NTSB Safety Recommendation P-82-017

NTSB safety recommendation P-82-017.

AS A RESULT OF THIS INVESTIGATION, THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE SANTA FE PIPELINE COMPANY: SUPPORT THE PIPELINE INDUSTRY'S EFFORTS TO FORMULATE AND IMPLEMENT A "ONE-CALL" NOTIFICATION SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF TEXAS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1982-06-09

Adopted Date: 1982-04-20

Overall Date Closed: 1988-05-11

Synopsis: ON SEPTEMBER 27, 1981, NEAR ACKERLY, TEXAS, THE CHAPPARRAL PIPELINE, A REFINED PETROLEUM PRODUCTS 12-INCH STEEL PIPE LINE OWNED BY THE SANTA FE PIPELINE COMPANY, WAS DAMAGED BY A RATHOLE DRILL BIT; THE WALL OF THE PIPE WAS WEAKENED, AND IT RUPTURED UNDER THE 1,100 PSIG OPERATING PRESSURE. THE ETHANE-PROPANE MIXTURE IN THE PIPELINE BEGAN TO ESCAPE AND WAS IGNITED BY THE DRILLING RIG ENGINE. THE ENSUING EXPLOSION AND FIRE KILLED THREE PERSONS; CRITICALLY BURNED ONE PERSON, WHO DIED 4 DAYS LATER; DESTROYED THE RATHOLE DRILLING RIG, A PICKUP TRUCK, A ROAD GRADER, A COMPACTOR, AND 60 ACRES OF COTTON; AND BURNED 12,749 BARRELS (535,458 GALLONS) OF ETHANE-PROPANE MIXTURE. THIS IS NOT AN ISOLATED INCIDENT; THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER SIMILAR PIPELINE ACCIDENTS INVOLVING DRILLING ACTIVITIES. THE SAFETY BOARD IS CONCERNED ABOUT THE DAMAGE TO PIPELINES CAUSED BY DRILLING ACTIVITIES AND THE USE OF OUTSIDE EXCAVATION EQUIPMENT SINCE THE LOCATION OF A PIPELINE CAN BE ASCERTAINED IN SEVERAL WAYS. THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE "ONE-CALL" NOTIFICATION SYSTEM HAS BEEN PROVEN; HOWEVER, NO STATEWIDE, "ONE-CALL" SYSTEM EXISTS IN TEXAS. CURRENT EFFORTS BY THE PIPELINE INDUSTRY TO FORMULATE AND IMPLEMENT A "ONE-CALL" SYSTEM IN THE STATE OF TEXAS MERIT THE SUPPORT OF THE ENTIRE PETROLEUM INDUSTRY.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA81MP023

Report Number: PAR-82-02

Addressee Name: Santa Fe Pipeline Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1988-05-11

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-03-04

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: IN GENERAL SANTA FE PIPELINE COMPANY (SFPL) AND GULF CENTRAL PIPELINE (GCPL) A SISTER COMPANY, HAVE ALWAYS HAD AN ACTIVE SAFETY PROGRAM AND A SAFETY COORDINATOR WITH RESPONSIBILITY FOR ADMINISTRATION OF THE PROGRAM. AS A PART OF THE PROGRAM, WE HAVE BEEN A PARTICIPANT IN ONE-CALL SYSTEMS IN THE STATES IN WHICH WE OPERATE, AND WE HAVE SUPPORTED THE CONCEPT OF ONE-CALL ON A NATIONAL BASIS. FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE A MEMBER OF ONE-CALL SYSTEMS IN THE STATES OF INDIANA, ILLINOIS, LOUISIANA, ARKANSAS, AND MISSOURI. ALSO, OUR INDUSTRY ORGANIZATION, THE ASSOCIATION OF OIL PIPELINES (AOPL), OF WHICH SANTA FE PACIFIC PIPELINES IS A MEMBER, HAS BEEN VERY ACTIVE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PENDING FEDERAL LEGISLATION REGARDING PIPELINE SAFETY. INCLUDED IN THE AOPL'S RECOMMENDATIONS ARE REQUIRED PIPELINE OPERATOR PARTICIPATION IN ONE-CALL SYSTEMS AND REDUCTION OF FEDERAL REIMBURSEMENT TO STATES NOT MANDATING ONE-CALL SYSTEMS. UNFORTUNATELY, DESPITE ORGANIZATIONAL EFFORTS ON THE PART OF SFPL AND OTHERS, THE STATE OF TEXAS STILL LACKS AN EFFECTIVE ONE-CALL SYSTEM. SINCE 1982, IN PARTICULAR, SFPL HAS HAD SEVERAL DISCUSSIONS WITH OTHER MAJOR PIPELINE OPERATORS IN TEXAS REGARDING PLANS FOR A ONE-CALL SYSTEM, BUT NO SUCH PLAN HAS YET BEEN IMPLEMENTED. YOU MAY HAVE NOTED THAT BOTH SFPL AND GCPL WERE SOLD TO KOCH INDUSTRIES OF WICHITA, KANSAS, ON FEBRUARY 1, 1988; THEREFORE SANTA FE PACIFIC PIPELINES WILL NOT CONTINUE TO PLAY AN ACTIVE ROLE IN THE TEXAS ONE-CALL ORGANIZATIONAL EFFORT SINCE KOCH WILL ASSUME THAT RESPONSIBILITY.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-05-11

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-02-22

Communication Type: Official Correspondence