NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-011

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-011.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE INTERSTATE NATURAL GAS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA: ENCOURAGE YOUR MEMBERS TO DEVELOP PROGRAMS, WHICH INCLUDE THE MODIFICATION OF EXISITING VALVES FOR REMOTE OR AUTOMATIC OPERATION, THAT WILL REDUCE TO A MINIMUM THE TIME REQUIRED TO STOP THE FLOW OF NATURAL GAS OR HAZARDOUS LIQUIDS TO FAILED PIPELINE SEGMENTS, ESPECIALLY THOSE SEGMENTS IN URBAN OR ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE LOCATIONS.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Issued Date: 1995-02-07

Adopted Date: 1995-01-18

Overall Date Closed: 2001-04-05

Synopsis: ABOUT 11:55 ON 3/23/94, A 36-INCH DIAMETER PIPELINE OWNED & OPERATED BY TEXAS EASTERN TRANSMISSION CORPORTION (TETCO) RUPTURED CATASTROPHICALLY IN EDISON TOWNSHIP, NEW JERSEY, WITHIN AN ASPHALT PLANT COMPOUND. THE FORCE OF THE RUPTURE & OF NATURAL GAS ESCAPING AT A PRESSURE OF ABOUT 970 PSIG (POUNDS PER SQUARE INCH GUAGE) EXCAVATED THE SOIL AROUND THE PIPE & BLEW GAS HUNDREDS OF FEET INTO THE AIR, PROPELLING PIPE FRAGMENTS, ROCKS, & DEBRIS MORE THAN 800 FEET. WITHIN 1 TO 2 MINUTES OF THE RUPTURE, ONE OF SEVERAL POSSIBLE SOURCES IGNITED THE ESCAPING GAS, SENDING FLAMES UPWARD 400 TO 500 FEET IN THE AIR. HEAT RADIATING FROM THE MASSIVE FIRE IGNITED THE ROOFS OF SEVERAL BUILDING ROOFS IN A NEARBY APARTMENT COMPLEX. OCCUPANTS, ALERTED TO THE EMERGENCY BY NOISES FROM ESCAPING GAS & ROCKS HITTING THE ROOFS, FLED FROM THE BURNING BUILDINGS. APPROXIMATELY 1,500 APARTMENT RESIDENTS WERE EVACUATED. MIRACULOUSLY, NO DEATHS DIRECTLY RESULTED FROM THE RUPTURE & RESULTING FIRE. MOST INJURIES WERE MINOR FOOT BURNS & CUTS THAT THE APARTMENT RESIDENTS SUSTAINED FROM THE HOT PAVEMENT & GLASS SHARDS AS THEY FLED THE COMPLEX. DAMAGE FROM THE ACCIDENT EXCEEDED &25 MILLION.

Probable Cause: None

Keywords: Remote Operated Valves

Ntsbnumber: DCA94MP001

Report Number: PAR-95-01

Addressee Name: Interstate Natural Gas Association of America

Addressee Status: Closed - Unacceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2001-04-05

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1995-03-07

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: INGAA HAS COMPLETED THE FINAL DRAFT OF THIS STUDY REPORT WHICH IW CURRENTLY BEING REVIEWED BY INDUSTRY OFFICIALS. IN ADDITION, THE GAS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, AT INGAA'S REQUEST, IS NEARING COMPLETION OF A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF THE CURRENT AUTOMATIC & REMOTELY CONTROLLED VALVE TECHNOLOGIES. THE STUDY WILL IDENTIFY THE MOST APPROPRIATE USES OF THE CURRENT TECHNOLOGY & IDENTIFY AREAS WHERE APPROPRIATE RESEARCH COULD SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE IT.

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1995-04-27

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD NOTES THAT INGAA HAS CONDUCTED A STUDY ON AUTOMATIC & REMOTELY OPERATED VALVES THAT IS BEING REVIEWED BY INDUSTRY OFFICIALS. THE BOARD FURTHER UNDERSTANDS THAT THE GAS RESEARCH INSTITUTE, AT YOUR REQUEST, IS COMPLETING A STUDY OF AUTOMATIC & REMOTELY CONTROLLED VALVE TECHNOLOGIES. PENDING PUBLICATION OF THE FORTHCOMING STUDY REPORTS, P95-11 HAS BEEN CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE.

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2000-08-08

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: ON 4/27/95, BASED ON INFORMATION PROVIDED IN THE INGAA LETTER OF 3/7/95, P-95-10 AND -11 WERE CLASSIFIED "OPEN--ACCEPTABLE RESPONSE." TO DATE THE SAFETY BOARD HAS HAD NO FURTHER RESPONSE FROM INGAA, AND WE WOULD APPRECIATE LEARNING WHAT ACTION HAS BEEN TAKEN TO IMPLEMENT THESE RECOMMENDATIONS.

Addressee Acronym: INGAA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2001-04-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: On April 27, 1995, based on information provided in the INGAA letter of March 7, 1995, that indicated INGAA was conducting a study of automatic and remotely controlled valve technologies, Safety Recommendations P-95-10 and -11 were classified “Open--Acceptable Response.” Because the Safety Board has received no further information on these issues, Safety Recommendations P-95-10 and -11 are classified “Closed--Unacceptable Action.”