Beatrice Alpha Test Separator Line Leak

Cause & Consequence

• Failure of vessels or pipework

Incident Location

Fixed Installation

Incident Activity

Inspection/testing

Specific Incident Equipment

2" Bore dead leg close to the test separator.

Lessons Identified

• Concerns were raised because we could not see from the events summary that all ESDVS, wing valves and other ESD equipment had operated as expected.
• It was clear after the event that the indication status for critical valves was poor and a known issue but nothing had been done formalle about this; Thus it was reliant on the CRO being aware of the plant status. This was not always obvious.

Incident Recommendations

• Investigate why a safety critical element was out of commission without an appropriate ORA and act on the identified rooy causes
• Investigate why both ESDV's had been tested and recorded as failed but had not been adequately reparied or replaced and act on the identified rooy causes
• Identify the cause of failure of the two ESDV's (ESV 30011-1 & ESV 30011-2) and take appropriate action
• Review inspection details, corrosion risk assessment and other data relevant to the management of corrosion of this line. Take appropiate action based on this review
• Complete the dead lef register and put a programme in place for the management of dead leg integrity
• Determine whether the loss of fluids to both the test separator and the leak are in line with the inventory from the wells (to the known closed in points)
• Review criticality of all manual operational valves and key isolation valves to form the basis of a cost/risk reduction benefit analysis to identify priorities for change-out