UPDATES

PA. RELEASES WILLIAMS'
COMPRESSOR EXPLOSION REPORT

April 15, 2012 – A worker who heard gas flowing from an open valve on a Susquehanna County compressor engine pulled an emergency shutdown switch as he evacuated the station, stopping the flow of gas to the building just before it exploded, according to a report by Williams Partners released Friday by state regulators.

The report detailing events before and after the blast and fire at the Lathrop compressor station in Springville Twp. on March 29 was submitted to the Department of Environmental Protection on April 7. The incident also raised concerns about the safety and oversight of the natural gas infrastructure which, because it is in a rural area, is not regulated like pipelines and compressors in more populated places.

Story     Report

If you and your children live near Marcellus activities and are exhibiting any of the symptoms indicated below, you should have the tests performed that are listed below. (Note: This lab information is specific to the Washington, Pa area)

January 7, 2012 - Pennsylvania Bulletin

63-00955A: National Fuel Gas Supply Corp. (1100 State Street, Erie, PA 16512) on December 22, 2011, as a result of equipment startup, to establish the 180-day period of temporary operation of two new lean burn natural gas-fired compressor engines rated at 2,370 bhp each and controlled by oxidation catalysts authorized under plan approval PA-63-00955A, until April 26, 2012, at Buffalo Compressor Station in Buffalo Township, Washington County.

Southwest Region: Air Quality Program, 400 Waterfront Drive, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4745 Contact: M. Gorog & B. Hatch, Environmental Engineer Managers—Telephone: 412-442-4163/5226

Violation Details for Inspection ID: 1818972
Source: Pennsylvania DEP

Violation Details for Inspection ID: 1818881

Violation Details for Inspection ID: 1819125
Source: Pennsylvania DEP

Violation Details for Inspection ID: 1818775
Source: Pennsylvania DEP

Violation Details for Inspection ID: 1818849
Source: Pennsylvania DEP

Violation Details for Inspection ID: 1785043
Source: Pennsylvania DEP

Violation Details for Inspection ID: 1972476
Source: Pennsylvania DEP

4/29/2011 - Stream discharge of IW, includes drill cuttings, oil, brine and/or silt.

Resolution: Corrected/Abated PA Code Legal Citation: 35 P.S. 301, 307, 402, 25 Pa. Code 78.57(a); 78.54; 78.60(a) : PA Code Website

Violation Type: Environmental Health & Safety Related Enforcements

Pennsylvania Bulletin January 7, 2012

CHAPTER 59. GAS SERVICE
SERVICE AND FACILITIES

§ 59.11. Accidents.

(a) General. Each public utility shall submit a report of each reportable accident involving the facilities or operations of the public utility in this Commonwealth as provided in this section. The reports shall be addressed to the Secretary of the Commission.

(b) Reportable accidents. Reportable accidents are those involving utility facilities or operations which result in one or more of the following circumstances:

(1) The death of a person.

(2) Injury to a person sufficient that the injured person requires immediate treatment at a hospital emergency room or in-patient admittance to a hospital, or both.

(3) An event that involves a release of gas from a pipeline or of LNG or gas from an LNG facility, which results in estimated property damage, including the cost of gas lost of the operator or others, of at least $50,000 in market value.

(4) An event that results in an emergency shutdown of an LNG facility.

(5) An occurrence of an unusual nature that is a physical or cyber attack, including attempts against cyber security measures as defined in Chapter 101 (relating to public utility preparedness through self certification) which causes an interruption of service or over $50,000 in damages, or both.

(c) Exceptions. Injuries, as defined in subsection (b)(1) and (2), may not include those suffered as a result of a motor vehicle accident with utility facilities unless one or both of the following circumstances apply:

(1) A vehicle involved in the accident is owned by the utility or driven by a utility employee while on duty.

(2) Some or all of the injuries were as a result of contact with natural gas facilities transporting or storing natural gas or due to gas escaping from natural gas facilities.

(d) Telephone reports. A report by telephone shall be made immediately after the utility becomes aware of the occurrence of a reportable accident under subsection (b)(1), (3), (4) and (5). A report by telephone shall be made within 24 hours after the utility becomes aware of a reportable accident under subsection (b)(2).

(e) Written reports. A written report shall be made on Form UCTA-8 within 30 days of the occurrence of a reportable accident. For reportable accidents under subsection (b)(5), a utility may remove from Form UCTA-8 information that would compromise the security of the utility or hinder an active criminal investigation. Accidents reportable on forms required by the Bureau of Workers’ Compensation, Department of Labor and Industry, or the United States Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration,

may be reported to the Commission by filing a copy of the forms in lieu of a report on Form UCTA-8, as long as the alternative forms, at a minimum, provide the following information:

(1) The utility name.

(2) The date of the reportable accident.

(3) The date of the report.

(4) The location where the reportable accident occurred.

(5) The name, age, residence and occupation of the injured or deceased parties.

(6) The general description of the reportable accident.

(7) The name and telephone number of the reporting officer.

(f) Form availability. Blank UCTA-8 forms are available for download on the Commission’s web site.