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This data is from the European Hydrogen Incidents and Accidents database HIAD 2.1, European Commission, Joint Research Centre.

Release of Hydrogen and Hydrogen Sulfide in a Refinery
Although the ARIA report (see references) does not mention it, the unit affected was very probably the oil desulfurisation unit. The release occurred following the rupture of a pipe of 250 mm in diameter. 350 kg were released to the atmosphere in 11 minutes, consisting in 80% of hydrogen, 5% of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and 4% of water and hydrocarbons. The mixture was both toxic and flammable. H2S detector and explosimeters alarms were triggered and the operating staff cut off the supply. The cloud dispersed but the area of irreversible effects for H2S has remained within the site.
Event Date
October 10, 1998
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Cause Comments
According to the ARIA report (see references), the rupture could have been caused by the corrosion of a section of the line with a rather complex geometry (2 successive bends in 3 dimensions). Nothing is said regarding the cause of the corrosion, but it is known that H2S is a corrosive substance for metals.
Facility Information
Application Type
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
supply pipeline of hydrogel and hydrocarbons
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Industrial Area
Pre-event Summary
According to the multi-annual site inspection plan, this area should have been inspected before the end of 2000 (i.e. 2 years later) but the operator had advanced the inspection to the end of the current year.
Number of Fatalities
3
Currency
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
The ARIA report does not mention any corrective action. An obvious lesson to be learned was that the inspection of the various part of the site had to become more frequent, to be able to detect every type of degradation phenomena.
Event Nature
Emergency Action
Unknown
Release Type
Hydrogen Release Concentration (%)
80.00
Release Amount (kg)
250.00
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Source Category
References
References

Event description in the French database ARIA
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/20356/
(accessed October 2020)

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