List of pipeline accidents in the United States in 2019 explained

The following is a list of pipeline accidents in the United States in 2019. It is one of several lists of U.S. pipeline accidents. See also list of natural gas and oil production accidents in the United States.

Incidents

This is not a complete list of all pipeline accidents. For natural gas alone, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), a United States Department of Transportation agency, has collected data on more than 3,200 accidents deemed serious or significant since 1987.

A "significant incident" results in any of the following consequences:

• fatality or injury requiring in-patient hospitalization
• $50,000 or more in total costs, measured in 1984 dollars
• liquid releases of five or more barrels (42 US gal/barrel)
• releases resulting in an unintentional fire or explosion

PHMSA and the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) post incident data, and results of investigations, into accidents involving pipelines that carry a variety of products, including natural gas, oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, kerosene, jet fuel, carbon dioxide, and other substances. Occasionally pipelines are repurposed to carry different products.^[1]

• On January 17, a natural gas and oil explosion occurred, resulting in the loss of 1.4 million dollars worth of natural gas and oil and a fire lasting all day in Watford city, North Dakota. There were no injuries or deaths.^[2]
• On January 18, an Enbridge natural gas pipeline exploded in Noble County, Ohio, causing two people to be injured along with damage to two homes.^[3]
• On January 29, a pipeline ruptured near the town of Lumberport in Harrison County, West Virginia. The rupture was located at a girth weld of an elbow on the 12-inch interstate pipeline. The root cause investigation concluded that a landslide about 150 yards from the rupture moved the pipeline approximately 10 feet from its original location, causing excessive stress on the pipe that resulted in the rupture.^[4]
• On January 30, a crude oil spill caused by an apparent open valve occurred in Enid, Oklahoma. This incident resulted in the release of 750 barrels, or 31,500 gallons, of oil into the environment, which extended five miles down a creek.^[5]
• On February 2, a fire was intentionally set in Pittsylvania county, Virginia. This fire caused $500,000 worth of damage to mountain valley pipeline construction. There were no injuries or deaths.^{[6] [7]}
• On February 6, a natural gas release caused a fire in San Francisco, California. This fire lead to the evacuation of approximately 100 people in the area.^[8]
• On February 6, an oil spill occurred in St. Charles County, Missouri. This oil spill resulted in the release of 43 barrels, or 1800 gallons.^{[9] [10]}
• On March 3, an Energy Transfer Partners 30-inch natural gas pipeline exploded and burned, destroying a house that was under construction previously in Audrain County, Missouri. There were no deaths, and no one was injured. The cause was Stress Corrosion Cracking. After the failure, during hydrostatic testing of this pipeline, four other sections of pipeline failed. It is estimated that 91,719 cubic feet of natural gas were released during the incident.^{[11] [12]}
• On March 4, an oil and natural gas pipeline explosion due to high pressure happened in Martin County, Texas. This explosion lead to the death of two employees.^{[13] [14] [15]}
• On March 18, an oil spill occurred due to a valve leak in Watford City, North Dakota. This occurrence resulted in 12,600 gallons of oil being released.^[16]
• On April 4, a natural gas pipeline explosion occurred, with officials unsure of the cause, in Longstreet, Louisiana. There were no injuries or deaths related to this incident.^[17]
• On April 24, a Magellan Midstream Partners pipeline was detected to be losing pressure. Investigation found a leak in the pipeline near Cottonwood, Minnesota. About 8,400 gallons of diesel fuel had leaked from the pipeline.^[18]
• On June 18, pipeline installation workers struck another gas pipeline near Highway 19 at County Road 1420 and County Street 2920 in Grady County, Oklahoma, causing a fire. One worker was injured.^[19]
• On June 23, a Crimson Pipeline line spilled about 45,000 gallons of diesel fuel in Ventura, California.^[20]
• On July 10, Phillips 66 Pipeline's 12.75-inch crude oil pipeline leaked north of Wichita Falls, Texas. The failure was in a longitudinal seam. An estimated 1,200 barrels (50,400 US gallons) were spilled.^[21]
• On August 1, an Enbridge 30-inch gas transmission pipeline exploded and burned in Stanford, Kentucky. One person was killed, and five others were injured. Five homes were destroyed and at least four were damaged in the Indian Camp mobile home park in Stanford, where the explosion occurred. Flames reached more than 300 feet and melted tar on nearby roads, officials said.^{[22] [23]}
• On October 3, a pipeline that had just finished maintenance spilled between 420,000 and 630,000 gallons of diesel fuel into Turkey Creek in Miller Grove, Texas.^[24]
• On October 29, near Edinburg, North Dakota the Keystone Pipeline was shut down after leaking 190,000 gallons of crude oil onto about 4.81 acres of wetlands. The cause was defective pipe.^[25]
• On November 2, a scraper passage indicator assembly on a crude oil pipeline was noticed leaking, in Eddy County, New Mexico. During repair work, the pipe completely broke, spilling about 63,000 gallons of crude oil. There were no injuries.^[26]
• On November 15, a newly installed gas pipeline exploded and burned in Pepper Pike, Ohio. There were no injuries. The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio said that a preliminary investigation revealed that a welding failure caused the rupture, which caused the explosion and fire.^[27]
• On December 5, three workers suffered severe burns in multiple explosions and a fire at an EOG Resources gas pipeline compressor site near Carpenter, Wyoming.^[28]
• On December 19, a worker was injured in a pipeline incident near Douglas, Wyoming.^[29]
• On December 19, an explosion in Philadelphia killed two people and destroyed five houses.
• On December 19, three workers were injured during a pipeline explosion in Marshall, Texas.^[30]
• On December 21, a Williams Companies gas pipeline compressor plant in Ohio County, West Virginia exploded and burned. There were no injuries reported.^[31]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Pipeline Incident Flagged Files PHMSA. www.phmsa.dot.gov. 2019-04-12.
2. Web site: Witnesses describe explosion at Watford City saltwater site. Springgate. Aleisa Tanner and Jack. www.kfyrtv.com. January 18, 2019 . english. 2019-04-12.
3. News: Enbridge gas pipeline explosion causes fireball in Ohio. 2019-01-22. Reuters. 2019-04-12. en.
4. Pipeline Safety: Potential for Damage to Pipeline Facilities Caused by Earth Movement and Other Geological Hazards . May 2, 2019 . Federal Register . 18919 . 84 . 85 . U.S. Government Publishing Office.
5. Web site: Cleanup underway after northern Oklahoma crude oil spill. 2019-01-30. AP NEWS. 2019-04-12.
6. Web site: Pittsylvania Co. authorities investigate fire set to equipment at pipeline construction site. Bee. Charles Wilborn Danville Register &. Roanoke Times. February 3, 2019 . en. 2019-04-12.
7. Web site: Equipment on pipeline construction site intentionally set ablaze, officials say; damage estimated at $500,000. GoDanRiver.com. February 3, 2019 . en. 2019-04-12.
8. Web site: Preliminary Report PLD19MR001. www.ntsb.gov. 2019-04-12.
9. Web site: Keystone Pipeline Likely Cause of Oil Spill in Missouri. Neuhauser. Alan. February 11, 2019. us news.
10. Web site: Oil Spill Shuts TransCanada's Keystone Pipeline in Same County Where 'Paper-thin' Pipe Found in 2012. DeSmogBlog. February 8, 2019 . en. 2019-04-12.
11. Web site: Mexico family loses home in pipeline explosion. Gerling. Olivia. 2019-03-04. KMIZ. en-US. 2019-04-12.
12. Web site: Report: Pipeline rupture caused by corrosion. Charles Dunlap GateHouse. Missouri. Boonville Daily News - Boonville, MO.
13. Web site: OIL AND GAS: Deadly pipelines, no rules. www.eenews.net. en. 2019-04-12.
14. Web site: Victims identified in Martin County explosion. Hendricks. Jay. www.cbs7.com. english. 2019-04-12.
15. Web site: Undefeated Oilfield Explosion Lawyer Deadly Oilfield Explosion Stanton, Martin County, Texas. 2019-03-05. Zehl & Associates. en-US. 2019-04-12.
16. Web site: Oil spill being cleaned up at McKenzie County well site. Bismarck Tribune. en. 2019-04-12.
17. Web site: Natural gas explosion overnight in Louisiana, no injuries. 2019-04-04. AP NEWS. 2019-04-12.
18. Web site: Crews work to contain diesel fuel leak in Lyon County. April 25, 2019. KSTP.
19. Web site: 1 Injured In Pipeline Rupture, Fire In Grady County. www.news9.com.
20. Web site: Grove Incident Cleanup Standards Met; Bioremediation Being Applied in the Next Phase of the Operation. September 2, 2016.
21. Web site: Corrective Action Order . Office of Pipeline Safety . July 16, 2019 . Alan K. . Mayberry.
22. Web site: Federal investigator says there will be no quick answers for Lincoln County gas explosion. Kala. Kachmar. Billy. Kobin. Ben. Tobin. The Courier-Journal.
23. https://primis.phmsa.dot.gov/comm/reports/enforce/documents/220191002H/220191002H_Amended%20Corrective%20Action%20Order_04282020.pdf
24. Web site: Update: Diesel Spill In Miller Grove Reportedly Larger Than Originally Estimated | Ksst Radio. www.ksstradio.com. October 4, 2019 .
25. https://portal.phmsa.dot.gov/analytics/saw.dll?Dashboard
26. https://portal.phmsa.dot.gov/analytics/saw.dll?Dashboard&PortalPath=%2Fshared%2FPDM%20Public%20Website%2F_portal%2FOperator%20Dashboard&Action=Navigate&var1=dashboard.variables[%27opidss%27]&cov1=%22PHP%20-%20Operator%20Information%22.%22Operator%20ID%22&val1=32634
27. Web site: PUCO announces investigation into November Pepper Pike gas line explosion. December 18, 2019. cleveland.
28. Web site: Three workers injured in explosion at oilfield site in southeast Wyoming. Camille Erickson 307-266-0592. [e-mail]. Casper Star-Tribune Online. December 6, 2019 .
29. Web site: One worker injured in pipeline accident near Douglas. Star-Tribune. staff. Casper Star-Tribune Online. December 20, 2019 .
30. Web site: Three injured in Taylor Road pipeline incident recovering. Robin Y. Richardson. [e-mail]. Marshall News Messenger. December 27, 2019 .
31. Web site: Compressor plant catches fire in Ohio County. Gage. Goulding. December 21, 2019. WTOV.