PHILLIPS PIPE LINE COMPANY, NATURAL GAS LIQUIDS FIRE, AUSTIN, TEXAS, FEBRUARY 22, 1973

The report describes and analyzes a fire involving natural gas liquids which leaked from a ruptured ten inch pipeline at a pump station in Austin, Texas, flowed into ditches alongside a road adjacent to the station, and vaporized. The National Transportation Safety Board determines that the probable cause of the accident was the failure of the pipe in an area of stress concentration, which was due to improper pipeline repair welding procedures. The report contains recommendations to the Office of Pipeline Safety concerning (1) regulatory control of transportation by pipeline of liquefied petroleum gases, (2) methods of handling, containing, and disposing of LPG involved in pipeline accidents, (3) the need for public recognition and reporting of LPG leaks, and (4) a possible study of the effects of pipe stress concentration due to improper welding procedures.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Transportation Safety Board

  Office of Surface Transportation Safety
  Washington, DC  United States  20594
• Publication Date: 1973-11-7

Media Info

• Pagination: 30 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash investigation; Crashes; Fatalities; Fires; Fracture mechanics; Gas pipelines; Gases; Leakage; Maintenance; Pipeline safety; Pipeline transportation; Stresses; Supply; Welding
• Identifier Terms: U.S. National Transportation Safety Board
• Uncontrolled Terms: Stress concentration
• Old TRIS Terms: Gas supply; Ntsb
• Subject Areas: Maintenance and Preservation; Pipelines; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00051676
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: NTSB-PAR-73-4 Acc Rpt
• Files: NTIS
• Created Date: Apr 5 1974 12:00AM