EXXONMOBIL PIPELINE CO

Incident Narrative

SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 5, 2010 @ 17:05 SMI- EXXONMOBIL PIPELINE COMPANY WAS ON SITE AT SMI 69B TO REMOVE AND REPLACE SEVERAL PIPE SUPPORTS TO INSPECT THE VER. 265 - SMI 69 PIPELINE FOR CORROSION UNDER THE SUPPORTS. CONTRACT CREWS HAD REMOVED SEVERAL SUPPORTS UP TO THIS TIME. THERE IS A DRAIN PAN POSITIONED UNDER THE SCRAPER TRAP ON THE PLATFORM TO CAPTURE ANY PRODUCT THAT MAY DRIP FROM THE TRAP BARREL WHEN LOADING PIGS IN THE TRAP. THIS DRAIN PAN HAD BEEN DRAINED, COVERED WITH A TARP AND WETTED DOWN FOR THE HOT WORK. THERE WAS A 1/2 INCH DIAMETER TUBING CONNECTION ON THE TRAP WITH A BLEEDER VALVE AND FLEXIBLE TUBING RUNNING DOWN INTO THE DRAIN PAN. THE INVESTIGATION TEAM BELIEVES THE SCAFFOLDING INSTALLED FOR THE WORK MAY HAVE BUMPED THE TUBING VALVE CAUSING IT TO OPEN SLIGHTLY AND ALLOWED SOME OIL TO DRAIN FROM THE TRAP INTO THE DRAIN PAN. NO ONE NOTICED THIS DRAINAGE SINCE THE DRAIN PAN WAS COVERED WITH THE TARP. WHEN CUTTING THE EXISTING SUPPORT OUT TO REMOVE IT, A SPARK GOT UNDER THE TARP AND CAUGHT THE OIL ON FIRE IN THE DRAIN PAN. THE CONTRACTOR EMPLOYEE ON FIRE WATCH IMMEDIATELY PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THE PRESSURE FROM THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER SPLASHED A SMALL AMOUNT OF OIL OUT OF THE DRAIN PAN ONTO THE PLATFORM GRATING AND DRIPPED INTO THE WATER OF THE GULF CAUSING A SHEEN IN AREA APPROXIMATELY 20'X20' WHICH QUICKLY DISSIPATED. THE SPILL AMOUNT WAS DETERMINED TO BE .5 OF A CUP (4 OUNCES).