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State-specific information:

Colorado Significant Incidents and Mileage Overview

The report below provides details and incident history for the pipeline systems in the state of Colorado.

The incidents reported below are limited to Significant Incidents (A) over the period 1999 to 2008 only. Each year and selected column totals provide links to focused reports showing the causes of the corresponding incidents.

The data sources for this report are the PHMSA Filtered Incident Files (1) (2) (3) and several pipeline mileage data sources as described below.

All mileages are for the year 2008 and are approximate as some data sources may not contain a complete record of state pipeline mileage for the year 2008.

See State Significant Incident Detail Listing for more information about each Significant Incident in Colorado

Where appropriate, the table columns can be sorted by clicking the corresponding column header.

Colorado Pipeline Safety Regulatory Fact Sheet

More Pipeline Incidents and Mileage Reports are available.

Important Update: As of October 2009, these reports were modified to exclude Gas Distribution incidents where fire/explosion was the primary cause of failure, such as a house fire that subsequently resulted in - but was not caused by - a distribution line failure (B)
Pipeline Mileage Overview
Pipeline SystemMileage
Hazardous liquid line mileage 2,690
Gas transmission line mileage 8,093
Gas Gathering line mileage 621
Gas distribution mileage ( 1,429,277 total services (C)) 33,754
Total pipeline mileage 45,158

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

Colorado All Pipeline Systems: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) Gross Barrels Lost Net Barrels Lost (F)
1999 3 0 2 $292,011 500 500
2000 2 0 0 $325,206 60 60
2001 6 0 2 $811,087 5 5
2002 3 0 0 $4,507,126 157 157
2003 3 0 0 $1,494,474 714 494
2004 5 0 1 $1,830,732 2,765 2,765
2005 3 0 1 $887,606 200 100
2006 5 0 0 $2,674,355 2,437 2,087
2007 9 0 0 $4,411,335 3,170 107
2008 3 1 7 $768,200 220 60
Totals 42 1 13 $18,002,136 10,228 6,335
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 6 0 2 $2,617,964 1,942 751
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 5 0 2 $2,114,446 1,758 1,024
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 4 0 1 $1,800,214 1,023 634
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 4 0 1 $1,800,214 1,023 634

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

Colorado Hazardous Liquid: 1999-2008
Year Number Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) Gross Barrels Lost Net Barrels Lost (F)
1999 1 0 0 $136,686 500 500
2000 1 0 0 $213,150 60 60
2001 1 0 0 $1,785 5 5
2002 1 0 0 $63,151 157 157
2003 1 0 0 $87,452 714 494
2004 1 0 0 $210,798 2,765 2,765
2005 1 0 0 $606,868 200 100
2006 3 0 0 $464,468 2,437 2,087
2007 3 0 0 $175,697 3,170 107
2008 1 0 0 $317,000 220 60
Totals 14 0 0 $2,277,058 10,228 6,335
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 2 0 0 $319,055 1,942 751
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 2 0 0 $354,967 1,758 1,024
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 1 0 0 $227,706 1,023 634
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 1 0 0 $227,706 1,023 634
Colorado Hazardous Liquid Onshore: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) Gross Barrels Lost Net Barrels Lost (F)
1999 1 0 0 $136,686 500 500
2000 1 0 0 $213,150 60 60
2001 1 0 0 $1,785 5 5
2002 1 0 0 $63,151 157 157
2003 1 0 0 $87,452 714 494
2004 1 0 0 $210,798 2,765 2,765
2005 1 0 0 $606,868 200 100
2006 3 0 0 $464,468 2,437 2,087
2007 3 0 0 $175,697 3,170 107
2008 1 0 0 $317,000 220 60
Totals 14 0 0 $2,277,058 10,228 6,335
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 2 0 0 $319,055 1,942 751
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 2 0 0 $354,967 1,758 1,024
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 1 0 0 $227,706 1,023 634
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 1 0 0 $227,706 1,023 634
Colorado Hazardous Liquid Offshore: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) Gross Barrels Lost Net Barrels Lost (F)
1999 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2000 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2001 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2002 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2003 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2004 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2005 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2006 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2007 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2008 0 0 0 $0 0 0
Totals 0 0 0 $0 0 0
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

Colorado Gas Transmission: 1999-2008
Year Number Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 0 0 0 $0
2000 1 0 0 $112,056
2001 1 0 0 $166,621
2002 0 0 0 $0
2003 2 0 0 $1,407,022
2004 2 0 1 $373,486
2005 0 0 0 $0
2006 1 0 0 $617,708
2007 2 0 0 $3,030,641
2008 0 0 0 $0
Totals 9 0 1 $5,707,536
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 1 0 0 $1,216,117
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 1 0 0 $804,367
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 1 0 0 $570,754
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 1 0 0 $570,754
Colorado Gas Transmission Onshore: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 0 0 0 $0
2000 1 0 0 $112,056
2001 1 0 0 $166,621
2002 0 0 0 $0
2003 2 0 0 $1,407,022
2004 2 0 1 $373,486
2005 0 0 0 $0
2006 1 0 0 $617,708
2007 2 0 0 $3,030,641
2008 0 0 0 $0
Totals 9 0 1 $5,707,536
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 1 0 0 $1,216,117
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 1 0 0 $804,367
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 1 0 0 $570,754
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 1 0 0 $570,754
Colorado Gas Transmission Offshore: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 0 0 0 $0
2000 0 0 0 $0
2001 0 0 0 $0
2002 0 0 0 $0
2003 0 0 0 $0
2004 0 0 0 $0
2005 0 0 0 $0
2006 0 0 0 $0
2007 0 0 0 $0
2008 0 0 0 $0
Totals 0 0 0 $0
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $0
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $0
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $0

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

Colorado Gas Gathering: 1999-2008
Year Number Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 0 0 0 $0
2000 0 0 0 $0
2001 0 0 0 $0
2002 0 0 0 $0
2003 0 0 0 $0
2004 0 0 0 $0
2005 0 0 0 $0
2006 0 0 0 $0
2007 0 0 0 $0
2008 0 0 0 $0
Totals 0 0 0 $0
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $0
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $0
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $0

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

Colorado Gas Distribution: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 2 0 2 $155,325
2000 0 0 0 $0
2001 4 0 2 $642,681
2002 2 0 0 $4,443,975
2003 0 0 0 $0
2004 2 0 0 $1,246,446
2005 2 0 1 $280,738
2006 1 0 0 $1,592,179
2007 4 0 0 $1,204,996
2008 2 1 7 $451,200
Totals 19 1 12 $10,017,541
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 2 0 2 $1,082,792
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 2 0 2 $955,112
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 2 0 1 $1,001,754
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 2 0 1 $1,001,754

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

Colorado All Pipeline Systems: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) Gross Barrels Lost Net Barrels Lost (F)
1999 2 0 2 $155,325 0 0
2000 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2001 1 0 2 $0 0 0
2002 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2003 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2004 1 0 1 $89,544 0 0
2005 1 0 1 $109 0 0
2006 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2007 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2008 1 1 7 $250,950 0 0
Totals 6 1 13 $495,928 0 0
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 2 $83,650 0 0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 1 0 2 $68,121 0 0
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 1 0 1 $49,593 0 0
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 1 0 1 $49,593 0 0

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

Colorado Hazardous Liquid: 1999-2008
Year Number Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) Gross Barrels Lost Net Barrels Lost (F)
1999 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2000 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2001 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2002 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2003 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2004 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2005 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2006 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2007 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2008 0 0 0 $0 0 0
Totals 0 0 0 $0 0 0
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
Colorado Hazardous Liquid Onshore: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) Gross Barrels Lost Net Barrels Lost (F)
1999 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2000 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2001 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2002 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2003 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2004 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2005 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2006 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2007 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2008 0 0 0 $0 0 0
Totals 0 0 0 $0 0 0
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
Colorado Hazardous Liquid Offshore: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) Gross Barrels Lost Net Barrels Lost (F)
1999 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2000 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2001 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2002 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2003 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2004 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2005 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2006 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2007 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2008 0 0 0 $0 0 0
Totals 0 0 0 $0 0 0
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $0 0 0

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

Colorado Gas Transmission: 1999-2008
Year Number Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 0 0 0 $0
2000 0 0 0 $0
2001 0 0 0 $0
2002 0 0 0 $0
2003 0 0 0 $0
2004 1 0 1 $89,544
2005 0 0 0 $0
2006 0 0 0 $0
2007 0 0 0 $0
2008 0 0 0 $0
Totals 1 0 1 $89,544
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $17,909
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $8,954
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $8,954
Colorado Gas Transmission Onshore: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 0 0 0 $0
2000 0 0 0 $0
2001 0 0 0 $0
2002 0 0 0 $0
2003 0 0 0 $0
2004 1 0 1 $89,544
2005 0 0 0 $0
2006 0 0 0 $0
2007 0 0 0 $0
2008 0 0 0 $0
Totals 1 0 1 $89,544
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $17,909
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $8,954
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $8,954
Colorado Gas Transmission Offshore: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 0 0 0 $0
2000 0 0 0 $0
2001 0 0 0 $0
2002 0 0 0 $0
2003 0 0 0 $0
2004 0 0 0 $0
2005 0 0 0 $0
2006 0 0 0 $0
2007 0 0 0 $0
2008 0 0 0 $0
Totals 0 0 0 $0
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $0
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $0
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $0

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

Colorado Gas Gathering: 1999-2008
Year Number Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 0 0 0 $0
2000 0 0 0 $0
2001 0 0 0 $0
2002 0 0 0 $0
2003 0 0 0 $0
2004 0 0 0 $0
2005 0 0 0 $0
2006 0 0 0 $0
2007 0 0 0 $0
2008 0 0 0 $0
Totals 0 0 0 $0
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $0
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $0
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $0

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

Colorado Gas Distribution: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 2 0 2 $155,325
2000 0 0 0 $0
2001 1 0 2 $0
2002 0 0 0 $0
2003 0 0 0 $0
2004 0 0 0 $0
2005 1 0 1 $109
2006 0 0 0 $0
2007 0 0 0 $0
2008 1 1 7 $250,950
Totals 5 1 12 $406,384
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 2 $83,650
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 2 $50,212
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 1 0 1 $40,638
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 1 0 1 $40,638
Transmission Mileage by Commodity
Commodity Pipeline Miles %
Carbon Dioxide 298 2.7%
Crude Oil 378 3.5%
Empty Liquid 42 0.3%
Highly Volatile Liquid 709 6.5%
Natural Gas 8,031 74.3%
Natural Gas Liquids 280 2.5%
Nitrogen 69 0.6%
Refined Products 991 9.1%
Totals 10,797 100%
Transmission Mileage by County
County Gas Miles Liquid Miles %
Adams 368 163 4.9%
Alamosa 23 0 0.2%
Arapahoe 160 144 2.8%
Archuleta 50 0 0.4%
Baca 310 131 4.0%
Bent 58 63 1.1%
Boulder 140 0 1.3%
Chaffee 65 0 0.6%
Cheyenne 143 35 1.6%
Clear Creek 27 0 0.2%
Conejos 38 0 0.3%
Crowley 0 70 0.6%
Delta 69 0 0.6%
Denver 45 51 0.8%
Dolores 42 44 0.8%
Douglas 115 37 1.4%
Eagle 126 0 1.1%
El Paso 120 138 2.3%
Elbert 102 127 2.1%
Fremont 32 0 0.3%
Garfield 449 51 4.6%
Gilpin 2 0 0.0%
Grand 96 0 0.8%
Gunnison 53 0 0.4%
Huerfano 14 120 1.2%
Jackson 8 0 0.0%
Jefferson 88 0 0.8%
Kiowa 89 0 0.8%
Kit Carson 86 131 2.0%
La Plata 157 113 2.5%
Lake 31 0 0.2%
Larimer 97 54 1.4%
Las Animas 357 189 5.0%
Lincoln 106 108 1.9%
Logan 283 47 3.0%
Mesa 298 26 3.0%
Mineral 8 0 0.0%
Moffat 286 87 3.4%
Montezuma 67 176 2.2%
Montrose 148 0 1.3%
Morgan 245 32 2.5%
Otero 59 88 1.3%
Ouray 26 0 0.2%
Phillips 51 0 0.4%
Pitkin 30 0 0.2%
Prowers 98 0 0.9%
Pueblo 116 19 1.2%
Rio Blanco 660 146 7.4%
Rio Grande 75 0 0.6%
Routt 86 0 0.8%
Saguache 78 0 0.7%
San Miguel 117 5 1.1%
Sedgwick 68 0 0.6%
Summit 68 0 0.6%
Teller 13 0 0.1%
Washington 165 11 1.6%
Weld 1,100 291 12.8%
Yuma 273 0 2.5%
Totals 8,101 2,697 100%

Notes

  1. Significant Incidents are those incidents reported by pipeline operators with any of the following conditions are met: 1) fatality or injury requiring in-patient hospitalization. 2) $50,000 or more in total costs, measured in 1984 dollars. 3) highly volatile liquid releases of 5 barrels or more or other liquid releases of 50 barrels or more. 4) liquid releases resulting in an unintentional fire or explosion. Note: Significant Incidents include all Serious Incidents. Unless otherwise noted, any counts of Significant Incidents also include Serious Incidents.
  2. Gas Distribution incidents where fire/explosion was the primary cause of failure, such as a house fire that subsequently resulted in - but was not caused by - a distribution line failure are excluded from 2004 onward. This exclusion has not been applied in years prior to 2004 due to difficulty in identifying these types of events with the older report formats.
  3. Gas distribution service lines (the connection between the distribution line and the end user) are not included in the Gas distribution mileage. The total number of such services is provided.
  4. The costs for incidents prior to 2008 are presented in 2008 dollars. Cost of Gas lost is indexed via the Energy Information Administration, Natural Gas City Gate Prices. All other costs are adjusted via the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Government Printing Office inflation values.
  5. For years 2002 and later, property damage is estimated as the sum of all public and private costs reported in the 30-day incident report. For years prior to 2002, accident report forms did not include a breakdown of public and private costs so property damage for these years is the reported total property damage field in the report. All costs prior to 2008 are expressed in 2008 dollars.
  6. Net Barrels Lost applies only to Liquid incidents and is the difference between Gross Barrels Spilled and Barrels Recovered.

Sources

  1. PHMSA Hazardous Liquid Flagged Incidents File - October 14, 2009
  2. PHMSA Gas Transmission Flagged Incidents File - October 14, 2009
  3. PHMSA Gas Distribution Flagged Incidents File - October 14, 2009
  4. Pipeline transmission mileage derived from the National Pipeline Mapping System - Feb 27, 2009
  5. Calendar year 2008 Gas Transmission Annual Report from pipeline operators. - October 19, 2008
  6. Calendar year 2008 Gas Distribution Annual Report from pipeline operators. - October 19, 2008

See Pipeline Incidents and Mileage Reports for more pipeline safety reports.

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