Stakeholder Communications

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.

• All Pipeline Systems
• Hazardous Liquid
• Gas Transmission
• Gas Gathering
• Gas Distribution

National All Pipeline Systems: Significant Incident Details: 2005

Reported Cause of Incident (C)	Number (B)	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (D) (E)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	26	7.6%	0	1	$107,824,710	7.8%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	27	7.9%	0	1	$10,882,996	0.7%
Sub Total	53	15.6%	0	2	$118,707,707	8.6%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
OPERATOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE	7	2.0%	0	1	$1,785,694	0.1%
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	39	11.5%	2	9	$15,429,853	1.1%
Sub Total	46	13.6%	2	10	$17,215,548	1.2%
INCORRECT OPERATION
INCORRECT OPERATION	19	5.6%	2	7	$9,368,431	0.6%
Sub Total	19	5.6%	2	7	$9,368,431	0.6%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	15	4.4%	0	1	$8,064,799	0.5%
BUTT WELD	4	1.1%	0	0	$1,957,332	0.1%
COMPONENT	16	4.7%	0	0	$4,571,760	0.3%
FILLET WELD	1	0.3%	0	0	$17,538,392	1.2%
JOINT	3	0.8%	0	0	$494,628	0.0%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	12	3.5%	0	0	$2,965,894	0.2%
PIPE SEAM WELD	9	2.6%	0	0	$9,293,545	0.6%
RUPTURED OR LEAKING SEAL/PUMP PACKING	8	2.3%	0	1	$941,896	0.0%
THREADS STRIPPED, BROKEN PIPE COUPLING	7	2.0%	0	0	$444,007	0.0%
Sub Total	75	22.1%	0	2	$46,272,257	3.3%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	12	3.5%	0	2	$173,099,949	12.6%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	44	13.0%	0	0	$703,648,274	51.3%
HIGH WINDS	14	4.1%	1	0	$238,109,981	17.3%
LIGHTNING	4	1.1%	0	0	$2,031,906	0.1%
TEMPERATURE	4	1.1%	0	0	$6,056,076	0.4%
Sub Total	78	23.0%	1	2	$1,122,946,189	81.8%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	26	7.6%	1	9	$19,864,186	1.4%
FIRE/EXPLOSION AS PRIMARY CAUSE	1	0.3%	0	0	$165,116	0.0%
RUPTURE OF PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED PIPE	4	1.1%	0	0	$9,554,791	0.7%
VANDALISM	2	0.5%	3	3	$118,513	0.0%
Sub Total	33	9.7%	4	12	$29,702,607	2.1%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	22	6.5%	0	3	$7,090,243	0.5%
UNKNOWN	11	3.2%	4	9	$19,998,036	1.4%
VARIOUS	1	0.3%	0	0	$167	0.0%
Sub Total	34	10.0%	4	12	$27,088,447	1.9%
Totals	338	100.0%	13	47	$1,371,301,187	100.0%

Export Table

• All Hazardous Liquid Systems
• Onshore Only
• Offshore Only

National Hazardous Liquid: Significant Incident Details: 2005

Reported Cause of Incident (C)	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (D) (E)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	14	10.8%	0	1	$7,126,191	2.1%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	14	10.8%	0	0	$1,110,702	0.3%
Sub Total	28	21.7%	0	1	$8,236,893	2.4%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
OPERATOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE	3	2.3%	0	0	$1,231,627	0.3%
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	9	6.9%	0	1	$3,649,473	1.0%
Sub Total	12	9.3%	0	1	$4,881,100	1.4%
INCORRECT OPERATION
INCORRECT OPERATION	9	6.9%	2	0	$7,477,821	2.2%
Sub Total	9	6.9%	2	0	$7,477,821	2.2%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	8	6.2%	0	0	$4,810,820	1.4%
BUTT WELD	2	1.5%	0	0	$91,246	0.0%
COMPONENT	10	7.7%	0	0	$1,696,518	0.5%
FILLET WELD	1	0.7%	0	0	$17,538,392	5.1%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	2	1.5%	0	0	$14,959	0.0%
PIPE SEAM WELD	9	6.9%	0	0	$9,293,545	2.7%
RUPTURED OR LEAKING SEAL/PUMP PACKING	7	5.4%	0	0	$604,968	0.1%
THREADS STRIPPED, BROKEN PIPE COUPLING	5	3.8%	0	0	$215,311	0.0%
Sub Total	44	34.1%	0	0	$34,265,763	10.0%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	2	1.5%	0	0	$24,679,194	7.2%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	4	3.1%	0	0	$42,812,345	12.5%
HIGH WINDS	6	4.6%	0	0	$198,244,372	58.2%
LIGHTNING	3	2.3%	0	0	$1,582,009	0.4%
TEMPERATURE	2	1.5%	0	0	$5,719,613	1.6%
Sub Total	17	13.1%	0	0	$273,037,535	80.2%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	3	2.3%	0	0	$2,558,447	0.7%
RUPTURE OF PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED PIPE	3	2.3%	0	0	$7,766,278	2.2%
Sub Total	6	4.6%	0	0	$10,324,726	3.0%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	11	8.5%	0	0	$915,419	0.2%
UNKNOWN	1	0.7%	0	0	$943,450	0.2%
VARIOUS	1	0.7%	0	0	$167	0.0%
Sub Total	13	10.0%	0	0	$1,859,037	0.5%
Totals	129	100.0%	2	2	$340,082,878	100.0%

Export Table

National Hazardous Liquid Onshore: Significant Incident Details: 2005

Reported Cause of Incident (C)	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (D) (E)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	14	10.8%	0	1	$7,126,191	2.1%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	14	10.8%	0	0	$1,110,702	0.3%
Sub Total	28	21.7%	0	1	$8,236,893	2.4%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
OPERATOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE	3	2.3%	0	0	$1,231,627	0.3%
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	9	6.9%	0	1	$3,649,473	1.0%
Sub Total	12	9.3%	0	1	$4,881,100	1.4%
INCORRECT OPERATION
INCORRECT OPERATION	9	6.9%	2	0	$7,477,821	2.2%
Sub Total	9	6.9%	2	0	$7,477,821	2.2%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	8	6.2%	0	0	$4,810,820	1.4%
BUTT WELD	2	1.5%	0	0	$91,246	0.0%
COMPONENT	9	6.9%	0	0	$1,679,692	0.4%
FILLET WELD	1	0.7%	0	0	$17,538,392	5.1%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	2	1.5%	0	0	$14,959	0.0%
PIPE SEAM WELD	9	6.9%	0	0	$9,293,545	2.7%
RUPTURED OR LEAKING SEAL/PUMP PACKING	7	5.4%	0	0	$604,968	0.1%
THREADS STRIPPED, BROKEN PIPE COUPLING	5	3.8%	0	0	$215,311	0.0%
Sub Total	43	33.3%	0	0	$34,248,937	10.0%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	2	1.5%	0	0	$24,679,194	7.2%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	3	2.3%	0	0	$42,022,631	12.3%
HIGH WINDS	1	0.7%	0	0	$168,263,031	49.4%
LIGHTNING	3	2.3%	0	0	$1,582,009	0.4%
TEMPERATURE	2	1.5%	0	0	$5,719,613	1.6%
Sub Total	11	8.5%	0	0	$242,266,480	71.2%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	2	1.5%	0	0	$314,940	0.0%
RUPTURE OF PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED PIPE	3	2.3%	0	0	$7,766,278	2.2%
Sub Total	5	3.8%	0	0	$8,081,219	2.3%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	10	7.7%	0	0	$724,721	0.2%
UNKNOWN	1	0.7%	0	0	$943,450	0.2%
VARIOUS	1	0.7%	0	0	$167	0.0%
Sub Total	12	9.3%	0	0	$1,668,339	0.4%
Totals	120	93.0%	2	2	$306,860,792	90.2%

Export Table

National Hazardous Liquid Offshore: Significant Incident Details: 2005

Reported Cause of Incident (C)	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (D) (E)	% of Property Damage
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
COMPONENT	1	0.7%	0	0	$16,826	0.0%
Sub Total	1	0.7%	0	0	$16,826	0.0%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	1	0.7%	0	0	$789,714	0.2%
HIGH WINDS	5	3.8%	0	0	$29,981,340	8.8%
Sub Total	6	4.6%	0	0	$30,771,054	9.0%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	1	0.7%	0	0	$2,243,507	0.6%
Sub Total	1	0.7%	0	0	$2,243,507	0.6%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	1	0.7%	0	0	$190,698	0.0%
Sub Total	1	0.7%	0	0	$190,698	0.0%
Totals	9	6.9%	0	0	$33,222,086	9.7%

Export Table

• All Gas Transmission Systems
• Onshore Only
• Offshore Only

National Gas Transmission: Significant Incident Details: 2005

Reported Cause of Incident (C)	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (D) (E)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	9	8.1%	0	0	$100,263,362	31.3%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	6	5.4%	0	0	$5,355,080	1.6%
Sub Total	15	13.5%	0	0	$105,618,443	32.9%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
OPERATOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE	2	1.8%	0	0	$320,416	0.1%
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	8	7.2%	0	1	$1,764,517	0.5%
Sub Total	10	9.0%	0	1	$2,084,934	0.6%
INCORRECT OPERATION
INCORRECT OPERATION	3	2.7%	0	1	$851,261	0.2%
Sub Total	3	2.7%	0	1	$851,261	0.2%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	5	4.5%	0	0	$2,777,548	0.8%
BUTT WELD	2	1.8%	0	0	$1,866,085	0.5%
COMPONENT	3	2.7%	0	0	$1,888,102	0.5%
JOINT	2	1.8%	0	0	$380,209	0.1%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	7	6.3%	0	0	$2,302,271	0.7%
RUPTURED OR LEAKING SEAL/PUMP PACKING	1	0.9%	0	1	$336,928	0.1%
THREADS STRIPPED, BROKEN PIPE COUPLING	2	1.8%	0	0	$228,696	0.0%
Sub Total	22	19.8%	0	1	$9,779,841	3.0%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	4	3.6%	0	0	$3,487,074	1.0%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	34	30.6%	0	0	$133,659,037	41.7%
HIGH WINDS	5	4.5%	0	0	$31,261,869	9.7%
Sub Total	43	38.7%	0	0	$168,407,981	52.5%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	7	6.3%	0	1	$10,122,993	3.1%
FIRE/EXPLOSION AS PRIMARY CAUSE	1	0.9%	0	0	$165,116	0.0%
RUPTURE OF PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED PIPE	1	0.9%	0	0	$1,788,512	0.5%
Sub Total	9	8.1%	0	1	$12,076,622	3.7%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	7	6.3%	0	1	$4,491,739	1.4%
UNKNOWN	2	1.8%	0	0	$16,997,372	5.3%
Sub Total	9	8.1%	0	1	$21,489,111	6.7%
Totals	111	100.0%	0	5	$320,308,196	100.0%

Export Table

National Gas Transmission Onshore: Significant Incident Details: 2005

Reported Cause of Incident (C)	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (D) (E)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	9	8.1%	0	0	$100,263,362	31.3%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	2	1.8%	0	0	$212,969	0.0%
Sub Total	11	9.9%	0	0	$100,476,332	31.3%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
OPERATOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE	2	1.8%	0	0	$320,416	0.1%
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	8	7.2%	0	1	$1,764,517	0.5%
Sub Total	10	9.0%	0	1	$2,084,934	0.6%
INCORRECT OPERATION
INCORRECT OPERATION	2	1.8%	0	1	$115,862	0.0%
Sub Total	2	1.8%	0	1	$115,862	0.0%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	4	3.6%	0	0	$2,665,373	0.8%
BUTT WELD	2	1.8%	0	0	$1,866,085	0.5%
JOINT	2	1.8%	0	0	$380,209	0.1%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	7	6.3%	0	0	$2,302,271	0.7%
RUPTURED OR LEAKING SEAL/PUMP PACKING	1	0.9%	0	1	$336,928	0.1%
THREADS STRIPPED, BROKEN PIPE COUPLING	2	1.8%	0	0	$228,696	0.0%
Sub Total	18	16.2%	0	1	$7,779,564	2.4%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	2	1.8%	0	0	$684,558	0.2%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	7	6.3%	0	0	$76,490,307	23.8%
HIGH WINDS	2	1.8%	0	0	$317,415	0.1%
Sub Total	11	9.9%	0	0	$77,492,281	24.1%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	3	2.7%	0	1	$947,509	0.3%
FIRE/EXPLOSION AS PRIMARY CAUSE	1	0.9%	0	0	$165,116	0.0%
Sub Total	4	3.6%	0	1	$1,112,626	0.3%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	7	6.3%	0	1	$4,491,739	1.4%
UNKNOWN	1	0.9%	0	0	$16,829,109	5.2%
Sub Total	8	7.2%	0	1	$21,320,848	6.6%
Totals	64	57.6%	0	5	$210,382,450	65.6%

Export Table

National Gas Transmission Offshore: Significant Incident Details: 2005

Reported Cause of Incident (C)	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (D) (E)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, INTERNAL	4	3.6%	0	0	$5,142,110	1.6%
Sub Total	4	3.6%	0	0	$5,142,110	1.6%
INCORRECT OPERATION
INCORRECT OPERATION	1	0.9%	0	0	$735,398	0.2%
Sub Total	1	0.9%	0	0	$735,398	0.2%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	1	0.9%	0	0	$112,175	0.0%
COMPONENT	3	2.7%	0	0	$1,888,102	0.5%
Sub Total	4	3.6%	0	0	$2,000,277	0.6%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	2	1.8%	0	0	$2,802,516	0.8%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	27	24.3%	0	0	$57,168,730	17.8%
HIGH WINDS	3	2.7%	0	0	$30,944,453	9.6%
Sub Total	32	28.8%	0	0	$90,915,700	28.3%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	4	3.6%	0	0	$9,175,483	2.8%
RUPTURE OF PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED PIPE	1	0.9%	0	0	$1,788,512	0.5%
Sub Total	5	4.5%	0	0	$10,963,996	3.4%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
UNKNOWN	1	0.9%	0	0	$168,263	0.0%
Sub Total	1	0.9%	0	0	$168,263	0.0%
Totals	47	42.3%	0	0	$109,925,746	34.3%

Export Table

National Gas Gathering: Significant Incident Details: 2005

Reported Cause of Incident (C)	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (D) (E)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	2	11.1%	0	0	$309,201	0.1%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	6	33.3%	0	0	$3,962,797	2.4%
Sub Total	8	44.4%	0	0	$4,271,998	2.6%
INCORRECT OPERATION
INCORRECT OPERATION	1	5.5%	0	2	$0	0.0%
Sub Total	1	5.5%	0	2	$0	0.0%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
COMPONENT	1	5.5%	0	0	$201,852	0.1%
Sub Total	1	5.5%	0	0	$201,852	0.1%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	3	16.6%	0	0	$144,249,915	90.0%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	2	11.1%	0	0	$532,498	0.3%
HIGH WINDS	2	11.1%	0	0	$8,603,739	5.3%
Sub Total	7	38.8%	0	0	$153,386,153	95.7%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	1	5.5%	0	0	$2,363,154	1.4%
Sub Total	1	5.5%	0	0	$2,363,154	1.4%
Totals	18	100.0%	0	2	$160,223,159	100.0%

Export Table

National Gas Distribution: Significant Incident Details: 2005

Reported Cause of Incident (C)	Number (B)	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (D) (E)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	1	1.2%	0	0	$125,955	0.0%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	1	1.2%	0	1	$454,416	0.0%
Sub Total	2	2.5%	0	1	$580,371	0.1%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
OPERATOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE	2	2.5%	0	1	$233,650	0.0%
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	22	27.5%	2	7	$10,015,862	1.8%
Sub Total	24	30.0%	2	8	$10,249,513	1.8%
INCORRECT OPERATION
INCORRECT OPERATION	6	7.5%	0	4	$1,039,348	0.1%
Sub Total	6	7.5%	0	4	$1,039,348	0.1%
MAT'L/WELD/EQUIP FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	2	2.5%	0	1	$476,430	0.0%
COMPONENT	2	2.5%	0	0	$785,286	0.1%
JOINT	1	1.2%	0	0	$114,418	0.0%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	3	3.7%	0	0	$648,662	0.1%
Sub Total	8	10.0%	0	1	$2,024,798	0.3%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	3	3.7%	0	2	$683,763	0.1%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	4	5.0%	0	0	$526,644,393	95.6%
HIGH WINDS	1	1.2%	1	0	$0	0.0%
LIGHTNING	1	1.2%	0	0	$449,897	0.0%
TEMPERATURE	2	2.5%	0	0	$336,463	0.0%
Sub Total	11	13.7%	1	2	$528,114,517	95.9%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	15	18.7%	1	8	$4,819,591	0.8%
VANDALISM	2	2.5%	3	3	$118,513	0.0%
Sub Total	17	21.2%	4	11	$4,938,105	0.9%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	4	5.0%	0	2	$1,683,085	0.3%
UNKNOWN	8	10.0%	4	9	$2,057,213	0.3%
Sub Total	12	15.0%	4	11	$3,740,298	0.6%
Totals	80	100.0%	11	38	$550,686,953	100.0%

Export Table

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.