SAFETY FIRST: CONTRACT WORKER (AN AECOM EMPLOYEE) DIES IN ACCIDENT (CRUSHED BY STEEL PILE DURING PILE-DRIVING OPERATIONS) AT THE FORMER SUNOCO’S MARCUS HOOK DELAWARE COUNTY REFINERY

MARCH 31, 2015

MARCUS HOOK, DELAWARE COUNTY, PA

Sunoco Logistic's plant in Marcus Hook, Delaware County has another death of worker. The site is undergoing construction to convert it from an oil refinery to an LNG storage and processing plant.  They also want to export the liquids to foreign markets.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is investigating an accident at the Sunoco Logistics plant in Marcus Hook, which left one Sunoco contract worker dead.  An OSHA spokesperson says the man worked for the engineering firm AECOM, a contractor at the site.

An OSHA representative said federal officials are investigating. OSHA said the contractor worked for Los Angeles-based engineering and construction services firm AECOM, which has been cited for several OSHA violations in the past, according to agency records.

“The worker was struck by a steel pile during pile-driving operations,” said OSHA spokeswoman Joanna Hawkins. She added that the federal investigation could take up to six months to complete.

The worker died from multiple blunt force injuries after a 1200 pound steel pile fell on him.  Basically the unfortunate worker was crushed to death.  Most likely, the crane was lifting the steel pile and end-up falling from the crane and crushed the worker.  This type of fatal injury has happened before sites across the US.  

A massive construction project at Sunoco Logistic’s Marcus Hook facility is converting the former oil refinery to an LNG natural gas storage and processing plant.

The man, who sources say was in his 50′s, lived in New Jersey. Calls to the worker’s employer, AECOM were not returned. But Joseph McGinn, a spokesman for Sunoco Logistics, confirmed that an accident killed a contract worker at the facility Monday afternoon, March 30, 2015.

“No words can express the sorrow and pain that come when such a tragic event happens,” McGinn wrote in an email. “Our deepest sympathies go out to the family and friends of the individual who died. They have suffered a devastating loss.”



In a similar case, the crane operator tested the crane before starting to
raise the pile. The crane line lost tension as the pile was lifted, causing a series of events that severed the nylon choker slings holding the pile. The pile fell, striking and crushing the victim.   Here are the links to some similar accidents where the employee was crushed by falling steel piles during pile driving:

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION:  CONSTRUCTION WORKER STRUCK AND KILLED BY A PILE FALLING FROM A CRANE

http://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2015/04/accident-investigation-construction.html

ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION:  CONSTRUCTION FOREMAN DIES AFTER STRUCK BY STEEL PILE

http://metroforensics.blogspot.com/2015/04/accident-investigation-construction_6.html

 

To avoid similar deadly events, we recommend that the employee should stand clear of the pile driver as the pile is raised into the leads.  Here are some other suggestions: 

 Employers should ensure that pile driver operators are properly trained on the safe operation of the pile driving equipment;

• Employers should ensure that pile driver operators are periodically re-evaluated on the safe operation of pile driving equipment;
• A health and safety plan based on job hazard analysis must be developed and followed;
• Employers should incorporate specific procedures when a worker is inside an excavation pit into the health and safety plan.  Here, the conditions at the bottom of the pit were muddy and could have hindered the egress of the unfortunate victim

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Sunoco Logistics Partners L.P. has taken ownership of the closed Marcus Hook refinery.  The pipeline company has big plans for the Delaware River industrial site.  

Sunoco Logistics chief executive Michael J. Hennigan provided analysts with details Thursday about how the pipeline and terminal company plans to repurpose the refinery as a hub for shipping liquid fuels produced from natural-gas drilling in the Marcellus and Utica Shales.

"We plan to create a world-class natural-gas liquids hub on the East Coast," Hennigan said.

Sunoco Logistics, based in Philadelphia, announced Wednesday that it had acquired the refinery for $60 million from its former parent company, Sunoco Inc. Both companies are affiliated with Energy Transfer Partners L.P., a Texas pipeline firm that acquired Sunoco last year.

Sunoco Logistics, whose aim in its previous life was to deliver crude oil to Sunoco's refinery network and move refined products to market, is repositioning itself as an independent pipeline company. On Wednesday, it reported $236 million in first-quarter earnings, a new record and a 40 percent increase from a year ago.

The Marcus Hook refinery, which has five deepwater berths, will become the anchor for Sunoco Logistics' Mariner East project, which will transport natural-gas liquids like propane and butane through an existing pipeline from Western Pennsylvania for loading onto oceangoing vessels in Marcus Hook.

The former refinery site already has substantial storage tanks, but the company plans to build some large refrigerated aboveground tanks for storing ethane, which must be supercooled to remain liquid. Most of the materials being shipped through Marcus Hook are destined for export as ingredients in chemical manufacturing.

The Mariner East project is scheduled to go on line in late 2014, but Sunoco Logistics is already bringing propane by truck and rail to Marcus Hook, Hennigan said.

"The Marcellus liquids today are finding their way to the coast and we're loading ships as we speak," he said.

Demand is so high for outlets to move fuels out of the Marcellus region that the company is planning to expand the Mariner East project, whose capacity is constrained by the size of the 8-inch-diameter pipeline.

The company has budgeted $600 million to complete the Marcus Hook connection as well as a second project, Mariner West, which is converting an existing pipeline to transport natural-gas liquids from Western Pennsylvania to Ontario.

The Mariner projects are in competition with other companies that want to build or convert pipelines from the Marcellus region in Appalachia to the Gulf Coast. Hennigan said he believes much of the material is destined for export, so it makes more sense to transport it to port by the shorter Keystone State route.

"Our view is that traveling 300 miles is much more competitive than traveling all the way down to the Gulf Coast to achieve the same end result of meeting the exports," he said.

 

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Sunoco Logistics' expansion of its pipeline system moving propane, butane and other liquids from shale wells to the East Coast will pump $4.2 billion into the state's economy and support 30,000 jobs during construction, a company commissioned study found.

About half those jobs are linked directly to construction of the $3 billion, 350-mile Mariner East 2, a 16-inch pipeline Sunoco Logistics plans to build nearly paralleling its existing 8-inch Mariner East 1, according to the impact study released Thursday by Philadelphia-based Econsult Solutions. The pipeline and converted refinery at Sunoco Logistics' Marcus Hook terminal outside Philadelphia will employ 300 to 400 workers on a more permanent basis once construction wraps up in 2017, the report said.

“You just don't see companies investing $3 billion on capital projects in Pennsylvania every day,” said Stephen P. Mullin, president and principal at Econsult.

Most of the economic impacts will be felt in the Philadelphia region in the conversion of the terminal, though Marcellus and Utica shale gas producers clustered in Western Pennsylvania are looking forward to moving more lucrative liquids from their wells to the terminal. Low natural gas and oil prices have prompted companies to slow their drilling as they look for new demand sources and pipelines.

Construction on Mariner East 2 includes lines linking Ohio, West Virginia and Washington County facilities to the mainline in Delmont.

“This will mean more growth here, in terms of well pads, compressors, all the related work. We see it as a positive, long-term benefit,” said Jim Kunz, business manager for the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 66, which has 7,000 members in 33 counties.

Last year, more than 20 percent of the local's work was connected to the natural gas industry, Kunz said.

Econsult's report estimated about half of the pipeline's engineering will be done by Pennsylvania firms and 25 percent of its steel will come from in-state plants. Construction will generate an estimated $62 million in taxes to the state from workers directly employed by its projects and from related businesses, the report found.

The project includes at least three propane distribution points along the pipeline before it reaches Marcus Hook. The impact study said Mariner East could help stabilize volatile propane prices.

Sunoco Logistics is seeking state and federal permits for the pipeline and holding community meetings along the route, where some groups have started raising opposition. The state Public Utility Commission ruled the company and pipeline qualify as a public utility with eminent domain power.

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Marcus Hook Industrial Complex

The Marcus Hook Industrial Complex, located primarily in Marcus Hook PA, on the banks of the Delaware River near Philadelphia, PA is a LPG, refined products and crude terminal as well as a fully functioning process complex. There are approximately 2 million barrels of NGL storage capacity in underground caverns, and related commercial agreements. The facility can receive NGLs via marine vessel, pipeline, truck and rail, and can deliver via marine vessel, pipeline and truck. In addition to providing NGL storage and terminalling services to both affiliates and third-party customers, we also provide our customers with the use of industrial space and equipment at the facility, as well as logistical, utility and infrastructure services.

Mariner East 1 and Mariner East 2 are pipeline projects to deliver NGLs from the Marcellus and Utica Shale areas in Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Eastern Ohio to the Marcus Hook Industrial Complex. Mariner East 1 commenced initial operations in the fourth quarter 2014. Mariner East 2 is expected to commence operations in the fourth quarter 2016.

LPG

The Mariner East 1 and Mariner East 2 pipelines will terminate in the MHIC. In addition to the cavern storage, there will be refrigerated ethane and propane storage. High capacity loading rates of 16,000 to 24,000 bph will allow ship loading up of VLGC’s.

In addition, there are truck, rail and pipeline connectivity to local refiners.

Products

The terminal has the capability to receive, store, blend, and distribute: crude oil, gasoline, gasoline components, Naphtha, ULSD, jet fuel, and has the capability to distribute chemicals. The docks match the Delaware River capacity with drafts up to 40 feet and can accommodate vessels as large as a VLCC tanker.

The Marcus Hook Industrial Complex can receive and deliver products to a number of third party pipelines including:

·         Laurel Pipeline – Outbound

·         Sunoco Pipeline – Inbound & Outbound

·         Teppco Pipeline – Inbound & Outbound

·         Refinery Connected pipelines – Trainer, Delaware City, Philadelphia

The MHIC terminal can access the following markets:

·         Philadelphia and Southern NJ area via truck rack

·         PA / NY terminals via Sunoco Pipeline, Laurel Pipeline

·         New York Harbor and Northern NJ terminals via pipelines (East Line), ship, and barge

·         Baltimore via ship or barge

·         New England via ship or barge

·         European and other overseas export markets via ship

Processing Complex

There are several tenants on site utilizing steam, flare, fuel gas, WWT, air, water and other utilities and services. The tenants include fractionation, conversion, and blending operations for a variety of products – including Sunoco Race fuels and power to the grid.

Our Inkster terminal, located near Detroit, Michigan, consists of eight salt caverns and can receive and ship LPGs. We use the Inkster Terminal’s storage in connection with our Toledo, Ohio to Sarnia, Canada pipeline system and for the storage of LPGs from Canada and a refinery in Toledo.

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NGL (Natural Gas Liquids) Projects

Project Mariner East Phase I

Project Mariner East is pipeline project to deliver propane and ethane from the liquid-rich Marcellus Shale areas in Western Pennsylvania to the Marcus Hook facility, where it will be processed, stored, and distributed to various domestic and waterborne markets. 

The project is anticipated to have an initial capacity to transport approximately 70,000 barrels per day of natural gas liquids and can be scaled to support higher volumes as needed. Mariner East commenced initial operations in the fourth quarter 2014. Mariner East is scheduled to be fully operational to deliver propane and ethane in Mid-2015.

Sunoco Logistics will construct a pipeline from MarkWest Energy Partners L.P.'s Houston, Pennsylvania processing and fractionation complex to an interconnection with an existing Sunoco Logistics pipeline at Delmont, Pennsylvania. The natural gas liquids will then be transported to the Marcus Hook facility where Sunoco Logistics will construct new facilities to process, store, chill, and distribute propane and ethane to local, regional and international markets.

Project Mariner East Phase II
 

Sunoco Logistics announced a successful Open Season for Mariner East 2 project in November 2014.  For Mariner East 2, Sunoco Logistics plans to construct a pipeline from processing and fractionation complexes in Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Eastern Ohio for transport to the Marcus Hook Industrial Complex.  Sunoco Logistics plans to construct new facilities at Marcus Hook Industrial Complex to store, chill, process and distribute propane, butane and ethane for distribution to local, domestic and international markets.  Sunoco Logistics plans to offer intrastate and interstate movements to meet the demands of various markets.  Mariner East 2 will expand the total takeaway capacity to 345,000 barrels per day.   The Mariner East 2 pipeline is expected to be operational in Q4 2016, subject to regulatory and permit approvals.

Project Mariner West

Project Mariner West is a pipeline project to deliver ethane from the liquid-rich Marcellus Shale processing and fractionation areas in Western Pennsylvania to the Sarnia, Ontario petrochemical market. The project is anticipated to have an initial capacity to transport up to 50,000 barrels per day of ethane and can be scaled to support higher volumes as needed. Mariner West commenced operations in Q4 2013.

Project Mariner South

Mariner South Pipeline is a pipeline project to transport export grade propane and butane from Lone Star’s storage and fractionation complex in Mont Belvieu, Texas to Sunoco Logistics’ terminal in Nederland, Texas. 

In addition to export grade propane and butane, the pipeline will be available for other natural gas liquids and petroleum products depending on shipper interest. The pipeline is anticipated to have an initial capacity to transport approximately 200,000 barrels per day and can be scaled to support higher volumes as needed. The pipeline commenced operations at end of 2014. It is expected to ramp up to full capacity by 2Q15.