NTSB Safety Recommendation P-04-008

NTSB safety recommendation P-04-008.

The National Transportation Safety Board makes the following safety recommendation to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (originally issued to RSPA): Issue an advisory bulletin to liquid pipeline operators to validate the accuracy of their tank strapping tables.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 2004-11-04

Adopted Date: 2004-10-13

Overall Date Closed: 2005-05-18

Synopsis: On April 7, 2003, about 8:55 p.m., central daylight time, an 80,000-barrel storage tank at the ConocoPhillips Company’s (ConocoPhillips) Glenpool South tank farm in Glenpool, Oklahoma, exploded and burned as it was being filled with diesel. The tank, designated tank 11, had previously contained gasoline, which had been removed from the tank earlier in the day. The tank contained between 7,397 and 7,600 barrels of diesel at the time of the explosion. The resulting fire burned for about 21 hours and damaged two other storage tanks in the area. The cost of the accident, including emergency response, environmental remediation, evacuation, lost product, property damage, and claims, was $2,357,483. There were no injuries or fatalities. Nearby residents were evacuated, and schools were closed for 2 days.

Probable Cause: The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the April 7, 2003, storage tank explosion and fire in Glenpool, Oklahoma, was ignition of a flammable fuel-air mixture within the tank by a static electricity discharge due to the improper manner in which ConocoPhillips Company conducted tank operations. Contributing to the extent of the property damage and the magnitude of the impact on the local community was the failure of American Electric Power employees to recognize the risk the tank fire posed to the nearby power lines and take effective emergency action.

Ntsbnumber: DCA03MP001

Report Number: PAR-04-02

Addressee Name: RSPA

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2005-05-18

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2005-05-18

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Because PHMSA issued an advisory bulletin on April 6, 2005, to liquid pipeline operators to validate the accuracy of their tank strapping tables as requested, Safety Recommendation P-04-8 is classified "Closed--Acceptable Action."

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 2005-02-04

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 2/17/2005 10:49:44 AM MC# 2050068 This letter is the Research and Special Programs Administration's (RSPA) initial response to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Safety Recommendations P-04-07 and P-04-08, resulting from the accident at the Glenpool Tank Farm. RSPA agrees with the NTSB on both of these important safety recommendations and will begin working to implement them immediately. In P-04-08, NTSB recommends that RSPA issue an advisory bulletin to liquid pipeline operators to validate the accuracy of their tank strapping tables. We expect to publish an advisory bulletin in February 2005. RSPA requests that the recommendation be classified as "OPEN -Acceptable Response" while we complete the actions above. If we can be of further assistance, please contact me or James Wiggins, Director of Policy and Program Support, at (202) 366-4831.