Background

Incident, Investigation and Response

  • Throughout the week of Jan. 27, 2025, Energy Transfer assisted the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) in an investigation into concerns about a potential hydrocarbon release in the Mt. Eyre neighborhood in Upper Makefield Township. Because of the proximity of our pipeline, we immediately began working with the DEP to investigate. Energy Transfer operates a 14-inch pipeline nearby, which carries refined products.

  • Our Operations team took a number of actions to assess the possibility of a pipeline issue: we shut down the pipeline; performed a pressure test on the pipeline; probed our pipeline right of way for any sign of a product release; performed two initial investigative digs along the pipeline right of way for any sign of a product release; and began performing water tests. On the afternoon of Friday, Jan. 31, Energy Transfer visually confirmed a leak. The pipeline was not operating at the time.

  • Pipeline Repair and Restart

    • We cut out the impacted section of pipe and sent it to an independent metallurgical lab for analysis. This section was replaced with new steel pipe. Before returning the pipeline to service, we performed a four-hour hydrotest to ensure the integrity of the pipe.

    • After installing the new section, before we placed it back into service, with the approval of PHMSA, we performed x-ray examination on the welds, in accordance with regulatory standards. After installation, we performed a static pressure test prior to restarting pipeline operations.

    • The pipeline is operating safely. At the request of the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), the pipeline is operating at a 20% pressure reduction. PHMSA has provided daily oversight of recent activities and will continue to provide close oversight going forward. 

    Pipeline Background

    • The Twin Oaks-Newark Pipeline transports refined petroleum products, including two grades of gasoline (87 and 93 octane), diesel fuel, and jet fuel. This is a 14-inch diameter pipeline originating from Philadelphia-area refineries and delivering fuels into New Jersey and beyond.

    • The pipeline delivers refined products to various points along the pipeline, ultimately reaching the New York Metropolitan area. One of the key functions of the pipeline is serving as a significant source of jet fuel for airports up the Atlantic Seaboard, with special focus on the three New York Metropolitan airports: Newark, LaGuardia and JFK.

Environmental Remediation

    Product Recovery and Site Characterization Work

      Our crews continue to recover product from certain impacted wells and remediate the impacted area. Shortly after the leak was discovered, we removed impacted soil from the immediate leak site for off-site disposal.

      We are working on the site investigation and characterization under the oversight of the DEP. The DEP continues to provide environmental oversight on all of these activities, and we are working with the agency on our Act 2 remediation plan.

      We completed the following work to better understand the geology and groundwater flow:

      • Downhole geophysics at two sites
      • Packer testing
        • This measures the permeability of the subsurface. The goal of a packer test is to test zones of interest to determine the flow within various fractures of the bedrock; to stress these fractures by pumping water; and to evaluate the response and collect representative water samples from those fractures for laboratory analysis.
      • Geophysical surface resistivity testing
        • This was done using long cables that use electrically resistive signals to locate the bedrock and its fractures below the surface.
      • Passive soil gas testing throughout the neighborhood
        • This helped to delineate the subsurface hydrocarbon-impacted area and groundwater flow.

      Based on all of our efforts to date, we continue to narrow the potential area of impact. Based on this information, we have now installed one recovery well at 108 Spencer Road, which will be used to recover any petroleum product that is present in groundwater in the release area. We are in the process of identifying the best location for a second recovery well. We have obtained necessary permits from both Bucks County and Upper Makefield Township for the installation of the recovery wells.

      Energy Transfer acquired 108 Spencer Road because this location was critical to our site investigation and cleanup efforts. At this site, crews performed downhole geophysics of the well, which gave us a better understanding of the geology and how material flows above the bedrock. Crews also performed packer testing on this property. Future work at this site may include the installation of monitoring wells, as well as potential other remediation efforts as we proceed through the Act 2 process under DEP’s oversight.

      Energy Transfer has hired contractors to maintain the property and the home to ensure they remain in good condition.

Water Testing and Point-of-Entry Treatment (POET) Systems

    Water Test Background and Data

      If you wish to have your water tested, please reach out to your Energy Transfer right-of-way representative. You can also call our hotline (877-397-3383) or send us an email (uppermakefieldresponse@energytransfer.com) to request a test.

      Water samples are submitted to independent labs for analysis, which are accredited by the DEP. It is required by state law that labs be accredited by the DEP for the particular compounds being analyzed in drinking/potable water.

      The lab analyzes the water samples for a list of volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) in accordance with DEP Short List of Petroleum Products for Jet Fuel and Unleaded Gasoline. The results are compared to the Pennsylvania Statewide Health Standards for groundwater, which are established in 25 Pa. Code Part 250, and which set standards called Medium-Specific Concentrations (MSCs). The MSCs for groundwater are based on Maximum Contaminant Levels (MCLs) that are established by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. An MCL is defined as the highest level of a substance that is allowed in drinking water, as established by the National Primary Drinking Water Regulations. The Pennsylvania Statewide Health Standards for groundwater are based in micrograms per liter (µg/L). A chart of the applicable standards is included in a guide that Energy Transfer is sending to the residents along with the laboratory results packet.

    Understanding Test Results

      We have developed a handout titled Understanding Your Well Sampling Results, which is now being included with all test results shared with residents. This is also found on this website under Additional Resources. Our community representatives are also available to help answer questions, or you can reach out to uppermakefieldresponse@energytransfer.com.

      Residents whose water test results indicated the presence of hydrocarbons and who have health-related questions are encouraged to contact the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) and/or the DEP:

        Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (PA DEP)

          Southeast Regional Office Phone: (484) 250-5991 or (866) 255-5158

          For general inquiries, email: RA-EP-SEROECB@pa.gov

      If the DOH recommends specific health screenings based on your water test results, please contact us to discuss coverage of those costs.

    Impacted Wells

      Our third-party environmental consultants have performed more than 700 total water tests in the neighborhood and beyond, which now includes second-round, third-round and post-treatment testing. For the latest numbers related to wells that have been impacted either with light non-phase liquid petroleum (LNAPL) or with constituents present above statewide health standards, please refer to our Updates section.

    Product Movement in Groundwater

      Groundwater itself moves at a very slow velocity, and due to the physical properties of LNAPL, that product can migrate even more slowly. The product that was already in the ground is continuing to migrate. Third-party geologists have performed extensive work to identify the fractures below ground in this area, as well as the direction of flow, which has been determined is from southwest to northeast.

      All of this is the reason we are installing recovery wells, which can capture this remaining product before it reaches additional wells.

    POET Systems

      In addition to continuing to perform water testing throughout the Mt. Eyre neighborhood, Energy

      Transfer is offering to install water treatment systems to either remove, or prevent the introduction of, certain contaminants from entering the water being used and consumed in homes. Residents have likely also heard these treatment systems referred to as “carbon filtration systems.”

      Energy Transfer is offering to install Point of Entry Treatment (POET) systems for homes in the Mt. Eyre neighborhood that are located within the topographic watershed where the release took place, as well as an additional buffer area, as determined with the guidance of third-party environmental consultants. This area is referred to as the “Investigation Area.” Please email uppermakefieldresponse@energytransfer.com to inquire about eligibility.

      Energy Transfer is offering to install a POET system on all homes located in the Investigation Area at no cost to a resident. Energy Transfer is also committed to funding maintenance and servicing of the POET systems that are installed in the Investigation Area for a minimum of ten (10) years. Additional information regarding the proposed POET systems, follow-up sampling, and maintenance and servicing of the POET systems is provided in detail in the Additional Resources section. This information has been shared with impacted residents and those located in the Investigation Area. At this time, all six impacted homeowners have POET systems in place.

      If you would like to install your own POET system and request reimbursement from Energy Transfer for that installation, please contact us.

Pipeline Safety, Integrity and Emergency Response

    Emergency Response Plans

      Energy Transfer’s emergency response plans for a pipeline are regulated, approved and inspected by PHMSA. Our plans meet or exceed all regulatory requirements. The details of these plans are protected information.

      We routinely coordinate with county emergency management agencies where we operate pipelines to conduct exercises and trainings, under PHMSA’s oversight. Particularly on the Twin Oaks-Newark pipeline, Energy Transfer conducted two tabletop exercises to simulate a pipeline emergency and response over the last five years in Chester County, PA, and Mercer County, NJ.

      You can find additional general information about Energy Transfer’s incident management planning on this fact sheet

    Cause of the Leak

      Our investigation into the cause of the leak is ongoing. We continue to operate the pipeline with 24/7 monitoring by our liquids control center, while also performing routine aerial patrol, which we have increased to weekly during our initial response. In addition to following the PHMSA protocols for restarting the line, we have company personnel on site to visually inspect and monitor the pipeline.

      Monitoring the pipeline for safety is a multi-faceted process. The pipeline is monitored for leaks with a computational pipeline monitoring (CPM) leak detection system. The system uses many variables, such as flow, pressure, and temperature, to assess a change in the normal operations of the pipeline. Another aspect of monitoring pipeline safety is right-of-way patrolling. This patrolling looks for signs of leaks (dead vegetation), and soil disturbance (possible third-party damage).

    Integrity Management Plan and In-Line Inspection (s) Tools

      A major part of pipeline safety is the pipeline integrity management (IM) program. One part of the IM program is in-line inspection (ILI). This is when a special tool is sent through the inside of the pipeline. This tool has sensors that help to detect corrosion, cracking, and dents, depending on the tool. The data that is collected by the tools is used by engineers to determine areas for further investigation. These areas are dug, evaluated, and repaired as necessary in accordance with federal regulations.

      We began a series of in-line inspection (ILI) tool runs of the pipeline in March to inspect the integrity of the full Twin Oaks to Newark Pipeline. An ILI tool is an electronic tool that travels through a pipeline using magnetic sensors to detect irregularities that may indicate corrosion, gouges, cracks or other anomalies. If an ILI tool does identify an anomaly, we can perform preventative maintenance before an incident occurs, greatly reducing the probability of an incident. 

      There are many different types of ILI tools that are used, and these are chosen by integrity engineers based on a number of factors specific to each pipeline. In this case, we have chosen three specific tools: a gauge tool, an ultrasonic crack tool, and a metal loss tool.

      We have now completed both the gauge tool and crack tool runs, along the entire 110 miles of the pipeline, and from what we know so far, this is good news and there are not signs of other anomalies in the pipeline. In early April, we will launch our third tool run, the metal loss tool.

Communication and Public Engagement

    To share ongoing updates, Energy Transfer has established the following:

      Email Address

      Hotline

        Our 24/7 community hotline remains active: 877-397-3383

      Company Representatives

        In addition to the informational sources listed above, we also have company representatives who are working directly with residents throughout the Mt. Eyre neighborhood.

      Community Support Center

        We have set up a Community Support Center at our Bucks Pump Station (1798 Dolington Road, Yardley, PA), which is staffed during normal business hours.

      Teletownhalls

        We held our first teletownhall on Thursday, March 27, during which we provided updates and answered questions from residents who called in. The full audio recording is found on the home page.

      Public Involvement Plan

        We submitted our Public Involvement Plan to the DEP as part of the Act 2 process, which will lay out our plan for future meetings and engagement.