Texas Refinery Explosion - Assignment Example

Texas Refinery Explosion Course Name and Code Institution Name Faculty Name Insert Your Name Insert Your ID Instructor’s Name 18 February 2009 Table of Contents 1.0 Introduction…………………………………………………………….3 2.0 What Happened………………………………………………………...3 3.0 How it happened……………………………………………………….4 4.0 Why it happened……………………………………………………….5 5.0 Consequences………………………………………………………….6 6.0 Lessons Learned……………………………………………………….7 7.0 Implications of Such Scenario to Preston……….……………………..8 8.0 Conclusion……………………………………………………………..8 9.0 Bibliography………………………………………….……………….10 1.0 Introduction Accidents and catastrophes are a common phenomenon in the few past years. Catastrophes ranges from man made to natural calamities. However, to some extend, the man made calamities can be intercepted but the natural catastrophes cannot easily be intercepted. Consequences associated with catastrophes lies within socio-economical and environmental concerns. Thus, the aim of this report is to analyze Texas Oil Refinery Explosion that occurred in 2005. The industrial facility is located at Texas in United States. Moreover, the paper tries to explain what happed, how it happened, why it happened, consequences and lessons that were learned due to the incident. Finally, the paper will try to show the implications that such a disaster occurs in Preston could have. 2.0 What Happened On March 23 2005 at around 1.20 pm, there was an explosion and fire occurred at Texas City in which one of BP’s largest and the most complex oil refinery was the casualty. The hydrogen isomerization unit was the scene of the incident in which there was an explosion followed by the fire. It resulted in 15 people dying and more than 170 been injured. All the people who died were contractors who were on site. The refinery is located on a 1200-acre piece of land, employs about 1600 staff and support 30 process units. In addition, approximately 800 other contractors were on site rejuvenating the refinery, which had taken nine months. The BP refinery plant produces jet fuels, chemical feedstocks, diesel fuels and gasoline. It is estimated that the refinery has a capacity of 460,000 barrels per day and has the ability of producing 11 million gallons of gasoline per day. 3.0 How it happened After the completion of the turnaround of the refinery, the huge steel hydrogen isomerization unit was been restarted after two weeks after it had stopped operating. The isomerization commonly known as isom boosts the octane part of gasoline. Moreover, restarting or starting of the oil refinery is usually the most dangerous time. This is because at a time of refinery turnaround, more than 30,000 different procedures take place. Many people are required to move around volatile contents, which is the main cause of most risks. The explosion originated from high and abnormal pressures when the workers were restarting the component unit. The abnormal pressures built up in the production tower resulting in three valves opening at the same time allowing extremely volatile gasoline components to escape into the 10×20 feet drum. However, a lot of fuel flooded into the “blowndown” drum in which its capacity rapidly exceeds its capacity. Thus, liquid and vapour shot straight upwards covering a height of 113 feet vent stack and into the open air (Institution of Chemical Engineers 2008). Instantaneously, a cracking sound was overheard through a radio stopping all hot work activities that were taking place. However, at the time many types of equipment were running and thus took a lot of time trying to turn it off. This resulted vapours been sucked into the equipment engine’s and at the same time a pick up that was below the tower began to rev up. One of the workers tried to turn off the pick up but it was too late. Within the clouds of fumes and may be in the pick up engine, a spark touched off resulting in ignition of a firestorm ball. Generally, the incident went through approximate six phases. According to Chemical Safety Board and the computerized records that were in the cont4rol system, it indicates that the pressure that was in the production tower rose drastically from 20 psi to 60 psi. It was then followed by three pressure valves been opened for six minutes which allowed the discharge of fuel that went into the blowdown drum and the fuel overwhelmed the system. Thus, the petroleum could be recycled at the required speed through the refinery, hence forcing vapours and liquid up through the 120 feet stack. When the fuel was settling at the ground, it ignited the blast that was able to rip off the roof of the benzene storage tank. Hence, resulting in the catastrophic flame (Regester & Larkin 2008). 4.0 Why it happened When there is flammable gas and a source of fire present, and the flammable material is ignited usually two events simultaneously takes place producing two perceptible blasts. The first sound is created by the flash, which consumes all available amount of oxygen resulting into a vacuum. Then, the vacuum is filled with fresh oxygen resulting in the combustibles exploding into a well-fuelled inferno and at the same time flings shock waves in front of it producing a loud sound. In fact, some workers at close range saw the super compressed wall as it rocketed outward at a speed of 1000 feet per second. It then was followed by a fireball that rolled over the shattered trailers that some of the workers were and at the same time melted many porta-potties. Thus, the occurrence of the incident is attributed to the pressure difference and emission of vapour and liquid (Gilmour et al 2008). The drastic increase of pressure and technological complexities may have contributed a lot to the fail of the system to work well. Moreover, approach and policies that are in place e.g. nearness of trailers into the isom area and within the areas of vapour and liquid leakage may have contributed into the escalation of the incident. Other factors that contributed to the occurrence was the approach that management completed its duties. The management team did not incorporate safety measures and policies in the way that they fulfilled their duties. In fact, negligence and ignorance attributed to employees and contractors during the start up process and other related processes contributed to the failure of safety measures. Moreover, the management did not provide the required resources and did not implement the right approaches towards sustaining such industrial duties. However, the crucial lacking measure is extend of risk assessment that was in place. According to the Baker (2007) report, it indicates that the management did not put into consideration risk areas and components, else appropriate measures should have been in place. The report further shows that the petrochemical company did not follow engineering standards did not follow internal regulations, did not put in place process safety and safety adequacy analysis was incomplete. These are the main pitfalls that contributed to the occurrence of the incident. 5.0 Consequences The explosion and fire incident in Texas BP Amoco petrochemical plant was catastrophic. Fifteen people died because of the incident and more than 170 injuries. It had damaging effects in relation to social, economic and environmental concerns. The people who died and injured caused physiological discomforts to parties involved and lead to emotional and metal decision making towards the approach towards the organization. In fact, some workers in the company resigned because of the incident and others were sorrowful (Gerstein & Ellsberg 2008). Economically, buildings and vehicles were destroyed. Additionally the plant was some parts of the plant were destroyed and there were many types of rubble within the site. This means that the company lost both a part of its infrastructure and lawsuits that they had to cover. Refining and production of fuel was affected to certain levels. This resulted in the increase of the price of crude oil, thus affecting many industries due to rise of operational costs. Pollution played an important factor in this incident area (Maguire 2006). The vapour, liquid, smoke and other emissions are substances that are not friendly to the environment. In fact, people were informed that they were to remain indoors until the air was analyzed and determined whether it was safe enough. The foams and extinguishers that were used by the fire fighters and fire engines also contributed to environmental degradation. 6.0 Lessons Learned Safety measures and approaches to its implementation are crucial in ensuring safety at work. For example, BP Corporation did not factor into consideration the benefits of process safety, thus they concentrated on personal safety. Ensuring that the workers and employees have the appropriate and right resources ensure that they can operate with minimal difficulties promoting the culture of ensuring that safety is upheld (Santiago 2006). Risk assessment is an important aspect in determining areas that may cause hazards. This will enable appropriate measures and means to ensure that the appropriate measures are in place. However, many organizations and industrials risk assessment strategies are flawed and may not factor qualitatively risk measures. Engineering standards, statutory regulations and internal policies play an important role in reducing hazards. Ensuring that the firm follows all policies and regulations that are in place ensures that risks are greatly reduced and at the same time upholds the standards and reputation of the organization (Hearst Magazines 2005). Generally, the important aspect that supersedes all others approaches in reducing or eliminating ignorance and negligence. Employees and public should be informed and educated on ensuring that they place forefront safety measures and other measures that ensure they approach any duty without comprehending safety. 7.0 Implications of Such Scenario to Preston Preston area is a populated area and many economical activities take place (Preston 2009). Occurrences of such incident many be hazardous and may cause many activities to strand. There are many industries and most of them depended on fuel for operation. Occurrence of such incident will increase operational costs stranding the economy. Due to Preston population and the extent of hazardous consequences and impact of the explosion and accompanying fire, many people could have been affected. High number of fatalities could have been recorded and at the same time, more could have been injured. In the same perspective, the Texas Refinery Explosion was accompanied by a shockwave that was estimated that it moved at a speed of 1000 feet per second. Such shockwave could have damaged many homes through breaking of window glasses and other unstable home equipments (Preston 2009). However, the most affected areas could have been the economy, social and environmental degradation. Most people in the Preston area could have depended on the oil refinery for employment and the dead of the employees, which may double up as been the breadwinners of families could have dealt a devastating blow to most families. Many families could be dramatized and leads to emotional and physiological complexities due to the dead people while others due to injured persons. Moreover, the environment could be compromised. The emitted cases and other fluids could drain into the rivers and lakes resulting in both water and air pollution. This will negatively impact sea ecosystem and may cause airborne complexities. 8.0 Conclusion Many avenues are in place that accidents and catastrophes may occur. An example is the Texas Refinery Explosion that occurred in 2005. The incident resulted in 15 fatalities and more than 170 injuries. The explosion is attributed to the hydrogen isom that was been restarted after been offline for nine months. The explosion was a chain of activities resulting to the explosion. Increase in pressure from 20 to 60 psi contributed to unbalanced flow of liquid into the blowdrum reducing the capability of the refinery refining the oil. Thus, pressure forced the liquid upwards through the stack culminating to the explosion and the fire. The catastrophe caused many social, economical and environmental complications. Many people died, businesses were interrupted while others lost personal equipments such as cars and the environment was jeopardised. Due to the incident lessons that were learned include promoting process safety rather than specializing on individual safety, developing an appropriate risk assessment plan, championing engineering and internal standards. Moreover, Preston town could be vulnerable of such incident may occur because of her large population and developed economy. Many people will be affected, economies could be jeopardised while the environment could be degraded. Generally, the important factor is assessing risks and appropriate measures should be in place to ensure that the risks are minimized. 9.0 Bibliography Baker et al, 2007, The Report of The BP U.S Refineries Independent Safety Review Panel, Retrieved from http://www.csb.gov/completed_investigations/docs/Baker_panel_report.pdf [Accessed 17 February 2009] Gerstein, M. & Ellsberg, M., 2008, flirting with Disaster: Why Accidents are Rarely Accidental, New York: Union Square Press. Gilmour, S. et al & Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board, 2008, Anatomy of a Disaster Explosion at BP Texas City Refinery, Chicago: U.S. Chemical Safety Board Publishers. Hearst Magazines, Jul 2005, Popular Mechanics, Vol. 182, No. 7. Information on Preston, 2009, About Preston, Retrieved from http://www.preston-ct.org/html/about_preston___.html [Accessed 17 February 2009] Institution of Chemical Engineers (Great Britain), 2008, Hazards XX: Process Safety and Environmental Protection, Harnessing Knowledge, Challenging Complacency, London: Institution of Chemical Engineers Publishers. Maguire, R., 2006, Safety Cases and Safety Reports: Meaning, Motivation and Management, London: Ashgate Publishers. Regester, M. & Larkin, J., 2008, Risk Issues and Crisis Management in Public Relations: A Casebook of Best Practice, 4th Ed., London: Kogan Page Publishers. Santiago, M., 2006, The Ecology of Oil: Environment, New York: Cambridge University Press Publishers. Read More