NTSB Safety Recommendation P-79-008

NTSB safety recommendation P-79-008.

UNDERTAKE RESEARCH FOR MORE STRINGENT SPECIFICATIONS FOR LINE PIPE MANUFACTURED FOR LPG PIPELINE SERVICE TO MINIMIZE OR MITIGATE THE EFFECTS OF DENTS AND GOUGES. CONSIDERATION SHOULD BE GIVEN TO THE RESEARCH CURRENTLY BEING CONDUCTED BY THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION ON THIS PROBLEM.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Alternate Action

Issued Date: 1979-05-18

Adopted Date: 1979-05-03

Overall Date Closed: 1983-04-07

Synopsis: ON AUGUST 4, 1978, PROPANE THAT HAD VAPORIZED AND SPREAD WIDELY FROM A RUPTURED 8-INCH LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS (LPG) PIPELINE OWNED BY THE MID-AMERICA PIPELINE SYSTEM WAS IGNITED BY AN UNKNOWN SOURCE IN A RURAL AREA NEAR DONNELLSON, IOWA. THE INTENSE FIRE KILLED TWO PERSONS AND CRITICALLY BURNED THREE OTHERS; ONE OF THE CRITICALLY BURNED PERSONS LATER DIED. A FARMHOUSE AND SIX OUTBUILDINGS WERE DESTROYED, AND TWO ADJACENT HOMES WERE DAMAGED.

Ntsbnumber: DCA78MP021

Report Number: PAR-79-01

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Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable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: 1980-02-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

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

Addressee Name: American Iron and Steel Institute

Addressee Status: Closed--No Longer Applicable

Addressee Date Closed: 1983-04-07

Addressee Acronym: AISI

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1980-01-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: AMERICAN IRON AND STEEL INSTITUTE (AISI) LTR: AISI SUBMITTED THE FOLLOWING COMMENTS: (1) BATTELLE COLUMBUS LABORATORIES IS ACTIVELY ENGAGED IN RESEARCH UNDER SPONSORSHIP OF AGA TO DETERMINE THE EFFECTS OF DENTS AND GAUGES IN LIVE PIPE. (2) ATTEMPTS, TO DATE, TO DEVELOP QUANTITATIVE RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN FAILURE PRESSURES AND VARIABLES OF GAUGE DEPTH, DENTING, PIPE STRENGTH LEVEL, PIPE WALL THICKNESS AND DIAMETER, AND TEMPERATURE HAVE HAD LIMITED SUCCESS AND INDICATE SYNERGISTIC AND NON-LINEAR ACTIONS AMONG THE VARIABLES. (3) THE PROBLEM WOULD BE BETTER HANDLED THROUGH PRACTICES WHICH WOULD AVOID DAMAGE OR CORRECT ANY DAMAGE THAT OCCURS. AISI WILL REVIEW THE BATTELLE WORK WHEN IT IS COMPLETED AND DETERMINE ITS POSITION ON FURTHER RESEARCH AT THAT TIME.

Addressee Acronym: AISI

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1980-02-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence