P&ID Safety Case StudyTexas City Refinery Disaster

Narrated by Kevin Lin and Eric Gauthier

www.chron.com www.chron.com

Plant Background

Texas City460,000 barrels/day11 million gallons

1800 employees

1200 acres

Operation Unit

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/us/bp_us_english/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/t/final_appendix_01_08.pdfPg A-11

Operation Unit

Raffinate Splitter

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/us/bp_us_english/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/t/final_appendix_01_08.pdfPg A-11

Operation Unit

Raffinate Splitter

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/us/bp_us_english/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/t/final_appendix_01_08.pdfPg A-11

Relief Valves

Operation Unit

Raffinate Splitter Blowdown Drum

Stack

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/us/bp_us_english/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/t/final_appendix_01_08.pdfPg A-11

Relief Valves

Disaster Strikes

• Isomerization Unit

• Overflow of Distillation Tower– Overpressurization– Flooding with hydrocarbons

• 15 workers killed

• 180 injured

www.economist.com

www.wikipedia.org

What Went Wrong?

Raffinate Splitter Blowdown Drum

Stack

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/us/bp_us_english/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/t/final_appendix_01_08.pdfPg A-11

Relief Valves

What Went Wrong?

Raffinate Splitter Blowdown Drum

Stack

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/us/bp_us_english/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/t/final_appendix_01_08.pdfPg A-11

Relief Valves

What Went Wrong?

Raffinate Splitter Blowdown Drum

Stack

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/us/bp_us_english/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/t/final_appendix_01_08.pdfPg A-11

Relief Valves

What Went Wrong?

Raffinate Splitter Blowdown Drum

Stack

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/us/bp_us_english/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/t/final_appendix_01_08.pdfPg A-11

Relief Valves

5x9000 gallon tanker trucks

What Went Wrong?

Raffinate Splitter Blowdown Drum

Stack

http://www.bp.com/liveassets/bp_internet/us/bp_us_english/STAGING/local_assets/downloads/t/final_appendix_01_08.pdfPg A-11

Relief Valves

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www.economist.com

Blog.kir.com

www.weldreality.com

Prevention Measures—Engineering • Improve Process Control

– Automated emergency shutdown system

• Location of Relief Valve– Top of tower for greater control of vaporization

• Blowdown/Stack Flare Relief System

Prevention Measures—Human Control

• Positive Work Enviroment• Management Enforcement Of:

– Process safety– Operations performance– Systematic risk reduction

• Training

Remember, YOU are responsible for maintaining a safe

workplace!!