Category: Accidents

Enbridge Wants to Bring TETCO Pipe in KY Back Online Aug 24-26

TETCO Line 15 explosion & fire on Aug 1

On August 1, Enbridge’s Texas Eastern Pipeline Company (TETCO) pipeline exploded in Lincoln County, Kentucky–killing one and sending six to the hospital (see TETCO Pipe Explodes in Kentucky Killing 1; Southbound M-U Gas Stops). Actually TETCO operates three pipelines in that area, all located next to each other and collectively called TETCO. Line 15 is where the explosion occurred, but Lines 10 and 25 (located next to Line 15) remain offline until further notice (see 3 TETCO Pipelines in KY Closed Indefinitely, Feds Order Repairs). TETCO is hoping to return one of the three lines to service later this week.
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Accidents, Enbridge, Energy Services, Industrywide Issues, Kentucky, Pipelines

3 TETCO Pipelines in KY Closed Indefinitely, Feds Order Repairs

TETCO explosion/fire in Kentucky

Last Friday the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued their preliminary findings (full copy below) on the explosion of the Texas Eastern Pipeline Company (TETCO) pipeline explosion in Lincoln County, Kentucky–an explosion that killed one and sent six to the hospital (see TETCO Pipe Explodes in Kentucky Killing 1; Southbound M-U Gas Stops). PHMSA also issued a “corrective action order” on Friday that requires TETCO to keep Line 15, where the explosion occurred, and Lines 10 and 25 (located next to Line 15), offline until further notice. Indefinitely.
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Accidents, Enbridge, Energy Services, Industrywide Issues, Kentucky, Pipelines

TETCO Remains Closed in KY Following Blast, NE Production Back Up

Last Thursday the Texas Eastern Transmission Company (TETCO) pipeline exploded near a trailer park in Lincoln County, Kentucky (see TETCO Pipe Explodes in Kentucky Killing 1; Southbound M-U Gas Stops). The blast and resulting fire killed one woman, injured five more, and destroyed five homes in the area. It shut down the pipeline in that area which flows 1.7 billion cubic feet of Marcellus/Utica gas (Bcf/d) south to the Gulf Coast. The pipeline will remain shut down “at least” until next Monday, Aug. 12.
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Accidents, Enbridge, Energy Services, Industrywide Issues, Kentucky, Pipelines

TETCO Pipe in Kentucky Remains Closed After Last Week’s Explosion

Last Thursday the Texas Eastern Transmission Company (TETCO) pipeline exploded near a trailer park in Lincoln County, Kentucky (see TETCO Pipe Explodes in Kentucky Killing 1; Southbound M-U Gas Stops). The blast and resulting fire killed one woman, injured five more, and destroyed five homes in the area. It shut down the pipeline in that area which flows 1.7 billion cubic feet of Marcellus/Utica gas (Bcf/d) south to the Gulf Coast. The pipeline remains shut down today.
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Accidents, Enbridge, Energy Services, Industrywide Issues, Pipelines

TETCO Pipe Explodes in Kentucky Killing 1; Southbound M-U Gas Stops

TETCO Pipeline explosion/fire in Kentucky

Early yesterday morning around 1:20 am, the Texas Eastern Transmission Company (TETCO) pipeline exploded near a trailer park in Lincoln County, Kentucky. The blast and resulting fire killed one woman, injured five more, and destroyed five homes in the area. Flames shot up more than 300 feet into the air, visible from neighboring counties.
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Accidents, Enbridge, Energy Services, Industrywide Issues, Kentucky, Pipelines

Columbia Gas Pays $143M to Settle Lawsuit from Mass. Explosions

Columbia Gas of Massachusetts (NiSource) continues to recover (physically and reputationally) from a series of explosions last September in its local delivery pipelines north of Boston (see Local NatGas Pipes Explode Near Boston Killing 1, Injuring 25). The explosions and resulting fires tragically killed one teenager and injured 25 others. It left some 8,600 households and businesses without natural gas–for months. Several class action lawsuits were filed against the company. News is breaking today that Columbia has settled all of the class action lawsuits for $143 million.
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Accidents, Energy Services, Industrywide Issues, Litigation, NiSource, Pipelines

Philly Refinery to Close Following Massive Fire – 1,020 Jobs Lost

Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES), which operates the East Coast’s largest refinery on the banks of the Delaware River, was already wobbling because of onerous federal regulations that require refiners to blend in biofuel with gasoline and diesel, or purchase very expensive credits. PES can’t blend, so they must buy the credits, which put them under water financially, forcing them into bankruptcy last year (see Philadelphia Refinery Files for Chapter 11 Bankruptcy). Following a series of explosions and a massive fire last week (see Massive Explosion, Fire at Philadelphia Refinery), PES has announced it will be closing down over the next two weeks, throwing 1,020 people out of work.
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Accidents, Industrywide Issues, Pennsylvania, Philadephia

Massive Explosion, Fire at Philadelphia Refinery

PES fire

Last Friday around 4 am there was a series of three explosions and a massive fire at the Philadelphia Energy Solutions (PES) Refining Complex, the East Coast’s oldest and largest oil refinery. It took fire fighters until Saturday afternoon to extinguish the blaze. The main concern was that if the fire reached a tank of hydrofluoric acid used in the refining process it would be released as hydrogen fluoride (a poison), affecting nearby residents. Fortunately that didn’t happen. The thing about the story that caught our attention is that propane and butane (potentially sourced from the Marcellus) are what fed the fire.
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Accidents, Energy Services, Industrywide Issues, Pennsylvania, Philadelphia Energy Solutions, Philadephia, Processing Plants

MarkWest, Contractor Fined $98K for SWPA Gas Plant Explosion

In mid-December there was an explosion at a MarkWest Energy natural gas processing plant in Chartiers (Washington County), PA, injuring four people (see MarkWest Plant Explosion in Washington Co. Injures 4; 1 Critical). Unfortunately one the workers later died (see Sad Postscript: Man Dies of Injuries from MarkWest SWPA Explosion). The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) investigated the incident and has just fined MarkWest and a contractor (that employed the workers) a cumulative $98,508.
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Accidents, Energy Services, Industrywide Issues, MarkWest Energy, Pennsylvania, Regulation, Washington County

Dominion Investigating Condensate Tank Fire in Tyler, WV

On May 25, lightning struck a 1 million gallon condensate tank near Friendly (Tyler County), WV on a Saturday afternoon (see Lightning Strikes Huge Condensate Tank in Tyler, WV – Fire Now Out). At least, that’s the theory. The strike (if that’s what it was) ignited the tank, creating a “massive” fire according to news accounts. Dominion Energy, owner of the tank, is still investigating to see how the fire began (was it really lightning?), and how such accident can be avoided in the future.
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Accidents, Dominion Energy, Energy Services, Industrywide Issues, Storage, Tyler County, West Virginia

PA Shuts Down 2 NatGas Pipes in Clarion County Following Explosion

Last Tuesday evening a 68-year-old woman was home in her bed in Clarion County, PA when she heard an explosion and a wall collapsed on her. She freed herself from the rubble and drove to a neighbor’s house for assistance. The home, a garage and greenhouse were all destroyed as a result of the explosion and fire. The cause? Natural gas “migrating” in the basement of the home. A local delivery pipeline and a nearby transmission pipeline were both taken out of service while the PA Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission’s (PUC) investigation unit takes a look at the cause.
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Accidents, Clarion County, Energy Services, Industrywide Issues, Pennsylvania, Pipelines, TransCanada

Caught on Video: Frack Sand Train Goes Off Rails Near Scranton

Derailed train in Dickson City – click for larger version

Around noon yesterday, a train moving slowly, at 10 miles per hour, was hauling lumber and frack sand from Scranton to nearby Carbondale, when a video surveillance camera caught the train leaving the rails. Ten cars derailed, with three tipping over completely (spilling sand) and one teetering on the brink. The video, taken from a police station across the street, is amazing.
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Accidents, Industrywide Issues, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania, Sand/Proppant

What Caused the MI NatGas Compressor Stn Fire in January?

You may recall MDN covering the story of the compressor station in Michigan that caught fire and exploded in January (see Michigan NatGas Compressor Station Catches Fire, Explodes). That single compressor (single point of failure, as it turns out) is responsible for pumping natgas to two-thirds of Michigan residents. After a two-month investigation, the station’s owner says it knows what happened, which can be summed up as a series of unfortunate events.
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Accidents, Industrywide Issues, Michigan, Pipelines, Statewide MI

Sunoco, DEP Settle on $200K Fine for ME1 Pipe Leak in 2017

The Mariner East 1 pipeline sprung a small leak and spilled 20 barrels (~840 gallons) of ethane and propane in Berks County, near Philadelphia, on April 1, 2017 (see Mariner East 1 Sprang a Small NGL Leak Near Philly, on Apr 1). Sunoco Logistics Partners (i.e. Energy Transfer), builder and maintainer of the pipeline, shut it down and fixed it over the next several days. It took the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC), which oversees regulation of the pipeline, a year and a half to investigate.
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Accidents, Berks County, Energy Services, Energy Transfer Partners, Industrywide Issues, Pennsylvania, Pipelines, Regulation, Sunoco Logistics

Exploded Tetco Pipe in Ohio Back Online – 10 Weeks Later

A 30-inch segment of Enbridge’s Texas Eastern Transmission Company (Tetco) interstate natural gas pipeline exploded in January, sending two people to the hospital and destroying two nearby homes when fires from the blast spread (see Texas Eastern Pipeline Explodes in Noble County, OH – Injuries). The pipeline is now, after 10 weeks, fully back online and flowing at 100% capacity. We have an update on how the outage affected flows in the region, and the likely cause for the explosion.
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Accidents, Enbridge, Energy Services, Industrywide Issues, Noble County, Ohio, Pipelines