LESSON LEARNED from PAST INCIDENT REPORTS at REFINERY in BP, TEXAS, USA, prepared by U.S. CHEMICAL SAFETY BOARD.

At approximately 1:20 p.m. on March 23, 2005, a series of explosions occurred at the BP Texas City refinery during the restarting of a hydrocarbon isomerization unit. Fifteen workers were killed and 180 others were injured. Many of the victims were in or around work trailers located near an atmospheric vent stack. The explosions occurred when a distillation tower flooded with hydrocarbons and was overpressurized, causing a geyser-like release from the vent stack [1].

BP, TEXAS [1]

Cloud extent comparing field observations (red line) to dispersion modeling [1]

SOURCE:

INVESTIGATION REPOR,T REFINERY EXPLOSION AND FIRE, U.S. CHEMICAL SAFETY AND HAZARD INVESTIGATION BOARD, REPORT NO. 2005-04-I-TX, MARCH 2007.

 [1]http://www.csb.gov/bp-america-refinery-explosion/

YOU TUBE

Outlines of the incident at;

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c9JY3eT4cdM&list=UUXIkr0SRTnZO4_QpZozvCCA&index=47

IN DEPTH REPORTS, prepared by U.S. Chemical Safety Board at;

http://www.csb.gov/bp-america-refinery-explosion/

WORST CASE SCENARIO BUILDING

It goes without saying that thoroughly investigate the incident and reconstruct system that allows to prevent from recurrence of the incidents.

We think that it is also important to estimate affected area, based on the worst case scenario, taking into account of existing guidance such as;

U.S. EPA METHODS;

RISK MANAGEMENT PROGRAM GUIDANCE FOR OFFSITE CONSEQUENCE ANALYSIS

CONTENTS;

    Determining Worst-Case Scenario

       In case of Toxic Gases

       In case of Toxic Liquids

       In case of Flammable Substances

Release Rates for Toxic Substances

Estimation of Worst-Case Distance to Toxic Endpoint

Estimation of Distance to Overpressure Endpoint for Flammable Substances

[http://www2.epa.gov/rmp/guidance-facilities-risk-management-programs-rmp]

&

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND DOCUMENT FOR OFFSITE CONSEQUENCE ANALYSIS FOR ANHYDROUS AQUEOUS AMMONIA, CHLORINE, AND SULFUR DIOXIDE

[http://www2.epa.gov/rmp/technical-background-offsite-consequence-analysis-anhydrous-ammonia-aqueous-ammonia-chlorine-and]

OUR SOLUTIONS;

For example;

Estimation for an affected area, caused by accident, associated with chemicals, usng Fluidyn PANWAVE.

PANWAVE is a module of PANACHE developed for the simulation of the consequences of total (sudden rapture of a tank) or partial leaks (breach or rapture in a branch connection) following an accident.

PANWAVE helps to simulate wave effects and to obtain the pressure of the impact on the retention walls and provides solutions to improve the retention capacity of the liquid.

In the safety directives for classified sites (SEVESO II, procedures for storage of toxic/flammable liquids), the loss of containment due to a sudden tank rupture can be correctly analyzed only by means of numerical simulation of pressure load and eventual overtopping on the storage sites. fluidyn-PANWAVE is a dedicated tool for such simulations in the chemical, petrochemical and agro industries sectors.

For more details, visit the web site at; 

 http://www.fluidyn.com/fluidyn/index.php? option=com_content&view=article&id=138&Itemid=119