NTSB Safety Recommendation P-99-007

NTSB safety recommendation P-99-007.

THE NTSB RECOMMENDS THAT THE ASSOCIATION OF OIL PIPE LINES: INFORM YOUR MEMBERS OF THE CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE 7/21/97, PIPELINE RUPTURE AND FIRE IN INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, AND URGE THEM TO INCLUDE IN THEIR DAMAGE PREVENTION PROGRAMS ACTIONS TO PROTECT THEIR EXISTING UNDERGROUND FACILITIES FROM DAMAGE WHEN DIRECTIONAL DRILLING OPERATIONS ARE PERFORMED IN PROXIMITY TO THOSE FACILITIES.

Priority: CLASS II

Overall Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Issued Date: 1999-04-28

Adopted Date: 1999-04-20

Overall Date Closed: 2001-06-05

Synopsis: ABOUT 2:33 P.M. ON 7/21/97, A 20-INCH-DIAMETER STEEL NATURAL GAS TRANSMISSION PIPELINE OWNED AND OPERATED BY CITIZENS GAS & COKE UTILITY COMPANY (CITIZENS GAS) RUPTURED AND RELEASED NATURAL GAS NEAR AN INTERSECTION ADJOINING THE CHARTER POINTE SUBDIVISION IN INDIANAPOLIS, IN. THE GAS IGNITED AND BURNED, KILLING ONE RESIDENT AND INJURING ANOTHER. ABOUT 75 RESIDENTS REQUIRED TEMPORARY SHELTER. SIX HOMES WERE DESTROYED, AND ABOUT 65 OTHERS SUSTAINED DAMAGE SIGNIFICANT ENOUGH TO BE DOCUMENTED BY THE LOCAL INVESTIGATION TEAM.

Probable Cause: The National Transportation Safety Board determined that the probable cause of this accident was the failure of Citizens Gas and Miller to have adequate controls in place to ensure that directional drilling operations carried out in the proximity of existing underground facilities would not cause damage to those facilities.

Ntsbnumber: DCA97FP005

Report Number: PAB-99-02

Addressee Name: Association of Oil Pipe Lines

Addressee Status: Closed - Acceptable Action

Addressee Date Closed: 2001-06-05

Addressee Acronym: AOPL

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2001-03-26

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: Letter Mail Controlled 03/29/2001 4:55:28 PM MC# 2010274 On May 10, 1999, I sent a letter to all of the Principal Representatives of the AOPL member companies informing them of the NTSB’s recommendation on directional drilling and including a copy of the NTSB safety recommendation. A copy of this letter was sent to Mr. Robert Chipkevich of the NTSB. I am attaching a copy of the May 10, 1999 letter for your files.

Addressee Acronym: AOPL

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2001-03-12

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: To date, the Safety Board has received no response from AOPL regarding any of these recommendations. The Board would appreciate learning what action, if any, has been taken to implement Safety Recommen-dations P-95-12 and -13, P-96-23, and P-99-7. Copies of the recommendation letters are enclosed.

Addressee Acronym: AOPL

Addressee Organization Type: A-Associations

Communication Date: 2001-06-05

Communication Type: Official Correspondence

Communication Contents: The AOPL informed all of the principal representatives of its member companies of the Safety Board’s recommendation on directional drilling, and included a copy of Safety Recommendation P-99-7 in this communication on May 10, 1999. This action satisfied the intent of Safety Recommendation P-99-7, which is classified “Closed--Acceptable Action.”