(a) whether a major fire engulfed an area of three Km near Sikaria half railway station of Barauni-Kanpur pipeline of the Indian Oil Corporation Limited;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) the main reasons for this fire;
(d) the total loss suffered by Indian Oil Corporation Limited due to this fire;
(e) whether inquiry Committee set up by the Government has given its report; and
(f) if so, the main findings of the Committee and the steps being taken to avoid such incidents in future?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF PETROLEUM AND NATURAL GAS (SHRI SANTOSH KUMAR GANGWAR)
(a) & (b) On 12.4.2001 Indian Oil Corporation Limited reported that a leak had occurred in Barauni - Kanpur product pipeline near Sikaria halt in Arrah District of Bihar which resulted in the spillage of motor spirit and subsequently fire. The fire did not engulf three-km area but was restricted to water, which had accumulated in a close-ended nallah. The fire fighting operations were immediately started and the fire was extinguished.
(c) to (e): The high level inquiry committee, consisting of the members from Oil Industry Safety Directorate (OISD) and Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL), in its report brought out that the failure of pipe might have been caused by conjoint action of presence of V notch on seam, corrosion patches on the longitudinal weld seam, adjoining heat affect zone and momentary surge in the pipeline. The total loss suffered by Indian Oil Corporation Limited is approximately Rs.85 lakhs.
(f) Some of the important recommendations were given below:-
1. Defect identified by Intelligent Pig Survey to be rectified on top priority.
2. The maximum operating pressure in Barauni-Patna, Patna-Mughalsarai and Mughalsarai-Allahabad of Barauni-Kanpur pipeline be derated by 20% with immediate effect.
The important recommendations of the committee have been complied with by IOCL.