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DEP: Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leak Investigation In Bucks County Expands To Delaware, Montgomery Counties; DEP, Dept. Of Health Briefing On State Response To Leak Now Available On Demand

DEP said during an April 10 update on the Energy Transfer/Sunoco Twin Oaks Pipeline leak in Bucks County, the investigation into the possibility of other leaks in the same pipeline has expanded to Delaware and Montgomery counties.

The Twin Oaks Pipeline is approximately 105.5 miles in length and runs from the Twin Oaks Terminal in Aston, Delaware County through Montgomery and Bucks counties to Newark, New Jersey.

DEP’s Twin Oaks Pipeline webpage shows the agency issued Chapter 105 permits at three other locations Energy Transfer/Sunoco is investigating for possible leaks-- Upper Chichester Township and Middletown Township, Delaware County and Dublin Township, Montgomery County.

In the proposed safety order issued on February 13, 2025 by the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the agency said--

“PHMSA’s preliminary investigation also indicates that the leak originated at a sleeve installed in the mid-1990s, that there are at least 44 other sleeves of a similar vintage installed at other locations on the Pipeline, and that these locations may be at risk of experiencing a similar leak in the future.

“For these reasons, it appears that the continued operation of the Twin Oaks Pipeline without corrective measures would pose a pipeline integrity risk to public safety, property, or the environment.”

The proposed order would require Energy Transfer/Sunoco to submit a Type A Sleeve Integrity Plan within 90 days of the final Safety Order.

“Within 90 days of receipt of the Safety Order, Sunoco must provide to the Director for approval a plan to evaluate the integrity of each Type A sleeve on the Affected Pipeline.

“In preparing that plan, Sunoco must consider type, characteristics (size, depth, orientation), and other integrity considerations of the anomaly(ies) or defect(s) reinforced by the sleeve; sleeve characteristics (age, grade, length, thickness, coating, wrap, use of epoxy); cathodic protection; inline inspection results; nondestructive evaluation or testing records; and any other relevant factors in evaluating the integrity of a Type A sleeve.

“The plan must also provide for the removal of each Type A sleeve on the Affected Pipeline whose integrity cannot be reasonably assured.

“For any sleeve not removed, the plan must provide a technical justification for the Type A Sleeve remaining on the Affected Pipeline and describe the additional pipeline integrity management measures to be implemented to ensure the safety and integrity of the Affected Pipeline in light of any integrity risk related to the sleeve.”

Click Here for a copy of the proposed Safety Order.

The Safety Order has not yet been finalized by PHMSA.

The briefing held by the Department of Environmental Protection and the state Department of Health April 10 is now available on demand.

The officials giving presentations included--

-- Patrick Patterson, DEP Southeast Regional Director

-- Lisa Strobridge, P.G., Local Government Liaison

-- Tom Magge, Clean Water Response Program Manager

-- C. David Brown, P.G., Environmental Cleanup & Brownfields Program Manager

-- Mike Maddigan, DEP Land Recycling Program

-- Julie Miller, PhD DABT, Toxicologist PA Department of Health

Click Here to watch the briefing on YouTube.

Visit DEP’s Upper Makefield Pipeline webpage for more information.

Anyone who would like future updates and email notifications from DEP regarding the pipeline leak should email ra-epumpipeline@pa.gov and request to be added to the email distribution list.

DEP Release:

-- DEP: Updates Community On Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leak Response In Upper Makefield Twp., Bucks County

Resource Links - Bucks Pipeline Leak:

-- Courier Times: PA State Attorney General Investigates Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leaks For Potential Environmental Crimes In Bucks County [Convicted Of Other Criminal Charges, Penalized Over $48.1 Million For Pipeline Violations So Far] [PaEN]

-- DEP Orders Energy Transfer/Sunoco To Install Water Treatment Systems In Over 200 Homes Impacted By Petroleum Products Pipeline Leak In Bucks County [PaEN]

-- Criminal Convictions; Record Penalties, Restitution Of Over $158.3 Million Highlight Big Shale Gas, Related Petrochemical Industry Compliance History In Pennsylvania [PaEN]

-- Natural Gas, Hazardous Liquids Pipelines Are NOT Required To Carry Insurance Or Show They Can Pay For Damages If They Explode, Leak Or Kill Someone [PaEN]

PA Oil & Gas Industry Public Notice Dashboards:

-- PA Oil & Gas Weekly Compliance Dashboard - April 5 to 11 - Late Night Conventional Wastewater Road Dumping Failure To Comply With Cleanup Order; Pipeline Leak Investigation Expands To 2 Other Counties; More Abandoned Wells [PaEN]

-- Late Night Road Dumping: Conventional Oil & Gas Wastewater Continues To Be Dumped On Dirt, Gravel, Paved Roads; DEP Expected To Provide Update At April 24 Meeting [PaEN]

-- DEP: Energy Transfer/Sunoco Pipeline Leak In Bucks County Expands To Delaware, Montgomery Counties; DEP, Dept. Of Health Briefing On State Response To Leak Now Available On Demand [PaEN]

-- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices, Opportunities To Comment - April 12 [PaEN]