Sky Harbor International Airport Fuel Leak Imperils Upgrade

December 6, 2003
Arizona Republic, AZ

Airport Fuel Leak Imperils Upgrade
Mopping up began in '90s


Six years after a massive pipeline leak at Sky Harbor International Airport, 
crews still are mopping up the mess, and city officials worry it could affect 
plans for a new terminal and a people mover to the East Economy Parking Lot. So 
far, 50,000 gallons of jet fuel has been skimmed from the surface of 
groundwater near Terminal 2. The owner of the pipeline, which carries jet fuel 
to the airport, believes it has recovered most of the fuel. It is preparing to 
drill wells to stimulate fuel-eating bacteria to clean up the rest. 

The contamination is thought to extend under the Terminal 2 parking garage, but 
it's unknown whether it is under the terminal. Both buildings are to be razed 
to make way for a new terminal and a rail system, or people mover. 

The city is worried that it may find more contamination when it begins 
construction and has asked pipeline owner Arizona Fueling Facilities Corp., a 
consortium of airlines, to guarantee the cleanup. 

"We want to make sure this plume will not affect any future development at the 
airport, and that includes the proposed terminal and people mover," Assistant 
City Attorney Nancy Kasteloot said.

The pipeline, which cuts through downtown Phoenix, has a history of corrosion 
and problems, though its major leaks have occurred at the airport. The 10-inch 
line travels for more than 11 miles to the airport. 

The line, constructed in 1982, is newer than the 50-year-old line that broke 
June 30 near Tucson, leading to a Valley gas shortage. Kasteloot said the city 
is confident the pipeline poses no danger if it is operated according to 
federal rules.

But problems over the years have raised concerns:


• In 1991, a leaking valve closed the pipeline for several days, disrupting 
travel. 


• In 1994, the Fire Department evacuated part of downtown when a leaking 
valve was discovered near Jackson Street and Central Avenue. 


• A 1997 corrosion-related leak at Sky Harbor, which state officials say 
wasn't reported until 1999, produced the underground lake of jet fuel that 
crews are still cleaning up.


• In March of this year, a faulty valve at the airport caused a leak of 
13,100 gallons into a containment vault. About 300 gallons washed into a storm 
sewer, but the fuel did not reach the Salt River.

State regulators have repeatedly cited the pipeline's operators for inadequate 
efforts to control corrosion and for the leaky valves.

Documents obtained by The Republic show that DynAir was asked to clean and 
repaint the line's valves in 1995 to halt corrosion but didn't do it until 
1997. Inspectors found corrosion on valves again in 1999. 

In 2000, the Arizona Corporation Commission, which regulates intrastate 
pipelines, fined then-operator DynAir $50,000 for the 1997 leak. DynAir was 
cited for failure to detect the leak in a timely manner and failure to properly 
control corrosion on the line and to report the accident in a timely manner. 
The commission asserts it was never notified of the leak and only learned about 
it in 1999 after The Republic reported the discovery of the fuel plume. Arizona 
Fueling Facilities Corp. was assessed a $15,000 penalty.

Commission spokeswoman Heather Murphy said DynAir agreed to more stringent and 
frequent inspections and to allow state inspectors to be present during 
construction work. 

Murphy said that most code violations have been quickly addressed since 
Swissport Fueling Inc. acquired DynAir in 2000.

Dan Muchow, attorney for the pipeline owner, Arizona Fueling, said the company 
disputes the commission's claim it hid the leak for two years. Muchow also 
disputes the commission's claims that DynAir was less cooperative than 
Swissport Fueling.

>From 1994 to 2003, inspectors have issued more than a dozen citations to 
>either DynAir or Swissport for violations related to the system that prevents 
>corrosion. The citations ranged from inadequate corrosion control on the line 
>and storage tanks to failure to develop a program to detect and repair pipes 
>and valves. 

Muchow said that the line has never been replaced or recoated but that it is 
thoroughly inspected for leaks at least once a year. He added that 
less-thorough tests are performed at more frequent intervals and that the 
corrosion-protection system and its pressure are constantly monitored. A drop 
in pressure led workers to quickly discover the March leak. 

Corporation Commission officials say they believe the line is being operated 
safely 

"We believe that Swissport is in compliance with all applicable regulations and 
operating practices to safely transport fuel in this line," said Terry 
Fronterhouse, director of the commission's pipeline-safety section. 

One concern for the city is whether in constructing the people mover and 
buildings, workers will encounter fuel vapors, which could explode.

Muchow said the company not only plans to drill venting wells to feed oxygen to 
the fuel-eating bacteria but it also will drill wells to test for fuel vapors. 
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