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November
Summary
An explosion in a chemical facility. A gas cloud was seen above the area immediately after the explosion. Damaged about 20 buildings and left a crater in the facility’s backyard Proximate
Summary
An explosion in a chemical facility. A gas cloud was seen above the area immediately after the explosion. Damaged about 20 buildings and left a crater in the facility’s backyard
Proximate causes:
• Inadequate tools, equipment & vehicles
• Inadequate engineering/design
Source: A web-based collection and analysis of process safety incidents (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950423016302285)
Image Credit: Unidentified
December
Summary
A straight run of eight-inch-diameter line carrying hot oil from the high pressure separator to the low pressure stripper in a refinery hydrodesulfurizer fractured circumferentially in the parent metal in
Summary
A straight run of eight-inch-diameter line carrying hot oil from the high pressure separator to the low pressure stripper in a refinery hydrodesulfurizer fractured circumferentially in the parent metal in the heat zone about 1.5 inches from a weld. Hot oil at 700 psi and 650°F sprayed across the roadway into the hydrogen units where ignition occurred. An intense fire around the pipe rack in the hydrogen plant caused a 16-inch-diameter gas line to rupture, adding a second blow torch to the fire. More pipes ruptured with explosive force in adjacent areas. The fire resulted in a crash shutdown of the entire 600,000 bbl/d refinery. After six and a half hours, the fire was extinguished. Damage was extensive. The three hydrogen plants and the four hydrodesulphurization (HDS) units were heavily damaged or destroyed. Before the loss, the line which failed was judged as having excessive vibration. It is believed that the hot oil line failed due to fatigue, considered, in turn, to be largely due to hydrogen embrittlement.
[ Property Damage $75 Million. Estimated Current Value $180 Million ]
Image credit: PDVSA
Summary
A huge boil-over occurred on a fuel oil tank, killing at least 160 people in a huge fire ball. The explosion occurred on the fuel oil tank while it was
Summary
A huge boil-over occurred on a fuel oil tank, killing at least 160 people in a huge fire ball. The explosion occurred on the fuel oil tank while it was being gauged, blowing the roof off the tank and setting it on fire. Eight hours after the tank fire started a violent boil-over occurred. Burning oil flowed down the hill where the tank was located and surrounded a second tank.
[ Property Damage $70 Million. Estimated Current Value $193 Million ]
Image credit: Radio Rescate
January
Summary
An explosion occurred at one of Petrobras’ refineries. The blast occurred at a hydrogen conduit in an enclosed space, causing a flare and a displacement of air that threw the
Summary
An explosion occurred at one of Petrobras’ refineries. The blast occurred at a hydrogen conduit in an enclosed space, causing a flare and a displacement of air that threw the contract workers against the refinery’s metal structure.
Proximate causes:
• Inadequate maintenance
• Failure following procedures
• Lack of work rules/policies/ standards/procedures
• Physical condition (the accident may have been the result of maintenance work being carried out under tight deadlines and long shifts imposed on refinery workers)
• Mental stress
• Mental state
Source: A web-based collection and analysis of process safety incidents (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950423016302285)
Image Credit: Daily Motion
February
Summary
Explosion in an oil and gas production ship rented by Petrobras. The explosion occurred aboard the FPSO unit. A leak of flammable substance in the pump room was the cause
Summary
Explosion in an oil and gas production ship rented by Petrobras. The explosion occurred aboard the FPSO unit. A leak of flammable substance in the pump room was the cause of the explosion.
Proximate causes:
• Failure in following procedures
• Lack of work rules/policies/ standards/procedures (breach of operational procedures for the pumping of fluids)
• Inadequate engineering/design
• Inadequate management/ supervision (installation of equipment in pipe without proper technical specification and registration of the change)
• Work exposure to hazardous chemicals (flammable substances) Inadequate assessment of needs and risks
Marsh (https://www.marsh.com/us/insights/research/100-largest-losses-in-the-hydrocarbon-industry.html):
An explosion on a FPSO off the coast of Brazil resulted in nine fatalities and multiple wounded. The accident happened as the vessel was anchored in the Atlantic Ocean 120 kilometres from the coast of Espirito Santos, Brazil. The FPSO is a converted very large crude oil tanker (VLCC), designed to produce up to 10 million cubic meters of natural gas. It is understood that a condensate leak during a fluid transfer operation released a cloud of flammable vapor into the engine room, resulting in an explosion in the machinery space. The majority of fatalities were believed to be part of the emergency response team. FPSO took on water, but the explosion did not result in a breach of the hull of the vessel.
[ Property Damage $250 Million. Estimated Current Value $264 Million ]
Source: A web-based collection and analysis of process safety incidents (https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950423016302285)
Image Credit: AFP / Getty Images
Related Events
March
Summary
Some 25 miles of Trans-Andean pipeline disappeared in this event, which also damaged natural gas and gasoline pipelines. All 285 producing wells were shut down and oil exports were suspended
Summary
Some 25 miles of Trans-Andean pipeline disappeared in this event, which also damaged natural gas and gasoline pipelines. All 285 producing wells were shut down and oil exports were suspended and swap arrangement made with Venezuelan suppliers. The first earthquake registered 6.0 on the Richter scale, the second 6.8, and there was a total of 10 earthquakes in total. Repairs took several months.
[ Property Damage $120 Million. Estimated Current Value $288 Million ]
Image credit: NAPU
Summary
The world’s largest offshore production facility was rocked by a series of explosions caused by a gas release. The explosions knocked out a support pillar of the semi-submersible platform allowing
Summary
The world’s largest offshore production facility was rocked by a series of explosions caused by a gas release. The explosions knocked out a support pillar of the semi-submersible platform allowing seawater to enter the vessel. Workers pumped in nitrogen and compressed air and tried to pump out almost 3,000 metric tons of seawater to keep the rig afloat, but were unsuccessful. On March 20, 2001, the rig sank to the sea floor. The incident killed 11 workers.
[ Property Damage $500 Million. Estimated Current Value $851 Million ]
Ref: http://www.anp.gov.br/noticias/2342-anp-marinha-comissao-conjunta
Image credit: Petrobras
Related Events
Summary
An apparent failure of a propane intercooler liquid level control during unsupervised maintenance led to an explosion and fire. The control room on the main platform was destroyed and adjacent
Summary
An apparent failure of a propane intercooler liquid level control during unsupervised maintenance led to an explosion and fire. The control room on the main platform was destroyed and adjacent platforms were affected by the blast wave. There were 11 fatalities.
[ Property Damage $100 Million. Estimated Current Value $194 Million ]
Image credit: PDVSA