BUCKEYE GULF COAST PIPELINE LP

hazardous_liquid Incident — — January 23, 2011

Incident Information

Incident DateJanuary 23, 2011
OperatorBUCKEYE GULF COAST PIPELINE LP
CommodityHVL OR OTHER FLAMMABLE OR TOXIC FLUID WHICH IS A GAS AT AMBI
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates29.85325, -94.89837

Cause

CauseEQUIPMENT FAILURE
SubcauseTHREADED CONNECTION/COUPLING FAILURE

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage$38,200
Emergency Response$3,400
Other Costs$0

Location Map

Incident Narrative

AT 4:00 PM ON JANUARY 23, 2011, THE CONTROL CENTER IN MONT BELVIEU, TX RECEIVED A HIGH LEL ALARM AND SHUTDOWN OF THE SABINA EQUISTAR METER STATION. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PROCEDURES WERE INITIATED AND THE PIPELINE LATERAL TO THE METER STATION WAS ISOLATED. ALL APPROPRIATE EMERGENCY NOTIFICATIONS WERE MADE. EMERGENCY RESPONSE PERSONNEL USED WATER FOG SPRAY TO DISSIPATE THE VAPORS UNTIL THE AREA WAS MADE SAFE TO ACCESS. AT 7:00 AM ON JANUARY 24, 2011, THE AREA WAS SAFE FOR ACCESS AND PERSONNEL ISOLATED THE LEAKING CHECK VALVE. THE CHECK VALVE WAS REPLACED AND THE DAMAGED VALVE WAS SENT TO A LABORATORY FOR METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE RELEASE. THE PIPELINE WAS RETURNED TO SERVICE AND ALL REMEDIATION HAS BEEN COMPLETE. LABORATORY METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS SHOWED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO LOW STRESS/HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE.

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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