Texas City, TX Amanda Engler

Texas City, Texas “Explosions and tragedy a way of life in Texas city “ “Explosions and tragedy a way of life in Texas city “ BP oil refinery in Texas City BP oil refinery in Texas City March 24, 2005 was it preventable? March 24, 2005 was it preventable?

April 16, 1947 The port of opportunity The port of opportunity –Thriving community –Chemical plants and refineries provided good jobs The Grandcamp was at the port loaded with The Grandcamp was at the port loaded with –oil-field machinery –drill stems –Peanuts –sisal twine –small-arms ammunition –ammonium nitrate fertilizer

The fire The ship caught on fire shortly after 8:00 AM The ship caught on fire shortly after 8:00 AM –The smoke was a peach color –Many people from the town came to watch 8:45 AM the fire department came 8:45 AM the fire department came –Ship hatch had blown off –Fire was too hot to put out with water The fire could not be controlled The fire could not be controlled

9:12 AM the ship exploded Heard from 150 miles away Heard from 150 miles away The sky appeared as if it was on fire The sky appeared as if it was on fire Mushroom cloud rose 2,000 feet Mushroom cloud rose 2,000 feet A tidal wave swept people away A tidal wave swept people away Heavy debris flew thousands of feet Heavy debris flew thousands of feet 1.5 ton anchor flew 2 miles 1.5 ton anchor flew 2 miles Secondary explosions were ignited Secondary explosions were ignited

The explosion

The Grandcamp's propeller shaft

Tidal wave damage

Secondary explosion at a refinery

The High Flyer In the port that day for repair In the port that day for repair Loaded with fertilizer Loaded with fertilizer Damaged by the first explosion Damaged by the first explosion Tried to move the ship away from shore Tried to move the ship away from shore Flames were spotted Flames were spotted The alarm was sounded The alarm was sounded Exploded at 1:00 AM Exploded at 1:00 AM More secondary explosions More secondary explosions

The aftermath Death toll 576 people Death toll 576 people 5,000 injured 5,000 injured –Broken bones –Lost limbs Thousands of homes destroyed Thousands of homes destroyed Local churches and businesses gone Local churches and businesses gone Area refineries destroyed Area refineries destroyed

The recovery People opened their homes to those who’s had been destroyed. People opened their homes to those who’s had been destroyed. Many major industries pledged to rebuild Many major industries pledged to rebuild Received $1 million in relief funds Received $1 million in relief funds Received $4 million in insurance payments Received $4 million in insurance payments Sunday, June 22, 1947, a day of closure Sunday, June 22, 1947, a day of closure

Industry changes Improved disaster preparedness Improved disaster preparedness Ports evaluated their safety procedures Ports evaluated their safety procedures Community Awareness Response in Emergencies (CARE) Community Awareness Response in Emergencies (CARE)

BP oil refinery Texas City Constructed in 1934 Constructed in 1934 BP’s largest refinery at 1,200 acres BP’s largest refinery at 1,200 acres Third largest in the nation Third largest in the nation 1,600 employees 1,600 employees World’s most complex refinery World’s most complex refinery

A history of accidents October 1988 fire halted operations in the isomerization unit October 1988 fire halted operations in the isomerization unit April 6, 1992 leak of flammable liquids explodes severely burning an employee, he died 15 days later April 6, 1992 leak of flammable liquids explodes severely burning an employee, he died 15 days later July, 1995 another explosion, no one injured July, 1995 another explosion, no one injured April 19, 1999, 50 pounds of hydrogen ignited, worker suffered second degree burns April 19, 1999, 50 pounds of hydrogen ignited, worker suffered second degree burns

History continued August 2000, fire in cooker unit, 20 people escaped without injury August 2000, fire in cooker unit, 20 people escaped without injury March 30, 2004, explosion and fire, no one injured, OSHA found 14 safety violations March 30, 2004, explosion and fire, no one injured, OSHA found 14 safety violations Sept. 2, 2004, three men exposed to superheated steam, two died Sept. 2, 2004, three men exposed to superheated steam, two died March 23, 2005, explosion in isomerization unit kills 15, over 100 injured March 23, 2005, explosion in isomerization unit kills 15, over 100 injured

March 23, 2005

Where it happened? Isomerization Unit – –Converts low octane feeds to higher octane components – –Feed octane is between – –Product octane is between 83-85

The isomerization unit Raffinate Splitter Hydrotreater Nonaromatic stream Heavy raffinate Light raffinate Sulfur Nitrogen Isomerization Reactor Vapor Recovery Unit Final Product

What happened? Unit was shutdown Explosion happened during the restart Vapor and liquids shot out of a ventilation stack Truck may have provided the spark for the explosion Explosion was felt in buildings up to 5 miles away

Was it preventable? A closer look The vent stack The vent stack –Used as pressure relieve from fluids and gas buildup in the isomerization unit –The industry norm is to use a flare for this The American Petroleum Institute says that vent stacks are old technology and are slowly being phased out The American Petroleum Institute says that vent stacks are old technology and are slowly being phased out 1992 OSHA citing 1992 OSHA citing –The equipment at the center of the blast “allowed toxic gases to vent to the atmosphere... thus exposing employees to flammable or toxic gases." –OSHA recommended that the unit should be reconfigured so the vapors went to a flare or air monitors should be installed on the unit

Could the death toll have been less severe? Trailer placement 11 of 15 were in a portable trailer 100 to 150 feet from vent stack 11 of 15 were in a portable trailer 100 to 150 feet from vent stack –"People who were injured or suffered fatalities had nothing to do with that unit," said Charles Ramirez, a safety representative for contractor JE Merit. –Other industry leaders place trailers as far away from equipment as possible –“BP's own 2001 internal form for siting trailers - a 31- point checklist - set a threshold of 350 feet between trailers and refining units or else a special risk analysis must be performed. “ Two blast-proof control rooms at the site seemed to have suffered minimal damage Two blast-proof control rooms at the site seemed to have suffered minimal damage

What can we take away from this tragedy? Questions/Comments

References “The Explosion 50 years later, Texas City still remembers,” “Investigation Into Plant Explosion That Killed 15 Under Way,” US News March 24, “FBI rules out terrorism in plant explosion,” US News, March 25, Fiegel, Eric, “Death toll in refinery blast rises to 15,” Fiegel, Eric, “Death toll in refinery blast rises to 15,” US News, March 24, Moran, Kevin,” 15th body pulled from refinery rubble,” Moran, Kevin,” 15th body pulled from refinery rubble,” Houston Chronicle, “BP EXPLOSION; LOCATION OF TRAILER DIDN'T MEET GUIDELINES; Mobile office at refinery was too close to stack,“ “BP EXPLOSION; LOCATION OF TRAILER DIDN'T MEET GUIDELINES; Mobile office at refinery was too close to stack,“ Houston Chronicle, April 10, “THE BP EXPLOSION; Refineries under stricter rules overseas; Laws in the U.S. do much less to protect workers than those in Great Britain,“ “THE BP EXPLOSION; Refineries under stricter rules overseas; Laws in the U.S. do much less to protect workers than those in Great Britain,“Houston Chronicle, April 5, “Idling engine may have set off BP explosion; Witnesses claim the driver tried to turn off the truck during vapor vent,” Houston Chronicle, April 1, “Ignition, hydrocarbon release likely explosion cause,” The Associated Press State & Local Wire, March 30, “Volatile liquid distilling device may be cause of refinery blast,” Houston Chronicle, March 27, 2005.

References Continued “Two-inch error killed two BP workers in 2004, report shows,” The Associated Press State & Local Wire, March 26, “Explosions and tragedy a way of life in Texas city,” The Associated Press State & Local Wire, March 24, “Facility has costly history; Past incidents have cost owners millions in OSHA fines and lawsuit settlements,” The Houston Chronicle, March 24, “OSHA faulted BP for unrepaired Texas City chemical leak,” The Associated Press State & Local Wire, April 13, “Probe is closing in on BP blast's cause; The refinery's computer records are being analyzed,” The Houston Chronicle, April 14, “Other accidents happened at Texas City refinery unit,” The Associated Press State & Local Wire, April 11, “Fatal industrial accidents in Texas,”, March 23, “Fatal industrial accidents in Texas,” The Associated Press State & Local Wire, March 23, “Texas City, Texas, Gasoline Refinery Returns to 'Near Normal' after Blaze” The Houston Chronicle, April 1, “Texas City, Texas, Gasoline Refinery Returns to 'Near Normal' after Blaze” The Houston Chronicle, April 1, “OSHA issued warning about dangerous ventilation stack in 1992,” The Houston Chronicle, April 8, “OSHA issued warning about dangerous ventilation stack in 1992,” The Houston Chronicle, April 8, 2004.