Explosion at the Desulfurization Unit of a Refinery
The accident started with a leakage of distilled petroleum intermediate and hydrogen in the desulfurization unit of the distilled intermediate. Both substances ignited and exploded, with a later fire, in the form of a pool fire and a jet flame from a pipe.The initial gravity of the event gave rise to the activation of the External Emergency Plan.
Event Date
October 12, 2002
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Causes
Cause Comments
An investigation was carried out and specifically looked at all modifications, maintenance operations, construction works and inspections performed on the installation. According to both sources (see References), a phenomenon of corrosion and erosion of a pipe due to a bad design of the manifold caused a pipe rupture.
Facility Information
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
desulfurization unit
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Industrial Area
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
As measure to prevent recurrence, the design of the manifold was modified to improve flow and reduce corrosion. The plant emergency plan was also improved, in particularly the communication between the Crisis Unit and the different actors.
Event Nature
Emergency Action
External Emergency Plan was activated.
Release Type
Release Substance
Ignition Source
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Source Category
References
References
Event no. 29610 of the French database ARIA (accessed December 2020)
Event description in the European database eMARS (accessed December 2020)