NTSB Safety Recommendation P-84-048

NTSB safety recommendation P-84-048.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT COLUMBIA GAS OF PENNSYLVANIA: INSTITUTE A COMPANY PRACTICE OF REMOVING FAILED PIPELINE SEGMENTS FOR METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION, ON A RANDOM SAMPLING BASIS, AS A MEANS OF ELIMINATING CAUSES OF FAILURES AND TO ASSIST IN DETERMINING WHEN PORTIONS OF ITS PIPELINE SHOULD BE REPLACED.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1984-11-27

Adopted Date: 1984-11-10

Overall Date Closed: 1988-02-01

Synopsis: ON JANUARY 19, 1984, NATURAL GAS AT 20 PSIG LEAKED FROM COLUMBIA GAS OF PENNSYLVANIA'S (COLUMBIA) 12-INCH STEEL DISTRIBUTION PIPELINE WHICH WAS INSTALLED IN 1954 ALONG WEST KING STREET, IN YORK, PENNSYLVANIA. GAS ESCAPING FROM A CRACKED CIRCUMFERENTIAL WELD MIGRATED UNDERGROUND AND ENTERED THE BASEMENT OF A THREE-STORY BUILDING AT 31-33 WEST KING STREET WHERE IT WAS IGNITED BY AN UNDETERMINED SOURCE. THE RESULTING EXPLOSION AND FIRE SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED THE BUILDING AND AN ADJACENT VACANT BUILDING, INJURED EIGHT PERSONS LOCATED ON THE FIRST FLOOR OF THE THREE-STORY BUILDING, AND BROKE WINDOWS IN BUILDINGS NEARBY.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA84FP015

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: NiSource, Inc. (formerly Columbia Gas)

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1988-02-01

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1985-01-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: COLUMBIA GAS DISTRIBUTION LTR: IN ACCORDANCE WITH ESTABLISHED WRITTEN COMPANY PROCEDURE, ALL MATERIAL AND EQUIPMENT FAILURES ARE REQUIRED TO BE REPORTED AND INVESTIGATED CONSISTENT WITH EXISTING STATE AND FEDERAL REQUIRE MENTS. WHERE APPLICABLE, METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION IS, AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE, EMPLOYED TO ASSIST IN DETERMINING THE CAUSE OF FAILURES.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1985-06-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: COLUMBIA GAS LTR: IN RESPONSE TO YOUR REQUEST OF MAY 3, 1985, ATTACHED IS OUR POLICY AND PROCEDURE NUMBER 555-1, FACILITY FAILURES (ATTACHMENT I). THIS PROCEDURE PROVIDES THAT ALL FAILURES ARE TO BE REPORTED IF SUCH FAILURES ARE OR MAY BE ATTRIBUTED TO MATERIAL, DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION METHODS, INSPECTION OR TESTING METHODS, OPERATION OR MAINTENANCE PRACTICES. IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE INVESTIGATOR TO BECOME THOROUGHLY FAMILIAR WITH THE PARTICULAR SITUATION, GATHER ALL PERTINENT INFORMATION, CONDUCT OR HAVE CONDUCTED ALL NECESSARY EVALUATION TESTS AND DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE. WE AGREE THAT METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION IS A TOOL IN SUCH AN INVESTIGATION, BUT IT IS ONLY ONE TOOL.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1985-10-14

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: COMPANY PROCEDURES DEALING WITH DEFINING AND INVESTIGATING PIPELINE FAILURES ARE UNDER REVIEW FOR REVISIONS TO IMPLEMENT A PROGRAM TO HAVE CERTAIN FAILURES ON A RANDOM SAMPLING BASIS, MADE SUBJECT TO METALLURGICAL EXAMINATIONS.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1987-06-25

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE LAST LETTER FROM THE NTSB, DATED NOVEMBER 19, 1985 CLASSIFIED THE RECOMMENDATION AS OPEN--ACCEPTABLE ACTION PENDING FURTHER RESPONSE FROM YOUR OFFICE ON THE TOPIC OF METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF FAILED PIPELINE SEGMENTS. SINCE THE DATE OF THAT LETTER COLUMBIA HAS ISSUED THREE REVISED PROCEDURES AND REVISED ITS COMPUTERIZED LEAKAGE INFORMATION SYSTEM (LIS) TO ADDRESSS THE ISSUED DISCUSSED IN P-84-48. THE FOLLOWING IS A SUMMARY OF COLUMBIA'S ACTIONS: A. PROCEDURE 555-1, "INVESTIGATION OF FAILURES." EFFECTIVE SEPTEMBER 15, 1986 -THIS REVISED PROCEDURE REFINES OUR METHODS FOR ANALYZING FAILURES TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE AND TO MINIMIZE THE POSSIBILITY OF A RECURRENCE. IT SPECIFICALLY REQUIRED THE INVESTIGATOR TO "CONSULT WITH THE MANAGER OF MATERIAL STANDARDS AND TESTING TO DETERMINE WHETHER A METALLURGICAL AND/OR OTHER TYPE EXAMINATION IS APPROPRIATE." B. PROCEDURE 641-4, "REPAIR OF WELDS DURING CONSTRUCTION," EFFECTIVE JUNE 5, 1986 -THIS REVISED PROCEDURE REQUIRES THAT CRACKED WELDS BE CUT OUT AND CLARIFIES REQUIREMENTS FOR REPAIRING OTHER DEFECTS IN WELDS THAT HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED PRIOR TO PLACING THE LINE IN SERVICE. C. PROCEDURE 651-6, "LEAKAGE REPAIR METHODS," EFFECTIVE MAY 30, 1986 -THE REVISIONS TO THIS PROCEDURE BUTTRESS THE CRITERIA FOR THE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE REPAIR AND ELIMINATION OF LEAKAGE ON A PIPE LINE. IT PROVIDES CONDITIONS UNDER WHICH A CRACK IN METALLIC PIPE MAY BE REPAIRED (P.2, 2ND PAR.) AND PROHIBITS THE REPAIR OF A CRACKED WELD (P.5, SECTION 3.3.2). THE PROCEDURE FUTURE REQUIRES THAT A "FAILURE REPORT" BE SUBMITTED FOR EITHER TYPE OF CRACK. D. LEAKAGE INFORMATION SYSTEM, REVISION EFFECTIVE DECEMBER 1, 1986 -THE LIS HAS BEEN REVISED TO HELP ASSURE THAT ALL LEAKS CAUSED BY EITHER A CONSTRUCTION DEFECT OR MATERIAL FAILURE ARE PROPERLY INVESTIGATED. A DETERMINATION MUST BE MADE AS TO THE CAUSE OF EVERY LEAK AND SO INDICATED ON THE LEAK ORDER (INPUT DOCUMENT.) AS A CHECK TO INSURE THAT A FAILURE REPORT HAS BEEN PREPARED, AN OUTPUT REPORT IS PROVIDED TO THE MANAGER OF MATERIAL STANDARDS AND TESTING LISTING EVERY LEAK CAUSED BY A CONSTRUCTION DEFECT OR MATERIAL FAILURE.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1987-11-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: COLUMBIA HAS SINCE THE DATE OF THE BOARD'S LAST LETTER REVIEWED AND FURTHER REVISED ITS PROCEDURE 555-1, INVESTIGATION OF FAILURES." THE REVISION, WHICH IS THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 4, "METALLURGICAL AND/OR OTHER TYPE EXAMINATION," PROVIDES INFORMATION REGARDING THE FREQUENCY AND THE CRITERIA TO USE IN EVALUATING WHEN TESTING SHOULD BE PERFORMED. ATTACHED IS A COPY OF THE REVIEWED PROCEDURE. ON OCTOBER 13, 1987, PRIOR TO PROMULGATING THE REVISED PROCEDURE, THE PROPOSED ADDITION WAS REVIEWED AND TENTATIVE AGREEMENT REACHED WITH MR. CHARLES BATTEN FROM YOUR OFFICE. COLUMBIA APPRECIATES YOUR RECOMMENDATION AND TRUSTS THAT THE EFFORTS OUTLINED ABOVE AND IN THE ENCLOSED DOCUMENT WILL ENABLE THE BOARD TO CLOSE RECOMMENDATION P-84-48 AS AN ACCEPTABLE ACTION.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1985-09-06

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1985-11-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1988-02-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1985-05-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1987-08-03

Communication Type: Official Correspondence