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State-specific information:

North Carolina Significant Incidents and Mileage Overview

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

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 North Carolina

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

North Carolina 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 1,123
Gas transmission line mileage 3,858
Gas Gathering line mileage 0
Gas distribution mileage ( 1,325,368 total services (C)) 27,906
Total pipeline mileage 32,886

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

North Carolina All Pipeline Systems: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) Gross Barrels Lost Net Barrels Lost (F)
1999 3 0 1 $217,455 0 0
2000 1 0 0 $60,900 50 33
2001 6 0 2 $4,416,529 400 136
2002 3 0 1 $706,289 40 26
2003 6 0 0 $2,641,655 2,133 0
2004 3 0 0 $1,709,625 182 114
2005 2 0 0 $680,770 0 0
2006 2 0 0 $824,334 285 285
2007 3 0 0 $757,653 21 2
2008 2 1 2 $185,775 0 0
Totals 31 1 6 $12,200,988 3,111 596
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 2 0 1 $589,254 102 96
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 2 0 0 $831,632 98 80
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 3 0 1 $1,220,099 311 60
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 3 0 1 $1,220,099 311 60

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

North Carolina 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 1 0 0 $60,900 50 33
2001 1 0 0 $1,568,704 400 136
2002 1 0 0 $495,772 40 26
2003 1 0 0 $620,219 2,133 0
2004 1 0 0 $212,985 182 114
2005 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2006 1 0 0 $6,368 285 285
2007 1 0 0 $96,008 21 2
2008 0 0 0 $0 0 0
Totals 7 0 0 $3,060,958 3,111 596
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 1 0 0 $34,126 102 96
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 1 0 0 $63,073 98 80
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 1 0 0 $306,096 311 60
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 1 0 0 $306,096 311 60
North Carolina 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 1 0 0 $60,900 50 33
2001 1 0 0 $1,568,704 400 136
2002 1 0 0 $495,772 40 26
2003 1 0 0 $620,219 2,133 0
2004 1 0 0 $212,985 182 114
2005 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2006 1 0 0 $6,368 285 285
2007 1 0 0 $96,008 21 2
2008 0 0 0 $0 0 0
Totals 7 0 0 $3,060,958 3,111 596
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 1 0 0 $34,126 102 96
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 1 0 0 $63,073 98 80
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 1 0 0 $306,096 311 60
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 1 0 0 $306,096 311 60
North Carolina 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.

North Carolina Gas Transmission: 1999-2008
Year Number Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 0 0 0 $0
2000 0 0 0 $0
2001 1 0 0 $2,570,681
2002 1 0 0 $210,517
2003 1 0 0 $432,340
2004 1 0 0 $360,869
2005 0 0 0 $0
2006 0 0 0 $0
2007 0 0 0 $0
2008 0 0 0 $0
Totals 4 0 0 $3,574,408
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $72,174
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $357,441
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $357,441
North Carolina 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 1 0 0 $2,570,681
2002 1 0 0 $210,517
2003 1 0 0 $432,340
2004 1 0 0 $360,869
2005 0 0 0 $0
2006 0 0 0 $0
2007 0 0 0 $0
2008 0 0 0 $0
Totals 4 0 0 $3,574,408
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 0 $0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $72,174
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 0 0 0 $357,441
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 0 0 0 $357,441
North Carolina 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.

North Carolina 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.

North Carolina Gas Distribution: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 3 0 1 $217,455
2000 0 0 0 $0
2001 4 0 2 $277,144
2002 1 0 1 $0
2003 4 0 0 $1,589,095
2004 1 0 0 $1,135,770
2005 2 0 0 $680,770
2006 1 0 0 $817,965
2007 2 0 0 $661,644
2008 2 1 2 $185,775
Totals 20 1 6 $5,565,622
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 2 0 1 $555,129
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 2 0 0 $696,385
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 2 0 1 $556,562
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 2 0 1 $556,562

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

North Carolina All Pipeline Systems: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) Gross Barrels Lost Net Barrels Lost (F)
1999 1 0 1 $0 0 0
2000 0 0 0 $0 0 0
2001 2 0 2 $39,114 0 0
2002 1 0 1 $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 1 1 2 $85,775 0 0
Totals 5 1 6 $124,889 0 0
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 1 $28,592 0 0
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $17,155 0 0
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 1 0 1 $12,489 0 0
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 1 0 1 $12,489 0 0

Note: Significant incidents include all serious incidents.

North Carolina 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
North Carolina 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
North Carolina 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.

North Carolina 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 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
North Carolina 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 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
North Carolina 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.

North Carolina 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.

North Carolina Gas Distribution: 1999-2008
Year Number (B) Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E)
1999 1 0 1 $0
2000 0 0 0 $0
2001 2 0 2 $39,114
2002 1 0 1 $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 1 1 2 $85,775
Totals 5 1 6 $124,889
3 Year Average (2006-2008) 0 0 1 $28,592
5 Year Average (2004-2008) 0 0 0 $17,155
10 Year Average (1999-2008) 1 0 1 $12,489
20 Year Average (1989-2008) 1 0 1 $12,489
Transmission Mileage by Commodity
Commodity Pipeline Miles %
Highly Volatile Liquid 89 1.7%
Natural Gas 3,865 77.4%
Refined Products 1,035 20.7%
Totals 4,988 100%
Transmission Mileage by County
County Gas Miles Liquid Miles %
Alamance 53 41 1.8%
Anson 66 0 1.3%
Ashe 9 0 0.1%
Avery 27 0 0.5%
Beaufort 25 0 0.5%
Bertie 52 0 1.0%
Bladen 57 0 1.1%
Brunswick 53 14 1.3%
Buncombe 46 0 0.9%
Burke 58 0 1.1%
Cabarrus 64 23 1.7%
Camden 6 0 0.1%
Carteret 8 0 0.1%
Caswell 22 28 1.0%
Catawba 66 0 1.3%
Chatham 68 76 2.8%
Chowan 28 0 0.5%
Cleveland 49 9 1.1%
Columbus 44 0 0.8%
Craven 85 0 1.7%
Cumberland 61 9 1.4%
Currituck 48 0 0.9%
Dare 1 0 0.0%
Davidson 102 120 4.4%
Davie 22 0 0.4%
Duplin 64 0 1.3%
Durham 50 0 1.0%
Edgecombe 48 0 0.9%
Forsyth 65 0 1.3%
Gaston 114 78 3.8%
Gates 24 0 0.4%
Granville 45 0 0.9%
Greene 54 0 1.1%
Guilford 125 204 6.5%
Halifax 39 0 0.8%
Harnett 19 25 0.9%
Haywood 6 0 0.1%
Henderson 32 0 0.6%
Hertford 40 0 0.8%
Hoke 42 0 0.8%
Hyde 21 0 0.4%
Iredell 95 0 1.9%
Johnston 76 57 2.6%
Jones 18 0 0.3%
Lee 16 20 0.7%
Lenoir 33 0 0.6%
Lincoln 64 0 1.2%
Macon 12 0 0.2%
Martin 44 0 0.8%
Mecklenburg 182 100 5.6%
Mitchell 19 0 0.4%
Montgomery 5 0 0.1%
Moore 3 27 0.6%
Nash 20 0 0.4%
New Hanover 11 1 0.2%
Northampton 43 0 0.8%
Offshore 2 0 0.0%
Onslow 54 0 1.1%
Orange 43 0 0.8%
Pamlico 10 0 0.2%
Pasquotank 18 0 0.3%
Pender 31 0 0.6%
Perquimans 18 0 0.3%
Person 35 3 0.7%
Pitt 65 0 1.3%
Polk 38 0 0.7%
Randolph 17 0 0.3%
Richmond 35 24 1.1%
Robeson 71 0 1.4%
Rockingham 104 74 3.5%
Rowan 137 86 4.4%
Rutherford 15 0 0.3%
Sampson 72 0 1.4%
Scotland 32 0 0.6%
Stanly 65 0 1.3%
Surry 22 0 0.4%
Tyrrell 7 0 0.1%
Union 60 0 1.2%
Vance 6 0 0.1%
Wake 79 107 3.7%
Warren 0 0 0.0%
Washington 45 0 0.9%
Watauga 13 0 0.2%
Wayne 51 0 1.0%
Wilkes 40 0 0.8%
Wilson 64 0 1.2%
Yadkin 24 0 0.4%
Yancey 8 0 0.1%
Totals 3,866 1,126 100%

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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