NTSB Safety Recommendation P-95-017

NTSB safety recommendation P-95-017.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE AMERICAN GAS ASSOCIATION: 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 - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1995-02-07

Adopted Date: 1995-01-18

Overall Date Closed: 1995-08-01

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: American Gas Association

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 1995-08-01

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1995-06-21

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: WE ALSO ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONSIDER THE APPROPRITE USE OF REMOTE- & AUTOMATIC-CONTROLLED VALVES TO BE ABLE TO MORE QUICKLY ISOLATE PIPELINE SEGMENTS IN CASE A FAILURE OCCURS IN A CRITICAL AREA. THE GAS RESEARCH INSTITUTE HAS SPONSORED A STUDY OF THE EFFICACY OF THIS TECHNOLOGY THAT WILL SOON BE AVAILABLE TO ASSIST YOU IN EVALUATING POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS FOR REMOTE-& AUTOMATIC-CONTROLLED VALVES.

Addressee Acronym: AGA

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 1995-08-01

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: THE BOARD NOTES THAT THE AGA HAS ENCOURAGED ITS MEMBERS TO CONSIDER USING REMOTE- & AUTOMATIC-CONTROLLED VALVES THAT CAN QUICKLY ISOLATE PIPELINE SEGMENTS IN CASE A FAILURE OCCURS IN A CRITICAL AREA. WE FURTHER NOTE THAT THE GAS RESEARCH INSTITUTE HAS SPONSORED A STUDY OF THIS TECHNOLOGY TO HELP COMPANIES EVALUATE POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS FOR REMOTE- & AUTOMATIC-CONTROLLED VALVES. P-95-17 IS THEREFORE CLASSIFIED "CLOSED--ACCEPTABLE ACTION."