NTSB Safety Recommendation P-90-004

NTSB safety recommendation P-90-004.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION: IDENTIFY, WITH THE ASSISTANCE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR AND OTHER GULF COAST STATES MAY HAVE JURISDICTION, THE TYPE, NUMBER LOCATION, AND OWNER OF ALL OFFSHORE PIPELINES IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. (URGENT)

Priority: CLASS I

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1990-02-22

Adopted Date: 1990-02-21

Overall Date Closed: 1999-06-18

Synopsis: ABOUT 5:50 P.M. CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME OCTOBER 3, 1989, THE UNITED STATES MENHADEN FISHING VESSEL NORTHUMBERLAND, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE ZAPATA HAYNIE CORPORATION (VESSEL OWNER), WAS BACKING AND MANEUVERING IN 9 TO 11 FEET OR WATER WHEN THE STERN OF THE VESSEL STRUCK AND REPTURED AN OFFSHORE 16-INCH NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION PIPELINE OWNED BY NATURAL GAS PIPELINE COMPANY OF AMERICA (PIPELINE COMPANY). NATURAL GAS UNDER 835 POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH PRESSURE WAS RELEASED. AN UNDETERMINED SOURCE ON BOARD THE VESSEL IGNITED THE GAS, AND WITHIN SECONDS, THE ENTIRE VESSEL WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE ON THE VESSEL BURNED UNTIL 4:30 A.M. ON OCTOBER 4, WHEN IT BURNED ITSELF OUT. LEAKING GAS FROM THE PIPELINE ALSO CONTINUED TO BURN UNTIL THE FLOW OF GAS SUBSIDED AND THE FIRE SELF-EXTINGUISED ABOUT 6 A.M. ON OCTOBER 4. ELEVEN OF FOURTEEN CREW MEMBERS DIED AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT. THE VESSEL WAS LOCATED ABOUT 1/2 MILE OFFSHORE IN THE GULF OF MEXICO (GULF) AND ABOUT 5 1/3 NAUTICAL MILES WEST OF THE JETTIES AT THE ENTRANCE TO SABINE PASS, TEXAS.

Ntsbnumber: DCA90MM001

Report Number: PAR-90-02

Addressee Name: DOT

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1999-06-18

Addressee Acronym: DOT

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1990-05-11

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 February 22, 1990, the Safety Board issued Safety Recommendations P-90-3 through -5 to the Department of Transportation (DOT) concerning submerged offshore pipelines. Safety Recommendations P-90-3 and -4 requested urgent action from your office. Our records show, however, that we have not received a response from the DOT regarding the recommended action. We would appreciate being informed as to what efforts were made or are being made to implement these recommendations especially P-90-3 and -4. The Safety Board's letter transmitting these recommendations is enclosed for your information. Thank you for your cooperation in this matter. We look forward to hearing from you in the near future.

Addressee Acronym: DOT

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1997-10-31

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: NTSB REQUESTED A FOLLOWUP ON THIS DATE 10/31/97.

Addressee Acronym: DOT

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1999-06-18

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE SAFETY BOARD IS PLEASED THAT RSPA HAS COMPLETED ITS COLLECTION OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED MAPS OF ALL OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS LEASE BLOCKS, INCLUDING ALL PIPELINES AND OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION FACILITIES IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE BOARD UNDERSTANDS THAT THESE MAPS INDICATE, AMONG OTHER ITEMS, THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: THE RESPECTIVE OPERATORS OF, AND PRODUCTS CARRIED BY, THE PIPELINE SYSTEMS; THE DEPT. OF INTERIOR SEGMENT AND SEQUENCE NUMBERS; AND THE LOCATIONS OF RISERS, CROSSING PIPELINES, SUB-SEA TIE-INS, AND BLOCK BOUNDARIES. THE BOARD IS ALSO AWARE THAT RSPA IS ADDING THIS INFORMATION TO ITS NATIONAL PIPELINE MAPPING SYSTEM, WHICH IS BEING DEVELOPED IN COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES AND THE PIPELINE INDUSTRY. ACCORDINGLY, P-90-4 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Acronym: DOT

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1990-05-30

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE ATTACHMENT TO THIS RECOMMENDATION IS A TWO-VOLUME REPORT ENTITLED "AN ANALYSIS OF OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF IMPACTS PIPELINES, NAVIAGATION CHANNELS, AND FACILITIES IN SENSTIVE COASTAL HABITATS." THIS STUDY WAS CONDUCTED AS PART OF THE MINERALS MANAGMENT SERVICE'S (MMS) ONGOING ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM. THE MAJOR OBJECTIVE OF THIS STUDY WAS TO PROVIDE A BASIS FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF THE SIGNIFICANCE AND EXTENT OF PAST IMPACTS OF OUTER CONTINENTAL SHELF (OCS) RELATED ACTIVITIES ON SENSITIVE COASTAL HABITATS. THE MMS HAS A COMPLETE FILE ON EACH OF THE PIPELINES THAT IT HAS AUTHORIZED EITHER UNDER AN OCS OIL GAS LEASE, A RIGHT-OF USE AND EASEMENT, OR A RIGHT-OF-WAY. THAT FILE CONSISTS OF MAP, RECORDS, AND A DATA BASE. EVERY APPROVED OCS PIPELINE HAS BEEN PLOTTED ON MAPS MAINTAINED IN THE REGIONAL DIRECTOR'S OFFICE FOR MMS'S GULF OF MEXICO OCS REGION. THOSE RECORDS INCLUDE INFORMATION SUCH AS THE OWNER/OPERATOR, ORIGINATING AND ENDING POINTS, SIZE, PRODUCE TRANSPORTED, REPORTED BURIAL DEPTH, LENGTH, APPROVAL DATE, CONSTRUCTION DATE, MODIFICATIONS, REPAIRS, AND OTHER PIPELINES CROSSED.

Addressee Acronym: DOT

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1998-07-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: RSPA HAS COMPLETED ITS COLLECTION OF COMPUTER-ASSISTED MAPS OF ALL OFFSHORE OIL AND GAS LEASE BLOCKS. THESE MAPS DEPICT ALL PIPELINES AND OIL AND GAS PRODUCTION FACILITIES IN THE GULF OF MEXICO. THE INFORMATION ON THESE MAPS INCLUDES PIPELINE OPERATORS, PRODUCTS, AND THE PIPELINE SYSTEM, INCLUDING THE DEPT. OF INTERIOR (DOI) ASSIGNED PIPELINE SEGMENT NUMBER AND SEQUENCE NUMBER, LATITUDE, LONGITUDE, POINT DESCRIPTION CODE AND LOCATIONS OF RISERS, CROSSING PIPELINES, SUB-SEA TIE-INS, AND BLOCK BOUNDARIES. THIS INFORMATION WILL BE ADDED TO THE INFORMATION IN RSPA'S NATIONAL PIPELINE MAPPING SYSTEM, A NATIONWIDE MAPPING SYSTEM BEING DEVELOPED IN COOPERATION WITH FEDERAL AND STATE AGENCIES AND THE PIPELINE INDUSTRY. IN VIEW OF THE ABOVE, RSPA REQUESTS THAT P-90-4 BE RECLASSIFIED AS "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."

Addressee Acronym: DOT

Addressee Organization Type: G-Federal Government

Communication Date: 1990-10-02

Communication Type: Official Correspondence