European pipeline spills down in 1995

May 19, 1997
Table 1 [102,949 bytes] Table 2 [66,544 bytes] In 10 incidents reported for 1995, European oil pipelines spilled 1,829 cu m, of which 1,175 cu m (64%) were recovered. Unrecoverable were 654 cu m. For the year, the companies moved 634 million cu m of crude oil and refined products through 30,600 km of pipeline. These movements were on pipelines operated by 69 companies. Costs of spill cleanup amounted to about $11.3 million, or about $1.6 million more than the last estimate of $9.7 million for
In 10 incidents reported for 1995, European oil pipelines spilled 1,829 cu m, of which 1,175 cu m (64%) were recovered. Unrecoverable were 654 cu m.

For the year, the companies moved 634 million cu m of crude oil and refined products through 30,600 km of pipeline. These movements were on pipelines operated by 69 companies.

Costs of spill cleanup amounted to about $11.3 million, or about $1.6 million more than the last estimate of $9.7 million for 1994 (OGJ, Mar.4, 1996, p.69).

In the largest 1995 spill, 1,000 cu m were spilled with 730 cu m recovered.

These figures are part of an annual report from Concawe, Brussels (Conservation of Clean Air& Water, Europe), the oil companies' European organization for environmental and health protection. Figures for 1995 are the most recent compiled.

Categories

The 69 companies surveyed by Concawe operated some 250 different service pipelines in Western Europe in 1995. Total length was 30,600 km, some 200 km less than reported for 1994. This difference resulted from the closure of 11 pipeline sections (500 km) and start-up of 2 new ones (300 km).

Costs reported are made up os direct costs for pipeline repair and excluded consequential costs such as loss of income or legal costs, says Concawe.

Losses represent 0.0001% of the total volume transported during the year, an improvement in performance as compared to 1994's 0.0003%.

Concawe further says that in 1995, mechanical failure and third-party activity accounted for four incidents each, while the operational and corrosion categories accounted for one incident each.

Over the last 25 years, third-party activity has been the most frequent cause of spills (an average of 4.5/year) and is easily the largest cause of oil loss into the environment (49%) from Eupopean oil pipelines.

In 1995, however, third-party damage was tied for first by mechanical failure: four spolls resulted from mechanical failure and foru from third-party activity. One incident fir in the operational category and one the corrosion category, with no spills in the natural hazard category.

Mechanical failure accounted for 478 cu m (about 26%) of spilled volumes. Third-party damage accounted for 219 cu m (about 12%)

Cases

The cause of the largest spill in 1995 (gross 1,000 cu m of gas oil) was the external corrosion of a pipeline at a cement anchorage block between two isolation joints. About 73% of the spillage was recovered.

Full cleanup was still in progress more than a year after the occurrence. Cleanup at Concawe's compilation date was estimated at $7.8 million.

Approximately 730 cu m of oil have been recovered.

The nest largest spill (gross 280 cu m of naphtha) was caused by mechanical failure in the form of an incorrectly manufactured modification to a pig trap. About 71% of the spillage was recovered.

Cleanup took 15 days and was estimated at $1.5 million.

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