ENBRIDGE ENERGY, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP

hazardous_liquid Incident —

Incident Information

Report Date
OperatorENBRIDGE ENERGY, LIMITED PARTNERSHIP
Commodity—
Pipeline Typehazardous_liquid

Location

State
Coordinates46.68930, -92.06120

Cause

CauseNATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
Subcause—

Casualties

Fatalities0
Injuries0

Costs

Property Damage
Lost Commodity
Public/Private Damage
Emergency Response
Environmental Remediation
Other Costs

Location Map

Incident Narrative

ON JANUARY 6, 2010 AT APPROXIMATELY 19:30 LOCAL TIME, ENBRIDGE OPERATIONS AT THE SUPERIOR TERMINAL OBSERVED A SMALL SHOW OF OIL NEAR THE LINE 4 MANIFOLD RELIEF VALVE AREA WHILE PERFORMING ROUTINE ROUNDS. SUPERIOR PIPELINE MAINTENANCE IMMEDIATELY RESPONDED AND A VACUUM TRUCK AND ABSORBENT PADS WERE USED TO COLLECT THE FREE PRODUCT (APPROXIMATELY 20 GALLONS). A GROUND THAW UNIT WAS SET UP TO FACILITATE EXCAVATION TO INVESTIGATE THE LEAK SOURCE. THE SOURCE OF THE LEAK WAS FOUND TO BE A CRACKED AUXILIARY PIPE ON A CROSSOVER VALVE LOCATED WITHIN THE TERMINAL. THE AUXILIARY PIPING ASSOCIATED WITH THE CROSSOVER VALVE WAS REPAIRED. THE CAUSE OF THE LEAK WAS DETERMINED TO BE 'NATURAL FORCE' DAMAGE CAUSED BY COLD TEMPERATURES AND SUBSEQUENT FROST HEAVE IN THE AREA.

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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