TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Report Looks At Pipeline Security

ADVERTISEMENT

By MIKE WELLS, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 18, 2008

Updated: 01/18/2008 12:55 am

Two months after a toxic cloud chased people from 300 Riverview homes, a Hillsborough County report provides suggestions for how a similar disaster could be averted or addressed.

The Hillsborough County Emergency Operations Center has prepared a summary report after a handful of meetings with dozens of agencies and the pipeline owner, Tampa Pipeline Corp., spokeswoman Holly Wade said.

It offers several ideas to increase pipeline security and help agencies deal with future leaks.

The county's seven-page summary offered a pat on the back to emergency agencies for a fast response to the Nov. 12 leak and for the quick establishment of a unified command center.

However, it offered the following suggestions to the pipeline's owner:

•Harden any exposed points in the line to prevent vandalism or other intentional acts.

•Provide Hillsborough County Fire Rescue with updated maps and diagrams that identify all flanges and valves on the pipeline.

•Install additional valves on each side of any section of pipe that is exposed to allow easier isolation of that portion of line.

•Provide at no cost specialized responder training and equipment designed to secure an ammonia leak.

•Work with an engineering group to develop computer models that will give more accurate estimates of release amounts and durations.

Company Says Fixes Are Being Made

The company's general manager, Glenn Howell, said most of the suggestions have been completed.

Two small portions of Tampa Pipeline's 80 miles of pipe are exposed above ground - one being the section under a U.S. 301 bridge over the Alafia River that was punctured. After the leak, that 6-inch pipe was encased by a 10-inch pipe as an outer shell of protection, Howell said.

The other exposed portion will be encased next week, he said. The company is still reviewing where it could add valves.

The company also is working to provide more detailed maps to fire rescue and is in talks with that agency and the sheriff's office to set up safety training, Howell said.

He estimated the costs of making the changes and providing training to be "well into six figures."

No deadlines have been established for implementing all the improvements, Wade said.

"It depends on who it's being asked of," she said. "Each agency has to determine what they can do and what they can't do."

One injury resulted from the leak. The 16-year-old boy authorities say was drilling into the pipeline was burned by the chemical.

Authorities say he told them he was looking for a stash of loot. He had second-degree burns from his neck to his groin.

The cloud prompted a half-mile evacuation of residents that lasted about two days. Businesses and schools in the area also were closed. After initial efforts to stop the leak failed, Tampa Pipeline flew in a specialist from Houston to help plug the leak.

Damage To River Less Than Feared

The criminal investigation is still active and no charges have been filed, Assistant State Attorney Pam Bondi said.

The ammonia that fell into the Alafia resulted in a nitrogen accumulation above normal levels for a few days, but the river did not see an aggressive algae bloom as had been feared. Such a bloom could have depleted oxygen and killed fish.

Of the major agencies involved, none has submitted a bill to Tampa Pipeline for services, and only the sheriff's office has released personnel costs associated with the incident. Sixty-one deputies worked a total of 692.1 hours at a cost of about $19,917, spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.

Reporter Tom Brennan contributed to this report. Reporter Mike Wells can be reached at (813) 259-7839 or mwells@tampatrib.com.

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT