Sun Pipe Line's history of leaks, spills

February 13, 2000

http://www.leader.net/news/13sun.htm

Sun Pipe Line Co., responsible for the leak last month in Jackson Township and the rupture of an underground pipeline at the John Heinz National Wildlife Refuge earlier this month, reported the following incidents to the U.S. Department of Transportation in the past 10 years:

The information includes the incident's date, town, property damage, barrels spilled, and a brief description. Fire and/or injuries were not reported in any of the incidents.

 June 1990, Tamaqua, $118,425, one barrel, spillage from leaking plug, product saturated ground and leached into Little Schuylkill River, cleanup extended over several months.

 July 1990, Hamtramck, Mich., $14,304, five barrels, residents complain of odors, excavation of pipe revealed an area of localized corrosion.

 Dec. 1990, Upper Uwchlan, Pa., $10,000, five barrels, fine mist coming from pipe and product formed on lake surface.

 Feb. 1991, Berks County, Pa., $100,000, 25 barrels, Department of Environmental Protection contacted the company, which later found a pinhole leak in pipe, contaminated creek in the area.

 April 1991, Salem Township, Luzerne County, $30,000, 11 barrels, resident noticed gasoline odor, leak later found in pipe due to corrosion pit.

 April 1991, Berks County, Pa., $25,000, 178 barrels, leak identified inside casing.

 Sept. 1991, Lancaster, $200,000, 670 barrels, a resident contacted Sun and told officials that gasoline was entering an unnamed creek on his property, source determined to be a corrosion pit.

 March 1992, Edgmont, Pa., $1.2 million, 933 barrels, resident said that oil was spraying over road, a 9-inch split was found on pipe.

 March 1992, Lancaster, $708,000, 400 barrels, pool of product formed from a terminal.

 May 1993, Creek Township, Okla., $10,000, 700 barrels, broken rod allowed crude oil to escape from pump into a small creek.

 Sept. 1993, Adams, Berwick Township, Pa., $1 million, 625 barrels, third party operating ditching equipment hit pipe line.

 May 1994, Indiana County, Pa., $650,000, 537 barrels, supplemental report of cause not available.

 Nov. 1994, Garfield, Okla., $13,000, 200 barrels, leak occurred in pipeline at bottom of a creek.

 June 1996, Faulkner, Ariz., $300, 50 barrels, sump system overloaded due to heavy rainfall.

 July 1996, Shickshinny, $65,000, 49 barrels, pinhole leak occurred due to corrosion at creek crossing. Company reported no significant environmental damage.

 July 1996, Middletown, Pa., $175,000, 15 barrels, began with complaint of odors and is believed that the pipe and insulation were damaged when a sewer lateral was installed.

 Sept. 1996, St. Clair, Mich., $50,000, 2 barrels, resident saw a white liquid bubbling out of ground over pipeline, inspection revealed a flaw in weld metal.

 Dec. 1996, Vestal, N.Y., $1.4 million, 986 barrels, weld split at line pipe bend caused a release of petroleum products to sewers, a creek, Susquehanna River, local evacuations.

 March 1997, Noble, Okla., $7,500, 60 barrels, weld failed at 90-degree bend in pipeline.

 Nov. 1999, Linden, N.J., $50,000, 4 barrels, a resident reported gasoline odors, pipe leaking due to corrosion.

 April 1999, Berwick, $70,000, 8 barrels, no account given.

All content ) 2000 The Times Leader

-- Dee (T1Colt556@aol.com), February 18, 2000

Answers

Thanks for the post, Dee! It is interesting to note that the Kentuck spill was as much as 20,000 barrels or nearly 20 times the largest previous spill. Is it just a coincidence, or are they running blind?

-- Carl Jenkins (Somewherepress@aol.com), February 18, 2000.