On Oct. 3, 1989, the United States fishing vessel Northumberland struck and ruptured a 16-inch-diameter natural gas transmission pipeline about 1/2 nautical mile offshore in the Gulf of Mexico, and about 5 1/3 nautical miles west of the jetties at the entrance to Sabine Pass, Texas. Natural gas under a pressure of 835 psig was released. An undetermined source on board the vessel ignited the gas, and within seconds, the entire vessel was engulfed in flames. The fire on the vessel burned itself out on October 4. Leaking has from the pipeline also continued to burn until October 4. Of the 14 crewmembers, 11 died as a result of the accident.
We determined that the probable cause of the accidemt was the failure of the Natural Gas Pipeline Company of America to maintain the pipeline at the burial depth required by the permit issued by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Contributing to the accident was the failre of the Office of Pipeline Safety of the Research and Special Programs Administration, after its 1977 study, to require pipeline operators to inspect and maintain submerged pielines in a protected condition.
As a result of this investigation, recommendations were made to:
- the Zapata Haynie Corporation,
- the National Gas Pipeline Company of America,
- the U.S. Department of Transportation,
- the Research and Special Programs Administration,
- the U.S. Coast Guard,
- the Minerals Management Service,
- the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers,
- the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration,
- the Interstate Natural Gas Association of America,
- the American Gas Association,
- the American Public Gas Association,
- the American Petroleum Institute,
- The National Fish Meal and Oil Association,
- The Louisiana Shrimp Association, and
- the National Council of Fishing Vessel Safety and Insurance.
