SINCLAIR TRANSPORTATION COMPANY
hazardous_liquid Incident — — January 27, 2012
Incident Information
| Incident Date | January 27, 2012 |
| Operator | SINCLAIR TRANSPORTATION COMPANY |
| Commodity | CRUDE OIL |
| Pipeline Type | hazardous_liquid |
Location
| State | |
| Coordinates | 42.85480, -106.41171 |
Cause
| Cause | INCORRECT OPERATION |
| Subcause | DAMAGE BY OPERATOR OR OPERATOR'S CONTRACTOR NOT RELATED TO EXCAVATION AND NOT DUE TO MOTORIZED VEHICLE/EQUIPMENT DAMAGE |
Casualties
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Injuries | 0 |
Costs
| Property Damage | $15,000 |
| Emergency Response | $5,000 |
| Other Costs | $0 |
Location Map
Incident Narrative
"AFTER THE START UP (08:05 ON 1/27) OF A SHIPMENT OF CRUDE OIL OUT OF TANK C7 THE LOCAL OPERATOR OBSERVED CRUDE OIL COMING OUT OF THE LEVER LOCK CHECK VALVE DOWNSTREAM OF THE TANK BOOSTER PUMP. THE BOOSTER PUMP IS LOCATED ADJACENT TO THE TANK INSIDE THE SECONDARY CONTAINMENT OF THE TANK. THE LOCAL OPERATOR ENTERED THE LOCAL BUILIDING AND, USING THE LOCAL HMI, EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN OF THE THE DELIVIERY. ONCE THE CONTROL CENTER WAS NOTIFIED THE LOCAL OPERATOR WALKED DOWN TO THE BOOSTER AREA AND CLOSED MANUALLY OPERATED VALVES UPSTREAM AND DOWNSTREAM OF THE LEAKING CHECK VALVE ISOLATING IT AND STOPPING THE DISCHARGE OF OIL. THE ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ON MARCH 10, 2011, DURING THE REPLACEMENT OF A 16"" TANK VALVE, THE BOOSTER PUMP HAD BEEN USED TO LOWER THE OIL LEVEL BELOW THE NOZZLE ELEVATION. MAINTENANCE CREWS TRIED TO THROTTLE THE DISCHARGE VALVE AS THE OIL LEVEL APPROACHED THE LOW SUCTION SO THE BOOSTER WOULD NOT SUCK AIR AND LOOSE ITS PRIME. AT SOME POINT THE BOOSTER PUMP DID SUCK AIR AND LOST ITS PRIME. IN AN EFFORT TO RE-PRIME THE PUMP IT WAS ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE LEVER LOCK CHECK VALVE AND LET THE DISCHARGE PIPE BACKFLOW INTO THE PUMP BODY. THERE WAS DIFFERENTIAL PRESSURE ON THE LEVER LOCK CHECK VALVE AND IT WAS DIFFICULT TO PULL THE HANDLE ON THE LEVER. AFTER EXERTING SOME EFFORT THE TWO SET BOLTS ATTACHING THE LEVER LOCK SHAFT TO THE CHECK FLAPPER COLLAR SHEARED OFF AND THE HANDLE WENT LIMP. THE DISTRICT MANAGER HAD COME UP TO CASPER TO ASSIST WITH THE VALVE REPLACEMENT AND WAS NOTIFIED THAT THE HANDLE ON THE LEVER LOCK WAS BROKEN.THE DISTRICT MANAGER ASSUMED THAT THE ONLY IMPLICATION WAS THAT THE FUNCTIONALITY OF THE LEVER LOCK HAD BEEN LOST BUT THE INTEGRITY OF THE VALVE WAS NOT COMPROMISED. THE VALVE STAYED IN THIS STATE UNTIL IT FAILED, CAUSING THIS INCIDENT. THE BOOSTER PUMP HAD BEEN USED MULTIPLE TIMES (57) SINCE MARCH 10. IN FACT THE DESIGN OF THE LEVERLOCK CHECK VALVE DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY OTHER MECHANICAL MEANS TO KEEP THE SHAFT OF THE LEVER LOCK HANDLE ENGAGED WITH THE CHECK VALVE FLAPPER AND INTACT WITHIN THE BODY OF THE CHECK VALVE. IT IS UNCLEAR WHAT CAUSED THE SHAFT TO EXIT THE VALVE BODY ON THIS DATE."
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.