NTSB Safety Recommendation P-76-039

NTSB safety recommendation P-76-039.

INITIATE NECESSARY EQUIPMENT CHANGES TO PROVIDE DATA NECESSARY FOR THE SAFE OPERATION OF THE PIPELINE CONTINUOUSLY TO THE DISPATCH CENTERS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1976-08-20

Adopted Date: 1976-06-30

Overall Date Closed: 1983-02-14

Synopsis: ON MAY 12, 1975, AN 8-INCH PIPELINE, WHICH WAS CLOSED IN UNDER PRESSURE AND WHICH WAS OWNED BY DOW CHEMICAL USA AND OPERATED AS THE BRONCO PIPE LINE COMPANY, RUPTURED NEAR DEVERS, TEXAS. NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS AT 1,425 PSIG PRESSURE ERRUPTED FROM A FRACTURE NEAR THE TOP OF THE PIPE. THE LIQUIDS VAPORIZED MIXED WITH AIR, AND FORMED A CLOUD WHICH DRIFTED TO THE SOUTHWEST OVER U.S. HIGHWAY 90. AN AUTOMOBILE ENTERED THE VAPOR CLOUD AND IGNITED THE ETHANE-PROPANE VAPORS. THE RESULTING EXPLOSION AND FIRE KILLED THE FOUR PERSONS IN THE AUTOMOBILE, MELTED TELEPHONE AND ELECTRIC POWER LINES, WARPED RAILROAD TRACKS, BURNED AND SCORCHED ADJACENT WOODLANDS, AND INTERRUPTED RAIL AND HIGHWAY TRAFFIC.

Ntsbnumber: PLD75XR001

Report Number: PAR-76-05

Addressee Name: Dow Chemical Company

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1983-02-14

Addressee Acronym: TDCC

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-12-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: DOW CHEMICAL U.S.A. LETTER: TELEMETERING EQUIPMENT WAS INSTALLED IN JUNE OF 1975 AS INDICATED BY LETTER DATED JUNE 20, 1975, TO YOUR MR. HANK SHEPHERD. IN 1979, THE TELEMETERING WAS REPLACED WITH A NETWORK SUPERVISORY CONTROL AND DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM (SCADA). THIS SCADA SYSTEM PROVIDES OPERATIONAL CONTROL AND DATA TO OUR CONTINUOUSLY MANNED DISPATCH CENTER IN HOUSTON.

Addressee Acronym: TDCC

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1982-10-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: TDCC

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1983-02-14

Communication Type: Official Correspondence