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Significant Pipeline Incidents By Cause

This report is a sub-report of the PHMSA Significant Pipeline Incidents report. As such, it represents Significant Incidents (A) only over the time period and pipeline system specified.

The data source for this table is the PHMSA Filtered Incident Files. (1) (2) (3)

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)
National All Pipeline Systems: Significant Incident Details: 1999
Reported Cause of Incident (C) Number (B) % Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) % of Property Damage
CORROSION
VARIOUS 40 14.5% 1 7 $8,905,040 5.6%
Sub Total 40 14.5% 1 7 $8,905,040 5.6%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
VARIOUS 76 27.6% 17 33 $38,181,150 24.0%
Sub Total 76 27.6% 17 33 $38,181,150 24.0%
INCORRECT OPERATION
VARIOUS 19 6.9% 0 12 $4,106,410 2.5%
Sub Total 19 6.9% 0 12 $4,106,410 2.5%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
VARIOUS 36 13.0% 0 7 $19,419,781 12.2%
Sub Total 36 13.0% 0 7 $19,419,781 12.2%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
VARIOUS 14 5.0% 0 10 $7,340,059 4.6%
Sub Total 14 5.0% 0 10 $7,340,059 4.6%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
VARIOUS 90 32.7% 4 39 $80,979,326 50.9%
Sub Total 90 32.7% 4 39 $80,979,326 50.9%
Totals 275 100.0% 22 108 $158,931,767 100.0%
Export Table
National, All Pipeline Systems, 1999
National Hazardous Liquid: Significant Incident Details: 1999
Reported Cause of Incident (C) Number % Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) % of Property Damage
CORROSION
VARIOUS 24 16.3% 0 2 $3,344,389 3.1%
Sub Total 24 16.3% 0 2 $3,344,389 3.1%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
VARIOUS 25 17.0% 1 0 $13,515,301 12.7%
Sub Total 25 17.0% 1 0 $13,515,301 12.7%
INCORRECT OPERATION
VARIOUS 14 9.5% 0 4 $4,009,487 3.7%
Sub Total 14 9.5% 0 4 $4,009,487 3.7%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
VARIOUS 22 14.9% 0 0 $10,218,550 9.6%
Sub Total 22 14.9% 0 0 $10,218,550 9.6%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
VARIOUS 2 1.3% 0 0 $366,568 0.3%
Sub Total 2 1.3% 0 0 $366,568 0.3%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
VARIOUS 60 40.8% 3 14 $74,958,866 70.4%
Sub Total 60 40.8% 3 14 $74,958,866 70.4%
Totals 147 100.0% 4 20 $106,413,163 100.0%
Export Table
National, Hazardous Liquid, 1999
National Hazardous Liquid Onshore: Significant Incident Details: 1999
Reported Cause of Incident (C) Number % Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) % of Property Damage
CORROSION
VARIOUS 24 16.3% 0 2 $3,344,389 3.1%
Sub Total 24 16.3% 0 2 $3,344,389 3.1%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
VARIOUS 24 16.3% 1 0 $12,272,698 11.5%
Sub Total 24 16.3% 1 0 $12,272,698 11.5%
INCORRECT OPERATION
VARIOUS 14 9.5% 0 4 $4,009,487 3.7%
Sub Total 14 9.5% 0 4 $4,009,487 3.7%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
VARIOUS 21 14.2% 0 0 $6,242,218 5.8%
Sub Total 21 14.2% 0 0 $6,242,218 5.8%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
VARIOUS 2 1.3% 0 0 $366,568 0.3%
Sub Total 2 1.3% 0 0 $366,568 0.3%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
VARIOUS 56 38.1% 3 14 $73,867,860 69.4%
Sub Total 56 38.1% 3 14 $73,867,860 69.4%
Totals 141 95.9% 4 20 $100,103,222 94.0%
Export Table
National, Hazardous Liquid Onshore, 1999
National Hazardous Liquid Offshore: Significant Incident Details: 1999
Reported Cause of Incident (C) Number % Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) % of Property Damage
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
VARIOUS 1 0.6% 0 0 $1,242,603 1.1%
Sub Total 1 0.6% 0 0 $1,242,603 1.1%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
VARIOUS 1 0.6% 0 0 $3,976,331 3.7%
Sub Total 1 0.6% 0 0 $3,976,331 3.7%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
VARIOUS 4 2.7% 0 0 $1,091,005 1.0%
Sub Total 4 2.7% 0 0 $1,091,005 1.0%
Totals 6 4.0% 0 0 $6,309,940 5.9%
Export Table
National, Hazardous Liquid Offshore, 1999
National Gas Transmission: Significant Incident Details: 1999
Reported Cause of Incident (C) Number % Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) % of Property Damage
CORROSION
VARIOUS 8 21.0% 0 0 $4,201,242 19.9%
Sub Total 8 21.0% 0 0 $4,201,242 19.9%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
VARIOUS 11 28.9% 1 2 $1,654,258 7.8%
Sub Total 11 28.9% 1 2 $1,654,258 7.8%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
VARIOUS 6 15.7% 0 0 $8,120,165 38.4%
Sub Total 6 15.7% 0 0 $8,120,165 38.4%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
VARIOUS 3 7.8% 0 0 $5,377,988 25.4%
Sub Total 3 7.8% 0 0 $5,377,988 25.4%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
VARIOUS 10 26.3% 1 6 $1,759,215 8.3%
Sub Total 10 26.3% 1 6 $1,759,215 8.3%
Totals 38 100.0% 2 8 $21,112,870 100.0%
Export Table
National, Gas Transmission, 1999
National Gas Transmission Onshore: Significant Incident Details: 1999
Reported Cause of Incident (C) Number % Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) % of Property Damage
CORROSION
VARIOUS 5 13.1% 0 0 $3,393,550 16.0%
Sub Total 5 13.1% 0 0 $3,393,550 16.0%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
VARIOUS 10 26.3% 1 2 $1,467,867 6.9%
Sub Total 10 26.3% 1 2 $1,467,867 6.9%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
VARIOUS 6 15.7% 0 0 $8,120,165 38.4%
Sub Total 6 15.7% 0 0 $8,120,165 38.4%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
VARIOUS 3 7.8% 0 0 $5,377,988 25.4%
Sub Total 3 7.8% 0 0 $5,377,988 25.4%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
VARIOUS 10 26.3% 1 6 $1,759,215 8.3%
Sub Total 10 26.3% 1 6 $1,759,215 8.3%
Totals 34 89.4% 2 8 $20,118,787 95.2%
Export Table
National, Gas Transmission Onshore, 1999
National Gas Transmission Offshore: Significant Incident Details: 1999
Reported Cause of Incident (C) Number % Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) % of Property Damage
CORROSION
VARIOUS 3 7.8% 0 0 $807,692 3.8%
Sub Total 3 7.8% 0 0 $807,692 3.8%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
VARIOUS 1 2.6% 0 0 $186,390 0.8%
Sub Total 1 2.6% 0 0 $186,390 0.8%
Totals 4 10.5% 0 0 $994,082 4.7%
Export Table
National, Gas Transmission Offshore, 1999
National Gas Gathering: Significant Incident Details: 1999
Reported Cause of Incident (C) Number % Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) % of Property Damage
CORROSION
VARIOUS 1 50.0% 0 0 $310,650 77.0%
Sub Total 1 50.0% 0 0 $310,650 77.0%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
VARIOUS 1 50.0% 0 0 $92,309 22.9%
Sub Total 1 50.0% 0 0 $92,309 22.9%
Totals 2 100.0% 0 0 $402,960 100.0%
Export Table
National, Gas Gathering, 1999
National Gas Distribution: Significant Incident Details: 1999
Reported Cause of Incident (C) Number (B) % Fatalities Injuries Property Damage (D) (E) % of Property Damage
CORROSION
VARIOUS 7 7.9% 1 5 $1,048,757 3.3%
Sub Total 7 7.9% 1 5 $1,048,757 3.3%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
VARIOUS 40 45.4% 15 31 $23,011,590 74.2%
Sub Total 40 45.4% 15 31 $23,011,590 74.2%
INCORRECT OPERATION
VARIOUS 5 5.6% 0 8 $96,923 0.3%
Sub Total 5 5.6% 0 8 $96,923 0.3%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
VARIOUS 8 9.0% 0 7 $1,081,065 3.4%
Sub Total 8 9.0% 0 7 $1,081,065 3.4%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
VARIOUS 9 10.2% 0 10 $1,595,502 5.1%
Sub Total 9 10.2% 0 10 $1,595,502 5.1%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
VARIOUS 19 21.5% 0 19 $4,168,934 13.4%
Sub Total 19 21.5% 0 19 $4,168,934 13.4%
Totals 88 100.0% 16 80 $31,002,773 100.0%
Export Table
National, Gas Distribution, 1999

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. PHMSA has gathered increasingly targeted incident cause data over time. As such, the available reportable categories of cause (eg: Internal/External Corrosion vs Corrosion in general) have increased over time. This report spans time periods over which the reportable cause categories have changed. The cause categories in this report should be taken as general and not specific for years prior to 2002 for Liquid and Gas Transmission, and prior to 2004 for Gas Distribution.
  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. Does not include 1,851 injuries that required medical treatment reported for the October, 1994 accidents that were caused by severe flooding near Houston, Texas.

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

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

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