NTSB Safety Recommendation P-77-034

NTSB safety recommendation P-77-034.

REVIEW COMPRESSOR STATION ACCIDENTS TO DETERMINE IF THERE HAVE BEEN SIMILAR PROBLEMS WITH REMOTE-CONTROL SHUTDOWN DEVICES. IF THERE HAVE BEEN RELIABILITY PROBLEMS, MAKE A SURVEY TO DETERMINE THE OPTIMUM TIME BETWEEN INSPECTIONS AND AMEND 49 CFR 192.731(C) BY DECREASING THE TIME INTERVAL BETWEEN INSPECTION AND TESTING FROM THE CURRENT MINIMUM OF 1 YEAR TO REFLECT THESE FINDINGS.

Priority: CLASS III

Overall Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Issued Date: 1977-10-31

Adopted Date: 1977-10-13

Overall Date Closed: 1985-09-03

Synopsis: ON DECEMBER 7, 1976, A NATURAL GAS COMPRESSOR FAILED AND THEN EXPLODED AND BURNED AT AN EXXON GAS SYSTEM, INC., STATION NEAR ROBSTOWN, TEXAS. AN EMERGENCY SHUTDOWN SYSTEM WAS ACTIVATED, BUT FOUR AUTOMATED FIRE GATE VALVES DID NOT CLOSE. ANOTHER EMERGENCY CONTROL SYSTEM ALSO FAILED TO AUTOMATICALLY CLOSE THE SHUTOFF VALVES LEADING TO TWO OF THE FIVE COMPRESSORS IN THE STATION. A SECOND EXPLOSION OCCURRED WITHIN THE BURNING BUILDING. THE FIRE KILLED ONE PERSON, INJURED TWO PERSONS, AND DESTROYED THREE ENGINE-DRIVEN COMPRESSORS AND THE COMPRESSOR BUILDING.

Keywords: Remote Operated Valves

Ntsbnumber: DCA77MP005

Report Number: PAR-77-03

Addressee Name: RSPA

Addressee Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1985-09-03

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1978-11-17

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: LETTER FROM MTB: MTB HAS INITIATED A STUDY OF ALL COMPRESSOR STATION INCIDENTS FOR 1975-76. PRESENT REPORT FORMS DO NOT SPECIFY REMOTE CONTROL PROBLEMS AT THESE STATIONS, EACH OPERATOR WILL BE CONTACTED TO DETERMINE EXACT CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. THE STUDY WILL BE COMPLETED IN DECEMBER 1978. FUTURE COMPRESSOR STATION FAILURES WILL BE OBSERVED FOR REMOTE-CONTROL PROBLEMS. IF A PROBLEM IS IDENTIFIED, RULEMAKING AS RECOMMENDED WILL TAKE PLACE.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1983-03-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: RSPA LETTER: INCIDENTS INVOLVING COMPRESSOR STATIONS ARE A COMPARATIVELY MINOR FRACTION OF ALL INCIDENTS REPORTED TO THE MTB. SINCE 1970, THE NUMBER OF INCIDENTS INVOLVING COMPRESSOR STATIONS HAS DECLINED BOTH IN ABSOLUTE AND IN RELATIVE TERMS. INCIDENTS INVOLVING VALVES AT COMPRESSOR STATIONS, HAVE ON THE AVERAGE, BEEN SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER SINCE 1976. THE MTB'S COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT PROGRAM HAS ALSO EMPHASIZED TO OPERATORS THE NEED TO MEET THE COMPRESSOR STATION BLOWDOWN REQUIREMENTS OF 49 CFR 192.167(A) AND TO INSURE THAT TORQUING PROCEDURES RECOMMENDED BY EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS ARE FOLLOWED.

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1985-09-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: RSPA

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1979-01-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence