10 . RecentTankFailures-Mab

7/28/2019 10 . RecentTankFailures-Mab

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Tank Ignition Resulting from aLightning Strike


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Lightning Strike 140-foot diameter gasoline storage

tank in Glenpool, OK.

The Explorer Pipeline terminal atGlenpool, located about 60 milessouth of Tulsa, is part of a 1,400-

mile pipeline system that transportsgasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuel fromthe Gulf Coast to the Midwest.

Explorer Pipelines Glenpool tankfarm consists of 31 tanks with acombined capacity of about 3.4

million barrels


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Operators had justfilled the internal

floating roof storagetank to 43 feet, twofeet short of its full

sidewall height. Within an hour athunderstorm moved

through the area,bringing with it thelightning strike that

ignited the tank.


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As a result of the 11-hour fire, Explorer was forced to shutits 28-inch oil pipeline into Tulsa, OK, and its 24-inchpipeline to Explorers Wood River, IL, terminal.

At 9:10 a.m. the first report of a lightning strike at the tankfarm reached the Glenpool Fire Department.

At about 11:30 a.m., the external cone roof collapsed andfell into the tank, sinking the floating roof beneath it. Fire

spread across the full surface of the exposed flammableliquid


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Explorer contacted Williams Fire & Hazard Control toRespond

Explorer also notified Williams that it was drawing productout of the burning tank. Although Williams often advisesagainst drawing out product, this situation was different.

The only reason not to draw product out is that the roof isintact and you dont want to lose it

If you draw product out you are likely to lose it. But they

had already experienced a loss of the roof. Draw product out until it gets too hot or gets below the

pan.

If it gets under the Pan, vapor could collect and blow thepan right out of the tank.

The internal floating roof sits on six-foot legs. Explorer

stopped drawing product at the 10 foot level when theproduct itself became too hot to move


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Within two hours Williams was working on

the fire.

Fourteen minutes into the attack Williams

changed tactics

The change in tactics was necessary, alarge pipe in the center of the tank wasblowing fire above the flammable liquid

and the foam blanket.

By 8 p.m. there was no flame visible in the

tank.


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Key Lessons PUMP OUT PROCEDURES

If the roof goes down into the product you should quitpumping out so that you can have some assurance that

the roof will remain covered by product. If the roof is not covered, you dont have an open surface

that allows your foam to communicate all the way across.Youre fighting a multitude of smaller fires.

WATER IS VITAL

EXPERIENCE Even if you have water, the best support you can have is

experience. How many times do people get to fight these fires and see

them done right? How many times do firefighters have a successful

experience that can teach them this technique?


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Floating RoofPenetration Cautions

Credit:

J ohn Lieb, Tank Industry Consultants, Inc.Tank Industry Consultants, Inc.


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The Message: Do not attempt to use buoyant-cover-typeemergency roof drains or buoyant manway

covers on single deck pontoon type floatingroofs.

Consider the emergency roof drain:The principles that follow are the same for

buoyant manway covers.


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Emergency Roof Drain

Purpose To drain rain water from the roof ifthe primary roof drain is not working.

Single Deck Roof Types Drain Plug Most common, usually a 3 or 4-inch

screwed plug, with a T-handle to unscrew the plug. Intended for use when roof is landed on supports

Pipe with Floatation Cover Not Effective forproducts with specific gravity less than that of water.

Double Deck Roof Types Fixed Pipe with Removable Strainer Top

When water reaches a certain level, it overflows the

strainer


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What does API 650 say? Any penetration of the floating roof shall not allow

product to flow onto the roof under design

conditions

Should be clarified with the addition:

The sag of the roof deck under design conditionsand the minimum design specific gravity (0.7) ofthe stored liquid shall be considered in

establishing the minimum elevations of all roofpenetrations."


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Single Deck Emergency Roof Drain*(* Not Used When Roof is Floating on Product)

Single Deck Roof Types Drain Plug w/T-handle

Drain Plug w/o T-handle Deck PlateScrewedPlug

Thickened Plate

Deck Plate

Threaded

Pipe

Thickened Plate

T-Handle


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Double Deck Roof Emergency Drain

Top Deck

Bottom Deck

Strainer

Top Plate

T-Handle

ScrewedCoupling


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Emergency roof drains are intended to allow for theremoval of rain water when the primary drain is not

working.


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Buoyant Cover Emergency Roof Drain

Center Deck Plate

Floatation Cover

Pipe Neck


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Emergency Roof Drain Single Deck Roof Types

Pipe w/Floatation Cover The problem with this type ofdrain is that liquids lighter than water will flood the roofbefore the water on the roof deck has a chance to enterthe pipe.


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This is what can happen when a buoyant emergency drain

or manhole cover is used on a single-deck floating roof.


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Floatation Cover

FOR LIQUID WITH S.G. < 1.0

Oil LevelWater Level

Center RoofDeck Plate


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Pontoon Oil Level

Center Deck (In FullContact With OilLevel)

CONVENTIONAL SINGLE DECK PONTOON FLOATINGROOF ON WHICH BUOYANT COVER DEVICES WILL

NOT WORK


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Roof Floating on Oil With Rain and No Punctured

Compartments

Water Level

Center Deck Sag

Oil Level


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Oil Level

Deck Sag

WaterLevel

Roof Floating on Oil With Rain and No Punctured

Compartments


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CONVENTIONAL DOUBLE DECK FLOATING ROOF ONWHICH BUOYANT COVER DEVICES WILL WORK

Oil Level

Lower Deck (In FullContact With OilLevel)

Water

Level


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Summary:Summary:

Do not use buoyantDo not use buoyant--covercover--type emergency rooftype emergency roof

drains or buoyant manway covers on single deckdrains or buoyant manway covers on single deck

pontoon type floating roofs.pontoon type floating roofs.


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