAS A CONSEQUENCE OF EXCESSIVE MECHANICAL LOADING IN COMBINATION WITH THE PRESENCE OF PRE-EXISTING WELD ROOT DISCONTINUITIES. OVER AN 8"" LENGTH OF THE GIRTH WELD, THE WELD ROOT EXHIBITED EVIDENCE OF LACK-OF-FUSION AND MISMATCH DISCONTINUITIES. THE CRACKING DURING SERVICE EXTENDED FROM THESE DISCONTINUITIES, ULTIMATELY CAUSING THE LEAK. SINCE THIS RELEASE, THE PIPE WAS REPLACED AND THE NEW PORTION WAS PRESSURE TESTED AND 100% X-RAY ON WELDS.
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.