NTSB Safety Recommendation P-71-010

NTSB safety recommendation P-71-010.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE MOBIL OIL CORPORATION TAKE THE FOLLOWING ACTION: PREPARE WRITTEN PROCEDURES FOR EACH PLANNED SHUTDOWN OF SECTIONS OF ITS PIPELINE SYSTEM. IN ADDITION TO GENERAL REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL PLANNED SHUTDOWNS, THESE SPECIFIC PROCEDURES SHOULD INCLUDE METHODS OF HANDLING SPECIFIC PROBLEMS WHICH MIGHT BE ENCOUNTERED DURING EACH SHUTDOWN.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1971-07-01

Adopted Date: 1971-07-01

Overall Date Closed: 1975-12-30

Synopsis: ON SEPTEMBER 9, 1969, A 14-INCH PIPELINE CARRYING NATURAL GAS AT A PRESSURE OF MORE THAN 780 P.S.I.G. RUPTURED IN A RESIDENTIAL SUBDIVISION 3 1/4 MILES NORTH OF HOUSTON, TEXAS. ALL RESIDENTS WERE EVACUATED, AND ABOUT 8 TO 10 MINUTES LATER, THE ESCAPING GAS EXPLODED VIOLENTLY. THIRTEEN HOUSES, RANGING FROM 24 FEET TO 250 FEET FROM THE RUPTURE, WERE DESTROYED BY THE BLAST. THE LEAKING GAS CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED FOR 1 1/2 HOURS UNTIL VALVES ON EITHER SIDE OF THE LEAK WERE CLOSED BY MOBIL WORKMEN. IN ALL, 106 HOUSES WERE DAMAGED, AND PROPERTY DAMAGE WAS ESTIMATED AT $500,000. MIRACULOUSLY, THERE WERE NO DEATHS, BUT 9 PEOPLE WERE INJURED, 2 SERIOUSLY.

Ntsbnumber: PLD69XR001

Report Number: PAR-71-01

Addressee Name: ExxonMobil Corporation

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1975-12-30

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1971-11-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: LETTER FROM MOBIL: MOBIL HAS BEEN IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE RECOMMENDATION MADE TO IT BY THE BOARD. WRITTEN PROCEDURES FOR NORMAL AND EMERGENCY OPERATIONS HAVE BEEN PREPARED FOR THE ENTIRE PIPELINE SYSTEM, AND SPECIAL PROCEDURES ARE WRITTEN AND IMPLEMENTED FOR EACH PLANNED SHUTDOWN INCLUDING SPECIFIC PROCEDURES FOR HANDLING PROBLEMS THAT MIGHT BE ENCOUNTERED.