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This report is a sub-report of the PHMSA Significant Pipeline Incidents report. As such, it represents Significant Incidents (A) only over the time period and pipeline system specified.

The data source for this table is the PHMSA Filtered Incident Files. (1) (2) (3)

More Pipeline Incidents and Mileage Reports are available.

• All Pipeline Systems
• Hazardous Liquid
• Gas Transmission
• Gas Gathering
• Gas Distribution

National All Pipeline Systems: Significant Incident Details: 2004

Reported Cause of Incident	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (B) (C)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	37	11.2%	1	14	$32,613,086	11.8%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	28	8.4%	0	0	$8,219,925	2.9%
Sub Total	65	19.7%	1	14	$40,833,012	14.8%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
OPERATOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE	7	2.1%	0	1	$1,470,293	0.5%
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	52	15.7%	5	7	$17,900,658	6.5%
VARIOUS	8	2.4%	1	2	$2,451,690	0.8%
Sub Total	67	20.3%	6	10	$21,822,643	7.9%
HUMAN ERROR
INCORRECT OPERATION	13	3.9%	2	9	$1,332,968	0.4%
Sub Total	13	3.9%	2	9	$1,332,968	0.4%
MATERIAL FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	8	2.4%	0	0	$3,293,863	1.2%
BUTT WELD	2	0.6%	0	0	$159,295	0.0%
COMPONENT	13	3.9%	0	2	$15,414,565	5.6%
FILLET WELD	3	0.9%	0	0	$472,982	0.1%
JOINT	6	1.8%	2	1	$1,899,427	0.6%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	15	4.5%	0	0	$1,599,077	0.5%
PIPE SEAM WELD	2	0.6%	0	0	$300,479	0.1%
RUPTURED OR LEAKING SEAL/PUMP PACKING	8	2.4%	0	0	$1,223,440	0.4%
THREADS STRIPPED, BROKEN PIPE COUPLING	4	1.2%	0	1	$199,515	0.0%
VARIOUS	3	0.9%	0	0	$913,096	0.3%
Sub Total	64	19.3%	2	4	$25,475,745	9.2%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	9	2.7%	0	1	$64,509,553	23.5%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	16	4.8%	0	1	$22,597,376	8.2%
HIGH WINDS	6	1.8%	0	0	$42,608,737	15.5%
LIGHTNING	3	0.9%	0	0	$2,968,765	1.0%
TEMPERATURE	4	1.2%	3	1	$871,739	0.3%
VARIOUS	8	2.4%	0	4	$2,206,740	0.8%
Sub Total	46	13.9%	3	7	$135,762,913	49.4%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	16	4.8%	1	2	$10,687,468	3.8%
FIRE/EXPLOSION AS PRIMARY CAUSE	19	5.7%	0	4	$7,639,889	2.7%
RUPTURE OF PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED PIPE	2	0.6%	0	0	$2,907,859	1.0%
VANDALISM	2	0.6%	0	0	$822,333	0.3%
Sub Total	39	11.8%	1	6	$22,057,550	8.0%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	20	6.0%	2	6	$3,552,407	1.2%
UNKNOWN	6	1.8%	2	2	$19,885,681	7.2%
VARIOUS	10	3.0%	4	2	$3,831,811	1.4%
Sub Total	36	10.9%	8	10	$27,269,899	9.9%
Totals	330	100.0%	23	60	$274,554,732	100.0%

• All Hazardous Liquid Systems
• Onshore Only
• Offshore Only

National Hazardous Liquid: Significant Incident Details: 2004

Reported Cause of Incident	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (B) (C)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	25	18.6%	0	12	$30,270,805	18.9%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	11	8.2%	0	0	$2,415,227	1.5%
Sub Total	36	26.8%	0	12	$32,686,032	20.5%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
OPERATOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE	6	4.4%	0	0	$1,385,704	0.8%
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	16	11.9%	5	3	$6,483,619	4.0%
Sub Total	22	16.4%	5	3	$7,869,323	4.9%
HUMAN ERROR
INCORRECT OPERATION	4	2.9%	0	0	$122,978	0.0%
Sub Total	4	2.9%	0	0	$122,978	0.0%
MATERIAL FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	3	2.2%	0	0	$2,061,852	1.2%
BUTT WELD	1	0.7%	0	0	$25,151	0.0%
COMPONENT	11	8.2%	0	1	$15,108,077	9.4%
FILLET WELD	2	1.4%	0	0	$195,741	0.1%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	8	5.9%	0	0	$241,256	0.1%
PIPE SEAM WELD	2	1.4%	0	0	$300,479	0.1%
RUPTURED OR LEAKING SEAL/PUMP PACKING	8	5.9%	0	0	$1,223,440	0.7%
THREADS STRIPPED, BROKEN PIPE COUPLING	3	2.2%	0	0	$199,406	0.1%
Sub Total	38	28.3%	0	1	$19,355,405	12.1%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	4	2.9%	0	0	$28,159,033	17.6%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	1	0.7%	0	0	$504,872	0.3%
HIGH WINDS	6	4.4%	0	0	$42,608,737	26.7%
LIGHTNING	3	2.2%	0	0	$2,968,765	1.8%
TEMPERATURE	2	1.4%	0	0	$434,327	0.2%
Sub Total	16	11.9%	0	0	$74,675,737	46.8%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	4	2.9%	0	0	$1,572,775	0.9%
RUPTURE OF PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED PIPE	1	0.7%	0	0	$2,344,692	1.4%
VANDALISM	1	0.7%	0	0	$702,045	0.4%
Sub Total	6	4.4%	0	0	$4,619,512	2.9%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	9	6.7%	0	0	$496,615	0.3%
UNKNOWN	2	1.4%	0	0	$19,361,856	12.1%
VARIOUS	1	0.7%	0	0	$187,080	0.1%
Sub Total	12	8.9%	0	0	$20,045,552	12.5%
Totals	134	100.0%	5	16	$159,374,542	100.0%

National Hazardous Liquid Onshore: Significant Incident Details: 2004

Reported Cause of Incident	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (B) (C)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	25	18.6%	0	12	$30,270,805	18.9%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	11	8.2%	0	0	$2,415,227	1.5%
Sub Total	36	26.8%	0	12	$32,686,032	20.5%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
OPERATOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE	6	4.4%	0	0	$1,385,704	0.8%
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	16	11.9%	5	3	$6,483,619	4.0%
Sub Total	22	16.4%	5	3	$7,869,323	4.9%
HUMAN ERROR
INCORRECT OPERATION	4	2.9%	0	0	$122,978	0.0%
Sub Total	4	2.9%	0	0	$122,978	0.0%
MATERIAL FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	3	2.2%	0	0	$2,061,852	1.2%
BUTT WELD	1	0.7%	0	0	$25,151	0.0%
COMPONENT	10	7.4%	0	1	$1,985,718	1.2%
FILLET WELD	2	1.4%	0	0	$195,741	0.1%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	8	5.9%	0	0	$241,256	0.1%
PIPE SEAM WELD	2	1.4%	0	0	$300,479	0.1%
RUPTURED OR LEAKING SEAL/PUMP PACKING	7	5.2%	0	0	$672,302	0.4%
THREADS STRIPPED, BROKEN PIPE COUPLING	3	2.2%	0	0	$199,406	0.1%
Sub Total	36	26.8%	0	1	$5,681,908	3.5%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	3	2.2%	0	0	$1,914,129	1.2%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	1	0.7%	0	0	$504,872	0.3%
HIGH WINDS	1	0.7%	0	0	$15,995,479	10.0%
LIGHTNING	3	2.2%	0	0	$2,968,765	1.8%
TEMPERATURE	2	1.4%	0	0	$434,327	0.2%
Sub Total	10	7.4%	0	0	$21,817,575	13.6%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	3	2.2%	0	0	$479,246	0.3%
RUPTURE OF PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED PIPE	1	0.7%	0	0	$2,344,692	1.4%
VANDALISM	1	0.7%	0	0	$702,045	0.4%
Sub Total	5	3.7%	0	0	$3,525,984	2.2%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	9	6.7%	0	0	$496,615	0.3%
UNKNOWN	1	0.7%	0	0	$115,535	0.0%
VARIOUS	1	0.7%	0	0	$187,080	0.1%
Sub Total	11	8.2%	0	0	$799,231	0.5%
Totals	124	92.5%	5	16	$72,503,033	45.4%

National Hazardous Liquid Offshore: Significant Incident Details: 2004

Reported Cause of Incident	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (B) (C)	% of Property Damage
MATERIAL FAILURE
COMPONENT	1	0.7%	0	0	$13,122,358	8.2%
RUPTURED OR LEAKING SEAL/PUMP PACKING	1	0.7%	0	0	$551,138	0.3%
Sub Total	2	1.4%	0	0	$13,673,497	8.5%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	1	0.7%	0	0	$26,244,903	16.4%
HIGH WINDS	5	3.7%	0	0	$26,613,258	16.7%
Sub Total	6	4.4%	0	0	$52,858,162	33.1%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	1	0.7%	0	0	$1,093,528	0.6%
Sub Total	1	0.7%	0	0	$1,093,528	0.6%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
UNKNOWN	1	0.7%	0	0	$19,246,320	12.0%
Sub Total	1	0.7%	0	0	$19,246,320	12.0%
Totals	10	7.4%	0	0	$86,871,508	54.5%

• All Gas Transmission Systems
• Onshore Only
• Offshore Only

National Gas Transmission: Significant Incident Details: 2004

Reported Cause of Incident	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (B) (C)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	6	9.6%	0	0	$1,327,092	3.4%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	12	19.3%	0	0	$3,933,623	10.2%
Sub Total	18	29.0%	0	0	$5,260,716	13.7%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
OPERATOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE	1	1.6%	0	1	$84,589	0.2%
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	12	19.3%	0	0	$2,417,516	6.3%
Sub Total	13	20.9%	0	1	$2,502,106	6.5%
HUMAN ERROR
INCORRECT OPERATION	1	1.6%	0	0	$94,841	0.2%
Sub Total	1	1.6%	0	0	$94,841	0.2%
MATERIAL FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	4	6.4%	0	0	$669,748	1.7%
BUTT WELD	1	1.6%	0	0	$134,144	0.3%
COMPONENT	1	1.6%	0	0	$306,488	0.8%
FILLET WELD	1	1.6%	0	0	$277,241	0.7%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	6	9.6%	0	0	$1,268,589	3.3%
THREADS STRIPPED, BROKEN PIPE COUPLING	1	1.6%	0	1	$109	0.0%
Sub Total	14	22.5%	0	1	$2,656,320	6.9%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	7	11.2%	0	0	$19,422,224	50.7%
Sub Total	7	11.2%	0	0	$19,422,224	50.7%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	4	6.4%	0	0	$5,899,887	15.4%
FIRE/EXPLOSION AS PRIMARY CAUSE	1	1.6%	0	0	$1,081,329	2.8%
Sub Total	5	8.0%	0	0	$6,981,216	18.2%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	3	4.8%	0	0	$1,212,398	3.1%
UNKNOWN	1	1.6%	0	0	$132,997	0.3%
Sub Total	4	6.4%	0	0	$1,345,395	3.5%
Totals	62	100.0%	0	2	$38,262,823	100.0%

National Gas Transmission Onshore: Significant Incident Details: 2004

Reported Cause of Incident	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (B) (C)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	5	8.0%	0	0	$1,144,145	2.9%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	1	1.6%	0	0	$164,147	0.4%
Sub Total	6	9.6%	0	0	$1,308,292	3.4%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
OPERATOR EXCAVATION DAMAGE	1	1.6%	0	1	$84,589	0.2%
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	12	19.3%	0	0	$2,417,516	6.3%
Sub Total	13	20.9%	0	1	$2,502,106	6.5%
HUMAN ERROR
INCORRECT OPERATION	1	1.6%	0	0	$94,841	0.2%
Sub Total	1	1.6%	0	0	$94,841	0.2%
MATERIAL FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	4	6.4%	0	0	$669,748	1.7%
BUTT WELD	1	1.6%	0	0	$134,144	0.3%
COMPONENT	1	1.6%	0	0	$306,488	0.8%
FILLET WELD	1	1.6%	0	0	$277,241	0.7%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	6	9.6%	0	0	$1,268,589	3.3%
THREADS STRIPPED, BROKEN PIPE COUPLING	1	1.6%	0	1	$109	0.0%
Sub Total	14	22.5%	0	1	$2,656,320	6.9%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	2	3.2%	0	0	$619,063	1.6%
Sub Total	2	3.2%	0	0	$619,063	1.6%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	2	3.2%	0	0	$438,644	1.1%
FIRE/EXPLOSION AS PRIMARY CAUSE	1	1.6%	0	0	$1,081,329	2.8%
Sub Total	3	4.8%	0	0	$1,519,973	3.9%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	3	4.8%	0	0	$1,212,398	3.1%
UNKNOWN	1	1.6%	0	0	$132,997	0.3%
Sub Total	4	6.4%	0	0	$1,345,395	3.5%
Totals	43	69.3%	0	2	$10,045,994	26.2%

National Gas Transmission Offshore: Significant Incident Details: 2004

Reported Cause of Incident	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (B) (C)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	1	1.6%	0	0	$182,947	0.4%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	11	17.7%	0	0	$3,769,476	9.8%
Sub Total	12	19.3%	0	0	$3,952,423	10.3%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	5	8.0%	0	0	$18,803,161	49.1%
Sub Total	5	8.0%	0	0	$18,803,161	49.1%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	2	3.2%	0	0	$5,461,243	14.2%
Sub Total	2	3.2%	0	0	$5,461,243	14.2%
Totals	19	30.6%	0	0	$28,216,828	73.7%

National Gas Gathering: Significant Incident Details: 2004

Reported Cause of Incident	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (B) (C)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	1	8.3%	0	0	$100,309	0.2%
CORROSION, INTERNAL	5	41.6%	0	0	$1,871,074	5.2%
Sub Total	6	50.0%	0	0	$1,971,383	5.5%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	1	8.3%	0	0	$109,352	0.3%
Sub Total	1	8.3%	0	0	$109,352	0.3%
HUMAN ERROR
INCORRECT OPERATION	1	8.3%	0	1	$21,870	0.0%
Sub Total	1	8.3%	0	1	$21,870	0.0%
MATERIAL FAILURE
JOINT	1	8.3%	0	0	$88,428	0.2%
MALFUNCTION OF CONTROL/RELIEF EQUIPMENT	1	8.3%	0	0	$89,231	0.2%
Sub Total	2	16.6%	0	0	$177,660	0.5%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	2	16.6%	0	0	$33,231,946	93.5%
Sub Total	2	16.6%	0	0	$33,231,946	93.5%
Totals	12	100.0%	0	1	$35,512,213	100.0%

National Gas Distribution: Significant Incident Details: 2004

Reported Cause of Incident	Number	%	Fatalities	Injuries	Property Damage (B) (C)	% of Property Damage
CORROSION
CORROSION, EXTERNAL	5	4.1%	1	2	$914,879	2.2%
Sub Total	5	4.1%	1	2	$914,879	2.2%
EXCAVATION DAMAGE
THIRD PARTY EXCAVATION DAMAGE	23	18.8%	0	4	$8,890,169	21.4%
VARIOUS	8	6.5%	1	2	$2,451,690	5.9%
Sub Total	31	25.4%	1	6	$11,341,860	27.3%
HUMAN ERROR
INCORRECT OPERATION	7	5.7%	2	8	$1,093,277	2.6%
Sub Total	7	5.7%	2	8	$1,093,277	2.6%
MATERIAL FAILURE
BODY OF PIPE	1	0.8%	0	0	$562,262	1.3%
COMPONENT	1	0.8%	0	1	$0	0.0%
JOINT	5	4.1%	2	1	$1,810,999	4.3%
VARIOUS	3	2.4%	0	0	$913,096	2.2%
Sub Total	10	8.2%	2	2	$3,286,358	7.9%
NATURAL FORCE DAMAGE
EARTH MOVEMENT	3	2.4%	0	1	$3,118,573	7.5%
HEAVY RAINS/FLOODS	8	6.5%	0	1	$2,670,279	6.4%
TEMPERATURE	2	1.6%	3	1	$437,411	1.0%
VARIOUS	8	6.5%	0	4	$2,206,740	5.3%
Sub Total	21	17.2%	3	7	$8,433,004	20.3%
OTHER OUTSIDE FORCE DAMAGE
CAR, TRUCK OR OTHER VEHICLE NOT RELATED TO...	8	6.5%	1	2	$3,214,805	7.7%
FIRE/EXPLOSION AS PRIMARY CAUSE	18	14.7%	0	4	$6,558,560	15.8%
RUPTURE OF PREVIOUSLY DAMAGED PIPE	1	0.8%	0	0	$563,167	1.3%
VANDALISM	1	0.8%	0	0	$120,288	0.2%
Sub Total	28	22.9%	1	6	$10,456,821	25.2%
ALL OTHER CAUSES
MISCELLANEOUS	8	6.5%	2	6	$1,843,393	4.4%
UNKNOWN	3	2.4%	2	2	$390,827	0.9%
VARIOUS	9	7.3%	4	2	$3,644,730	8.8%
Sub Total	20	16.3%	8	10	$5,878,951	14.2%
Totals	122	100.0%	18	41	$41,405,153	100.0%

Notes

1. Significant Incidents are those incidents reported by pipeline operators with any of the following conditions are met: 1) fatality or injury requiring in-patient hospitalization. 2) $50,000 or more in total costs, measured in 1984 dollars. 3) highly volatile liquid releases of 5 barrels or more or other liquid releases of 50 barrels or more. 4) liquid releases resulting in an unintentional fire or explosion. Note: Significant Incidents include all Serious Incidents. Unless otherwise noted, any counts of Significant Incidents also include Serious Incidents.
2. Costs in the current year (2008) are nominal (as reported). The costs for incidents prior to 2008 are presented in 2007 dollars. Cost of Gas lost is indexed via the Energy Information Administration, Natural Gas City Gate Prices. All other costs are adjusted via the Bureau of Economic Analysis, Government Printing Office inflation values.
3. For years 2002 and later, property damage is estimated as the sum of all public and private costs reported in the 30-day incident report. For years prior to 2002, accident report forms did not include a breakdown of public and private costs so property damage for these years is the reported total property damage field in the report. All costs prior to 2008 are expressed in 2007 dollars. Costs in current year (2008) are nominal.

Sources

1. PHMSA Hazardous Liquid Filtered Incidents File - October 14, 2008
2. PHMSA Gas Transmission Filtered Incidents File - October 14, 2008
3. PHMSA Gas Distribution Filtered Incidents File - October 14, 2008

See Pipeline Incidents and Mileage Reports for more pipeline safety reports.