NTSB Safety Recommendation P-89-001

NTSB safety recommendation P-89-001.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT KPL GAS SERVICE: DEVELOP PROCEDURES FOR THE COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF INFORMATION ON THE CAUSES OF SYSTEM LEAKS AND FAILURES SUFFICIENT TO IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE UNCOATED, UNPROTECTED STEEL SERVICE LINES AND CAST-IRON MAINS SHOULD BE REPLACED.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1989-03-30

Adopted Date: 1989-03-30

Overall Date Closed: 1995-08-21

Synopsis: THE NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD IS CURRENTLY INVESTIGATING FOUR ACCIDENTS INVOLVING HIGH PRESSURE DISTRIBUTION FACILITIES OPERATED BY THE KPL GAS SERVICE COMPANY (KPL). (1) A SEPTEMBER 16, 1988, NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION IN OVERLAND PARK, KANSAS, INVOLVING GAS LEAKING FROM CORROSION HOLES IN THE CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINE. GAS MIGRATED UNDERGROUND TO THE HOUSE AND WAS IGNITED. THE HOUSE WAS DESTROYED AND THE FOUR RESIDENTS WERE INJURED. (2) A NOVEMBER 25, 1988, NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION AND FIRE IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, INVOLVING A BREAK IN A CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINE AT A THREADED JOINT THAT WAS AFFECTED BY CORROSION. ONE PERSON WAS KILLED AND FIVE PERSONS INJURED IN THE EXPLOSION THAT SEVERELY DAMAGED THE RESIDENCE. (3) A DECEMBER 5, 1988, NATURAL GAS FIRE IN KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, INVOLVING A CRACKED, 6-INCH CAST-IRON GAS MAIN THAT WAS AFFECTED BY GRAPHITIC CORROSION. ONE PERSON WAS INJURED AND TWO VEHICLES WERE DAMAGED AFTER THE ESCAPING NATURAL GAS IGNITED IN A DRIVEWAY. (4) A FEBRUARY 10, 1989, NATURAL GAS EXPLOSION AND FIRE IN OAK GROVE, MISSOURI, INVOLVING THE FAILURE OF A CUSTOMER-OWNED SERVICE LINE AT A THREADED JOINT. TWO PERSONS WERE KILLED AND THEIR HOUSE WAS DESTROYED IN THE EXPLOSION.

Probable Cause: None

Ntsbnumber: DCA88FP016

Report Number: None

Addressee Name: KPL Gas Service Company

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1995-08-21

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-06-19

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: IN OUR RESPONSE OF 11/2/89, WE STATED THAT PROCEDURES FOR THE COLLECTION & METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS OF CAST IRON COUPON SAMPLES WOULD BE INCORPORATED INTO OUR PROCEDURAL MANUALS. PROCEDURES WHICH DESCRIBE THESE ACTIONS HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN OUR GAS STANDARDS & ARE CONSISTENT WITH THE REQUIREMENT SET FORTH IN THE KANSAS PIPELINE SAFETY REGULATIONS WHICH SET FORTH MINIMUM SAMPLING REQUIREMENTS & CONSEQUENTIAL ACTIONS WHICH MUST TAKEN WHEN THE ANALYSIS DETERMINES GRAPHITIZATION BEYOND ACCEPTABLE LIMITS. IN ADDITION, IN THEIR REPORT, STONE & WEBSTER IDENTIFIED & RECOMMENDED CONTINUATION OF MANY NEW PROGRAMS WHICH THE COMPANY HAD, AT THAT TIME, RECENTLY IMPLEMENTED. THESE PROGRAMS INCLUDE OUR LEAK DATA SYSTEM, PERMISE DATA SYSTEM, & THE CONSTRUCTION PRIORITY INDEX. LDS & PDS ARE COMPUTER PROGRAMS WHICH TRACK LEAK INFO FOR MAINS & SERVICE LINES & LEAKAGE TO SUCH ITEMS AS MATERIAL TYPE, LOCATION, & CAUSE. THE CPI PROVIDES OBJECTIVE COMPARISONS OF REPLACEMENT PROJECTS TO ENSURE THAT EMPHASIS IS PLACED ON THE MOST URGENT WORK. EACH OF THESE PROGRAMS CONTINUE TO BE USEFUL TOOLS IDENTIFYING WHICH FACILITIES REQUIRE REPLACEMENT OR REHABILITATION.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-11-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: IN ADDITION TO PROCEDURES ADOPTED PURSUANT TO DOT REGULATIONS, KPL HAS DEVELOPED A "PREMISE DATA SYSTEM" ON ITS IBM MAINFRAME COMPUTER FOR MAINTAINING INDIVIDUAL PREMISE DATA, SERVICE LINE REPLACEMENTS AND REPAIRS, AND SURVEY INFORMATION IN A SINGLE DATA BASE FOR ALL TYPES OF SERVICE LINES. THE SYSTEMS' OBJECTIVE IS TO PROVIDE ON-LINE ENTRY OF PREMISE INFORMATION, CONSTRUCTION AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS, GAS LEAK SURVEY RESULTS, AND MATERIAL UTILIZATION. THE SYSTEM CAN ALSO PROVIDE ANALYSIS IN REPORTING OF ANY DEFINED AREA OR SECTOR WITHIN THE COMPANY'S SERVICE AREA. KPL HAS INITIATED A PROGRAM TO EXTRACT COUPON SAMPLES OF CAST-IRON MAINS FOR METALLURGICAL ANALYSIS. THE PIPELINE SAFETY STAFF OF THE KANSAS CORP COMMISSION HAS PROVIDED GUIDELINES TO OUR COMPANY REGARDING THE EXTENT OF GRAPHITIZATION AND REPLACEMENTS REQUIRED BASED ON THE PERCENT OF GRAPHITIZATION IN RELATION TO THE DIAMETER OF THE MAIN INVOLVED. THESE GUIDELINES ARE BEING INCORPORATED INTO KPL PROCEDURE MANUALS. IN ADDITION, STONE & WEBSTER MANAGEMENT CONSULTANTS, INC., IS PRESENTLY CONDUCTING A COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF NATURAL GAS SAFETY PROGRAMS AND PROCEDURES AT KPL. ONE OF THEIR TASKS IS TO ASSESS EXISTING COMPANY PROCEDURES FOR DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS OF SYSTEM LEAKS AND FAILURES IN PRIORITIZING FACILITY REPLACEMENTS. THEY WILL PROVIDE KPL WITH SPECIFIC RECOMMENDATIONS REGARDING ANY ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS OF DATA COLLECTION NECESSARY TO PROPERLY ANALYZE OUR PIPELINE SYSTEM. THE RESULTS OF THE STONE & WEBSTER STUDY WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO COMPANY PROCEDURES AS REQUIRED.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1989-10-10

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: The National Transportation Safety Board is reviewing its safety recommendation files to identify those recommendations on which there has been no correspondence for an extended time. On March 30, 1989, the Safety Board issued Safety Recommendations P-89-l through -4 to the KPL Gas Service Company W-1 concerning four accidents involving high pressure distribution facilities operated by KPL. The National Transportation Safety Board is an independent Federal agency with the statutory responsibility "...to promote transportation safety by conducting independent accident investigations and by formulating safety improvement recommendations" (Public Law 93-633). We would appreciate being informed as to what efforts were made or are being made to implement these recommendations. The Safety Board's letter transmitting these recommendations is enclosed for your information.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1990-04-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Safety Recommendation P-89-l addresses the need for collecting and analyzing information regarding the replacement, when necessary, of uncoated, unprotected steel service lines and cast-iron mains. The Safety Board ac-knowledges the procedures KPL has initiated in line with the objectives of this safety recommendation, including the development of a computerized "premise data system" designed to monitor pertinent information relative to service line replacement and repairs, construction and maintenance records, etc. We also note that KPL has retained a management consultant to conduct a comprehensive analysis of its natural gas safety programs to identify areas where KPL can improve its procedures for data collection in order to properly analyze its pipeline system for the purpose of replacing systems that are found to be unsafe. The Safety Board would appreciate receiving the results of this analysis when it has been completed and information about actions taken by KPL as a result of this study. In the meantime, this safety recommendation will be held in an "Open--Acceptable Action" status pending your further response.

Addressee Organization Type: P-Private Industry

Communication Date: 1995-08-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD NOTES THAT PROCEDURES FOR COLLECTION & ANALYSIS OF INFO HAVE BEEN INCLUDED IN WESTERN RESOURCE GAS CONSTRUCTION STANDARDS. ADDITIONALLY, YOUR GAS SAFETY PROGRAMS & PROCEDURES WILL TRACK LEAK INFO PROVIDE COMPARISONS OF REPLACEMENT PROJECT, & PRIORITIZE FACILITY REPLACEMENTS. BASED ON THIS INFO, P-89-1 IS CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."