NTSB Safety Recommendation P-78-013

NTSB safety recommendation P-78-013.

CONDUCT FIELD TESTS, USING ACOUSTIC EMISSION TESTING TECHNIQUES DEVELOPED BY THE GAS INDUSTRY, TO DETERMINE IF HIGHLY STRESSED PORTIONS OF LIQUID PIPELINES CAN BE LOCATED, AND STRESS-CORROSION CRACKING CAN BE DETECTED BY THIS MEANS BEFORE FAILURE.

Priority: CLASS III

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Issued Date: 1978-02-08

Adopted Date: 1978-01-12

Overall Date Closed: 1983-04-07

Synopsis: ON JULY 20, 1977, A 12-INCH PROPANE PIPELINE, OWNED BY THE CONSOLIDATED GAS SUPPLY CORPORATION, RUPTURED NEAR THE TOWN OF RUFF CREEK, PENNSYLVANIA. THE LIQUID ESCAPED FROM THE PIPELINE, VAPORIZED, AND PROPANE VAPORS SETTLED LIKE A FOG OVER THE BOTTOM OF A VALLEY. TWO MEN IN A PICKUP TRUCK ENTERED THE PROPANE CLOUD; THE TRUCK STALLED AND THE PROPANE GAS IGNITED WHEN AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO RESTART THE TRUCK. THE 2 PERSONS IN THE TRUCK WERE KILLED.

Ntsbnumber: DCA77MP027

Report Number: PAR-78-01

Addressee Name: American Petroleum Institute

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1983-04-07

Addressee Acronym: API

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1982-12-15

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AMERICAN PETROLEUM INSTITUTE LETTER: CONCERNING RECOMMEN DATIONS P-78-12, 13, AND P-79-8, EXTENSIVE RESEARCH HAS BEEN CONDUCTED ALREADY ON THESE SUBJECTS BY THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION, THROUGH ITS PIPELINE RESEARCH COMMITTEE. A COPY OF THE 1982 AGA PIPELINE RESEARCH SUMMARY IS ATTACHED FOR YOUR REVIEW. THE PIPELINE RESEARCH COMMITTEE ACTIVELY HAS STUDIED STRESS CORROSION CRACKING AND METHODS TO PREVENT AND CONTROL IT OVER THE PAST TEN YEARS AND CURRENTLY EXPENDS SOME $200,000 TO $300,000 OF ANNUAL RESEARCH FUNDS ON THIS SUBJECT. A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THESE EFFORTS CAN BE FOUND IN "REVIEW OF STATUS OF RESEARCH REGARDING PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR STRESS CORROSION CRACKING, FRACTURE INITIA TION AND FRACTURE PROPOGATION, REVISED SEPTEMBER 1978" BY R. FESSLER AND R. EIBER (AGA CATALOG #L00034, $7.50). A DISCUSSION OF CURRENT AGA WORK ON STRESS CORROSION CRACKING CAN BE FOUND ON PAGE 7 OF THE SUMMARY. THE EFFECTS OF DENTS AND GOUGES ON LINE PIPE HAVE ALSO RECEIVED CONSIDERABLE ATTENTION BY THE AGA PIPELINE RESEARCH COMMITTEE. ON THIS SUBJECT YOU MAY WISH TO REVIEW A STUDY ENTITLED "THE EFFECTS OF DENTS ON FAILURE CHARACTERISTICS OF LINE PIPE," BY R. J. EIBER ET AL.; 1981 (AGA CATALOG #151403, $10.00).

Addressee Acronym: API

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1983-04-07

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Acronym: API

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1982-10-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence