NTSB Safety Recommendation P-02-002

NTSB safety recommendation P-02-002.

The National Transportation Safety Board makes the following safety recommendations to the Research and Special Programs Administration: Require pipeline owners and operators to provide follow-up telephone updates to the National Response Center when they discover that the information they initially reported contains significant errors or when they identify significant new information directly related to the reporting criteria.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 2002-08-02

Adopted Date: 2002-07-23

Overall Date Closed: 2002-12-02

Synopsis: On the morning of April 7, 2000, the Piney Point Oil Pipeline system, which was owned by the Potomac Electric Power Company (Pepco), experienced a pipe failure at the Chalk Point Generating Station in southeastern Prince George's County, Maryland. The release was not discovered and addressed by the contract operating company, Support Terminal Services, Inc. (ST Services), until the late afternoon. Approximately 140,400 gallons of fuel oil were released into the surrounding wetlands and Swanson Creek and, subsequently, the Patuxent River as a result of the accident. No injuries were caused by the accident, which cost approximately $71 million for environmental response and clean-up operations.

Probable Cause: The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the April 7, 2000, Piney Point Oil Pipeline accident at the Potomac Electric Power Company?s Chalk Point, Maryland, generating station was a fracture in a buckle in the pipe that was undiscovered because the data from an in-line inspection tool were interpreted inaccurately as representing a T-piece. Contributing to the magnitude of the fuel oil release were inadequate operating procedures and practices for monitoring the flow of fuel oil through the pipeline to ensure timely leak detection.

Ntsbnumber: DCA00MP006

Report Number: PAR-02-01

Addressee Name: RSPA

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2002-12-02

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2002-12-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Ms. Whetsel provided a copy of RSPA's Advisory Bulletin (ADB-02-04), issued on September 6, 2002, which clarifies the requirements of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 191.5, 193.2001, and 195.52. The ADB addresses required notifications to the National Response Center (NRC), explaining that, in addition to the initial reporting of an incident, pipeline owners and operators must provide follow-up telephone updates to the NRC when they discover that the information they initially reported contains significant errors or when they identify significant new information directly related to the reporting criteria. Accordingly, Safety Recommendation P-02-2 is classified "Closed--Acceptable Action."

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2003-02-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Because RSPA issued Advisory Bulletin (ADB-02-04), which clarifies the requirements of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 191.5, 193.2001, and 195.52, Safety Recommendation P-02-2 was classified "Closed-Acceptable Action" on December 2, 2002. The ADB addresses required notifications to the National Response Center (NRC) and explains that, in addition to the initial reporting of an incident, pipeline owners and operators must provide follow-up telephone updates to the NRC when they discover that the information they initially reported contains significant errors or when they identify significant new information directly related to the reporting criteria.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2002-12-10

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 12/31/2002 1:07:43 PM MC# 2021053 This letter responds to National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Safety Recommendations P-02-01 and P-02-02, which address acceptance criteria for wrinkle bends in pipe and updated accident reports to the National Response Center (NRC), respectively. RSPA requests that P-02-01 be classified as "Open - Acceptable Response" based on the information provided in the enclosure. We understand that NTSB will be classifying Recommendation P-02-02 as "Closed - Acceptable Action." Working with ASME B31.4 and B31.8 to develop acceptance criteria for wrinkles and buckles in in-service pipelines. RSPA engineers are now reviewing domestic and international pipeline standards and literature on stress analysis of pipe with wrinkles and buckles. We are working with standards committees ASME B31.4 and B31.8 to develop wrinkle acceptance criteria. Both standards already have acceptance criteria for wrinkles in field bent pipes used in new construction. RSPA staff has raised the issue of quantitative acceptance criteria for wrinkles with the ASME B31.4 committee. We will discuss this issue further with the ASME B31.8 committee during the next meeting.